Tag Archives: dewey radke demolition

Dewey-Radke House History Resources

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Mary| Leave a comment

An important part of the preservation of an historic site is the documentation that is kept in order to help us remember that site. This is key because we can never be sure what will bring about the destruction of a site, whether by fire, natural disaster or human action.

Last week’s demolition of the Dewey-Radke House led me on a search through the online archives of the Morrison County Record and a few other sources in order to gather further documentation for the Dewey-Radke House file we have in our archive. I thought you might appreciate seeing the list I compiled, which gives a nice summary – even if you only read the titles – of what has happened with the home over the past few years. What’s striking about the list is how long it is. The Dewey-Radke House received a lot of news coverage.

I have also included a scan (pdf file) of a brochure produced in the 1970s about the history of the home.

If you are interested in further information on the Dewey-Radke House, stop by to look at the file or to comb through the archived bound volumes of the Morrison County Record.

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Dewey-Radke pamphlet from the 1970s: http://morrisoncountyhistory.org/deweyradkepamphlet.pdf

Dewey-Radke House Demolition – Related Articles
Compiled by Mary Warner, 2011

Note: This list contains news items and guest editorials from the Morrison County Record, but not regular letters to the editor concerning the house. There are many of those to be found by searching the Record’s archive online or by looking through the bound volumes of the Record at the Morrison County Historical Society. The list is in date order.

[Morrison County Record] New tenants for Dewey-Radke house – September 30, 2003: http://archives.ecmpublishers.info/2003/09/30/new-tenants-for-dewey-radke-house/

[Morrison County Record] Fate of Dewey-Radke House discussed – March 18, 2008: http://mcrecord.com/archives/466874/

[Morrison County Record] Council discusses whether to repair Dewey-Radke house – March 21, 2008: http://mcrecord.com/archives/466815/

[Morrison County Record] About $20,000 has been set aside for the Dewey-Radke repairs – October 24, 2008: http://mcrecord.com/archives/466016/

[Morrison County Record] Friends of the Dewey-Radke home excited about property’s possibilities – February 13, 2009: http://mcrecord.com/archives/465577/

[Morrison County Record] Friends see great potential for ‘The Dewey’ – May 28, 2010: http://mcrecord.com/archives/469410/

[Morrison County Record] LF City Council needs to look at enterprises case-by-case – June 18, 2010: http://mcrecord.com/archives/431780/

[Morrison County Record] Little Falls Council needs to establish an inventory policy – June 25, 2010: http://mcrecord.com/archives/431705/

[Morrison County Record] Public invited to give input on inventory policy for LF city property – July 22, 2010: http://mcrecord.com/archives/431511/

[Morrison County Record] Friends groups have concerns about time and money needed for inventory of properties – July 29, 2010: http://mcrecord.com/archives/469177/

[Morrison County Record] Friends of the Dewey-Radke plan open house – July 30, 2010: http://mcrecord.com/archives/431445/

[Morrison County Record] Dewey-Radke home’s future may include the construction of a mini locomotive – August 12, 2010: http://mcrecord.com/archives/469132/

[Morrison County Record] Tuckpoint work has started at ‘The Dewey’ – September 16, 2010: http://mcrecord.com/archives/474396/tuckpoint-work-has-started-at-%E2%80%98the-dewey%E2%80%99/

[Morrison County Record] Decision to furnish Dewey-Radke House up in the air – September 24, 2010: http://mcrecord.com/archives/474763/decision-to-furnish-dewey-radke-house-up-in-the-air/

[Morrison County Record] Friends of Dewey-Radke House try to get train on track – November 5, 2010: http://mcrecord.com/archives/476827/friends-of-dewey-radke-house-try-to-get-train-on-track/

[Morrison County Record] Little Falls City Council votes to end agreement with Friends of Dewey-Radke House – February 25, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/481096/little-falls-city-council-votes-to-end-agreement-with-friends-of-dewey-radke-house/

[Morrison County Record] Friends of Dewey-Radke House solicit support for historic home’s future – March 17, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/482025/friends-of-dewey-radke-house-solicit-support-for-historic-home%E2%80%99s-future/

[Morrison County Record] Mission of Friends of Dewey-Radke remains unchanged – April 22, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/484075/mission-of-friends-of-dewey-radke-remains-unchanged/

[Morrison County Record] Friends of the Dewey-Radke plan final open house – April 28, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/484355/friends-of-the-dewey-radke-plan-final-open-house/

[Brainerd Dispatch] Train has left the Dewey-Radke House station in Little Falls – May 19, 2011: http://brainerddispatch.com/news/2011-05-19/train-has-left-dewey-radke-house-station-little-falls#.TmEKqmrcy1E

[Morrison County Record] Yard sale at Little Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau cancelled; temporary injunction brought by Friends of the Dewey-Radke House granted – June 3, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/487190/yard-sale-at-little-falls-convention-and-visitors-bureau-cancelled-temporary-injunction-brought-by-friends-of-the-dewey-radke-house-granted/

[Morrison County Record] Friends of the Dewey-Radke to Little Falls and its Council: ‘You are being sued’ – June 10, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/487565/friends-of-the-dewey-radke-to-little-falls-and-its-council-%E2%80%98you-are-being-sued%E2%80%99/

[YouTube] 11022410City of Little Falls Revokes Dewey Radke Lease – June 13, 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKBN9CGKjhw

[Morrison County Record] Hearing set for Friday: Dewey-Radke Friends vs. Little Falls – June 21, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/488153/hearing-set-for-friday-dewey-radke-friends-vs-little-falls/

[Morrison County Record] Temporary injunction against Little Falls stands; judge to make final decision in Dewey-Radke Friends vs. city suit – June 27, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/488529/488529/

[Morrison County Record] Judge rules in favor of the city of Little Falls in Friends of the Dewey-Radke House lawsuit – July 27, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/490599/judge-rules-in-favor-of-the-city-in-friends-of-the-dewey-radke-house-lawsuit/

[Morrison County Record] Judge rules in favor of city in Dewey-Radke Friends lawsuit — Friends group plans to continue its work; Council to discuss the Dewey-Radke Monday – July 29, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/490792/judge-rules-in-favor-of-city-in-dewey-radke-friends-lawsuit-%E2%80%94-friends-group-plans-to-continue-its-work-council-to-discuss-the-dewey-radke-monday/

[Morrison County Record] Passion superseded wisdom right here in Little Falls – July 29, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/490799/passion-superseded-wisdom-right-here-in-little-falls/

[Morrison County Record] Little Falls Council begins process of deciding fate of the Dewey-Radke House – August 5, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/491223/little-falls-council-begins-process-of-deciding-fate-of-the-dewey-radke-house/

[Morrison County Record] Crowder explains position on Dewey-Radke House – August 5, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/491281/crowder-explains-position-on-the-dewey-radke-house/

[Morrison County Record] Little Falls Council votes 6-1 to demolish Dewey-Radke House – August 15, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/491736/little-falls-council-votes-6-1-to-demolish-dewey-radke-house/

[YouTube] Dewey Radke House – Lakeland News at Ten – August 17, 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvJ1Jx86qfo

[Morrison County Record] Six-one vote by Little Falls City Council to demolish is next step in Dewey-Radke House history – August 19, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/491909/six-one-vote-determines-next-step-in-dewey-radke-house-history/

[KSAX] Little Falls City Council Votes to Tear Down 118-Year-Old Dewey-Radke House – August 19, 2011: http://ksax.com/article/stories/S2245185.shtml?cat=10263

[KARE 11] Historic Little Falls home has date with wrecking ball – August 21, 2011: http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=934934

[Preservation Alliance of Minnesota] Letter of Concern and Interest Regarding the Dewey-Radke House – August 23, 2011: http://www.mnpreservation.org/2011/08/23/letter-of-concern-and-interest-regarding-the-dewey-radke-house/

[Morrison County Record] Chris Grams tenders resignation as president of the FDRH – August 25, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/492243/chris-grams-tenders-resignation-as-president-of-the-fdrh/

[Morrison County Record] Citizens should be allowed to vote on the fate of the Dewey-Radke House – August 26, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/492374/citizens-should-be-allowed-to-vote-on-the-fate-of-the-dewey-radke-house/

[Morrison County Record] The Dewey-Radke is really the ‘Botton, Gibson, McCausy, Roberts, Shaw, Dewey, Hammerbeck and Radke House – August 26, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/492378/the-dewey-radke-is-really-the-%E2%80%98botton-gibson-mccausy-roberts-shaw-dewey-hammerbeck-and-radke%E2%80%99-house/

[Morrison County Record] Dewey-Radke House is no more – August 30, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/492525/dewey-radke-house-is-no-more/

[Preservation Alliance of Minnesota] What just happened in Little Falls?!? – August 31, 2011: http://www.mnpreservation.org/2011/08/31/what-just-happened-in-little-falls/

[Morrison County Record] The Dewey-Radke House: Gone but not forgotten – September 2, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/492525/dewey-radke-house-is-no-more/

[Morrison County Record] Dewey-Radke: It will take time, but city needs to move on – September 2, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/492794/dewey-radke-it-will-take-time-but-city-needs-to-move-on/

[Morrison County Record] Let’s keep the memory of the Dewey-Radke House alive – September 2, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/492801/let%E2%80%99s-keep-the-memory-of-the-dewey-radke-house-alive/

[Morrison County Record] Tuesday was a sad day in Little Falls – September 2, 2011: http://mcrecord.com/archives/492804/tuesday-was-a-sad-day-in-little-falls/

[Facebook] Dewey-Radke of Little Falls MN: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dewey-Radke-House-of-Little-Falls-MN/138322042847925

Friends of Dewey Radke House website: http://fdrh.wordpress.com/

Posted in architecture, archives, charles a. weyerhaeuser memorial museum, historic preservation, history, little falls, mchs publications, minnesota, morrison county, morrison county historical society

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The Aftermath: Demolition of the Dewey-Radke House

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Mary| 2 Comments
Demolition site of the former Dewey-Radke House, Little Falls, MN, August 31, 2011.

Demolition site of the former Dewey-Radke House, Little Falls, MN, August 31, 2011.

The big story in Little Falls this week was the demolition of the Dewey-Radke House on Tuesday, August 30. The historic home, built in 1893 by the Botton brothers, featured locally-made yellow bricks. Its striking design and placement above the road grade was made even more iconic by the surrounding Pine Grove Park.

The demolition occurred a mere 15 days after the Little Falls City Council voted 6 to 1 to have it removed. The speed of the process has many current and former city residents upset. Facebook comments about the destruction of the home include: “:( That was quick!”; “Heartbreaking!”; “NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!”; “What  a waste …” and “So sad …”

There are longer conversations about the home on Facebook, too, particularly among friends. While most are outraged about the demolition, some question the importance of this particular house. Why was it so special that resources should go into saving it? Preservation is a complicated issue and there aren’t always easy answers.

Even the Morrison County Historical Society’s apparent lack of involvement has been called into question. One Facebook commenter said, “What a shame!!!!!!!!!! Why was the Dewey-Radke House DESTROYED…where was the Historical Society???”

Good question. Why didn’t we get involved?

In searching through articles in the Morrison County Record about the Dewey-Radke House, I discovered that the site has received a great deal of coverage. (Thank goodness for the internet. A simple search for “Dewey-Radke” on the Record’s website brought up every article back to 2008.)

The articles reveal that the City Council has been discussing the fate of the home since 2008 and that The Friends of the Dewey-Radke House had formed specifically to preserve the home and find an alternative use. The Friends did quite a bit of work on the home, but the group’s relationship with the City deteriorated over the past couple of years until the City voted to end its agreement with the Friends in February 2011.

In June 2011, the Friends filed an injunction against the City to prevent it from selling items from the home. Following word of the injunction, the City terminated its lease with the Friends group. A judge ruled in favor of the City in regards to the injunction. Within a couple of weeks of that judgment, the Council voted to demolish the home.

When The Friends of the Dewey-Radke House formed, its purpose was the preservation of the home. The Morrison County Historical Society was not contacted by the Friends for assistance in the group’s mission during much of its existence. Our organization has plenty of county history to preserve. We’re happy to have other organizations helping with various aspects of historic preservation and we’re not going to tromp in unsolicited and start telling other organizations what to do.

When we were finally called for advice by group members this summer, there was an injunction in place and the MCHS Board decided it could not step into a legal issue between two outside entities. MCHS staff did suggest to those who called that they garner as much public support as possible and have people contact the City Council and Preservation Alliance of Minnesota if they wanted the house saved. This is how MCHS helped to save the Old Historic Courthouse and Cass Gilbert Depot in the past.

Public support campaigns take time, however, and by the time we were providing this advice, the Council was moving quickly on the demolition. According to a Morrison County Record article (March 17, 2011), the Friends did host a meeting to solicit public support back in March 2011, so the group was on the right track. Unfortunately, this complicated preservation issue ended poorly.

If you have questions on preservation or need support with a preservation issue, we are here to help. Please contact us early in the process so we have the greatest chance of being effective.

Posted in architecture, area attraction, government, historic preservation, history, little falls, mchs, minnesota, morrison county, morrison county historical society, news, photos

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