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Early Pioneers Play Large Part
in Early Developing of Town


It is the purpose of the article in hand to bring to the readers of this Special number of the Gazette the history of the area embraced in the original Municipality of Argyle, which is practically centered by the present town of Baldur, in so far as its greatest depth north and south and length east and west is concerned. Much time and effort has been given trying to get accurate data for this effort. It has been a rather difficult task. That there will be mistakes in dates and outstanding individuals and happenings overlooked, is inevitable, we nevertheless hope that all may read with plea-sure and profit — where mistakes have been made the columns of The Gazette will lie open for early corrections, of reasonable length (the editor reserving the right to abbreviation of too great length or to re¬ject such criticism as we authoritative reason to believe inaccurate.


While the country became populated and grew, many were the hardships, difficulties   and discouragements the people had to endure, meet and surmount. The loss of stock, from crossing the Pembina Hills twice to reach their destination, Brandon, to Carberry, Glenboro, to Cypress River and then one day came the assurance that the Northern Pacific railway was to be built. In 1899 surveyors came, grading was commenced giving work to farmers and their teams. Ties were put down between Otenaw, the district directly west of the present town and the north and south were not sat¬isfied. To their way of thinking, a station should be placed between, Greenway and Belmont. Then came a tug of war. Sigurdur Christopherson, Mr. Jesse Chester, and G. W. Playfair and others led in the protest. Mr. Playfair had protested by word and against Greenway being placed where it was, declaring in the Pilot Mound Sentinel (our local paper in those days), that its position was such that it would never be anything but "a broncho siding". Finally the site was promised, in the spring of 1890 but before title had even been obtain¬ed for this, lots were being selected and buildings in the course of erec¬tion.

Naming the Town

In honor of the occasion one of the railway officials, Mr. Lehorn sugges¬ted the town be named Chesterville, after Mr. Jesse Chester. Mr. S. Christopherson, father of the Icelandic pioneers, wished to name the town after a pretty flower but could not rind a pretty flower growing in the district with a suitable name so he suggested

the name of a beautiful Nordic god, supposed to be beautiful, the pure radiant god of innocence and summer sun, namely "Baldur".
Baldur was the son of Odin the supreme God and Creator), (the son of Griggagoddess of married love and of the hearth).

After many arguments and   decision made by vote this name was adopted for the town which was about to become the leading centre of a rapidly growing business community.

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REMEMBER?

 

The first bank in Baldur.

Mr. Frank Schultz was the town's first banker.



SPECIAL EDITION

Due to lack of space we have been unable to include Biographical Sketches, history of local organizations and other material which was a part of local history.  We have nevertheless given a complete history of Argyle and district, and Belmont. We hope to print another Historical Edition in the near future which would contain all the material gathered and not included in this Historical issue.

We wish to thank the following people for their aid in compiling material for this issue:

C. Vickers
W. Christopherson
J. Craik
S. Odell
W. Cooper
Belmont High School


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