LANDMARKS
Mary Ostby - Benton Co. Museum - Sauk Rapids, MN
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 2m 22sVideo has Closed Captions
The Benton County Historical Museum has a horse drawn school bus over 130 years old.
In Sauk Rapids at the Benton County Historical Museum, Director Mary Ostby shared one of the most unique transportation items in the state. A horse drawn school bus that is over 130 years old.
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LANDMARKS is a local public television program presented by Pioneer PBS
This program is made possible by contributions from the voters of Minnesota through a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and viewers like you.
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LANDMARKS
Mary Ostby - Benton Co. Museum - Sauk Rapids, MN
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 2m 22sVideo has Closed Captions
In Sauk Rapids at the Benton County Historical Museum, Director Mary Ostby shared one of the most unique transportation items in the state. A horse drawn school bus that is over 130 years old.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- After a couple of hours at Ernie's Place, I head over to the Benton County Historical Society Museum to see another rare transportation vehicle.
This collection piece might be the only one of its kind in the Midwest.
Mary Osby is the executive director of the museum, and she invites me in to see this historic treasure.
- Well, Doug, here it is, an 1890s model school bus used in the Sock Rapids Royce School District.
- This is a school bus.
- A school bus.
The history of this piece is amazing as it was used in the early days of a consolidated school district, and that's what I love about the piece is that the fact that the local people stepped up and decided We need a winter bus, we need a summer bus, we need a heated bus, we need a covered bus, and then put it all together.
Oh, - Wait a minute.
It's heated.
- It is.
You can see the stove pipe coming out of the top of the bus that there's a wood stove inside.
- I noticed there are no windows.
- There are no windows, but there are two doors, one on each end.
One door has a very small, tiny slat that the horses were so well-trained that they could put the reins in, and the other one on the backside has a handle for the kids to jump in.
- So the driver could sit in the back with the kids as he was driving the team.
- Yep.
He could sit inside the bus right directly with the kids.
- Well, at least it keeps 'em behaved anyway.
Right, right.
- One of my favorite stories about bus drivers is Herb Heim was one of the first bus drivers of this bus, and one of his stories over time was the fact that because they had a wood stove inside the bus, the kids asked if they could pop popcorn in the winter time.
He said, you bring the popcorn, I'll bring the popper.
- I love those stories, don't you?
- I do.
I, that's the most precious part of all the history of the artifacts and pieces is the fact of the story that comes behind it.
- Well, Mary, you have a lot of things in the museum that are collectible, but this one I would agree, I think is my favorite one as well.
Bob Rosenberg - Zippo Lighters - Richfield, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 6m 35s | We discovered a large collection of Zippo lighters in Bob Rosenberg’s collection. (6m 35s)
Ellen Radel - Golden Books - Willmar, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 5m 11s | Ellen Radel has not only collected over 1300 little treasures. (5m 11s)
Ernie Wollack - Tractors - Sauk Rapids, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 3m 59s | Ernie Wollak has what might be one of the largest tractor collections in the state of MN. (3m 59s)
Gary Ball - Transistor Radios - Brooklyn Park, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 5m 40s | Gary Ball showcases his amazing collection of transistor radios. (5m 40s)
Greg Burnham - Food Tins - Benson, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 4m 11s | Greg Burnhams has a vintage food tin collection. (4m 11s)
Iris Schroeder - Dolls - Maplewood, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 6m 35s | Iris Schroeder lives in Maplewood and has a doll collection that promises to impress. (6m 35s)
Jeff Rouse - Studio/Posters - Fairmont, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 3m 47s | Meet Jeff Rouse of Fairmont who is a collector of TV memorabilia and posters. (3m 47s)
LANDMARKS: Minnesota Collections
Preview: 2/24/2024 | 30s | Host Doug Ohman meets people in Minnesota that have a passion for collecting. (30s)
Larry Lavin - Arrowheads & Museum - New London, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 5m 35s | Larry Lavine took his collecting interest and developed a fun museum. (5m 35s)
Lenny Tvedten - Martin Co. Museum - Fairmont, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 5m 23s | Lenny Tvedten shows us around the Martin County museum’s collection. (5m 23s)
Lyndon Johnson - Agate Man - Sauk Rapids, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 4m 46s | Lyndon Johnson has a passion for collecting agates. (4m 46s)
Norm Langford - Toys - Fairmont, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 3m 44s | Norm Langford has a passion for toys. He collects them and also restores them. (3m 44s)
Randy Rennaker - Hamms Beer - Lino Lakes, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 4m 48s | Randy Rennaker has spent a number of years collecting a Minnesota icon, Hamms beer. (4m 48s)
Ron Kelsey - Seed Sacks - Lamberton, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 7m | Ron Kelsey has a passion for collecting seed sacks. (7m)
Ruth Klossner - Cows - Bernadotte, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 5m 51s | Ruth Klossner has the largest cow collection in the world. (5m 51s)
Tim Kaster - Cowboy Memorabilia - Ramsey, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 4m 54s | Tim Kaster’s cowboy collection will bring you back to your childhood years. (4m 54s)
Yvonne Cariveau - Holy Cards - Mankato, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 5m 50s | Yvonne Cariveau is a collector of Holy Cards. (5m 50s)
Yvonne Cory - Apron Lady - Mankato/ Easton, MN
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 2/24/2024 | 6m 21s | Yvonne has a passion for aprons. (6m 21s)
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
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LANDMARKS is a local public television program presented by Pioneer PBS
This program is made possible by contributions from the voters of Minnesota through a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and viewers like you.