WPA Tours of 1938: St. Vincent

From WPA Tour 17 (1938) - Part of the Federal Writers Project, comes this: St. Vincent to Iowa Line, US 59; Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway parallels the Route between St. Vincent and Detroit Lakes; Graveled roadbed between St. Vincent and juntion with State 32; This route across the western part of the State [Minnesota] traverses in the north typical Red River prairie land for approximately 45 miles and crosses several beaches and sany shore lines of glacial Lake Agassiz...

Section a. ST. VINCENT to DETROIT LAKES, 200.6 m. US 59.

The residents of ST. VINCENT, 0 m., (788 alt., 304 pop.), stroll informally across the Canadian Border and back to visit friends and relatives. In many cases some members of a family live in St. Vincent and others in the nearby Canadian town of Emerson.

St. Vincent, peaceful and serene, the oldest village in Kittson County, seems little changed from its pioneer days. A trading post was established on or near the site in the 1790's. The town was named for St. Vincent de Paul, renowned for his work among the poor; in the early part of the 17th century he organized charities in France and established religious orders to care for the needy. Many of the early settlers migrated from Prince Edward Island, and endured almost unbelievable hardships as they traveled the frozen trail across Canada in subzero temperatures. Many of these sturdy pioneers later intermarried with the Chippewa Indians; their descendants were known for their remarkable feats of endurance.

At 2 m. is the junction with US 75 (see Tour 4), which is united with US59 for 4.3 miles.