Lost Hutchinson: Building stories

By MATT MCMILLAN
Publisher of the Hutchinson Leader

Dozens of Hutchinson buildings once meeting the daily needs of residents have been lost to time. Early pioneer wood-frame buildings burned or decayed. Others lost their original owner or purpose, and some buildings were lost because the landscape of the city changed.

Collecting photos and memories of these buildings is the goal of a new weekly series, “Lost Hutchinson,” starting Jan. 30. Each Tuesday, for the next 20 weeks, a building lost during the past 152 years will be featured.

Where it is possible, the building descriptions will include construction and demolition dates, locations and architectural styles. During the series, readers who have other interior or exterior photos, memories of being inside the buildings or even own or know of an artifact from the building, are invited to submit them to the Leader. Once the series is complete, a magazine with all photos, memories and information will be published.

It is our hope that research from the weekly series and contributions from readers will result in a visual record of early life in Hutchinson as seen through its buildings. The styles of these early structures ranged from simple wood and stone construction to Greek Revival, Beaux Arts, Gothic Revival, French Second Empire and Italianate style.

Collecting a record of lost buildings is not a new idea. In 1992, Larry Millett wrote “Lost Twin Cities.” In a telephone conversation with Millett, he told this writer that “Lost” books have been published for New York, New Orleans and other cities. And, he encouraged the “Lost Hutchinson” project.

Millett’s book is available through the Minnesota Historical Society Press in St. Paul. His new guidebook to Twin Cities architecture comes out this spring.

Important contributions to Lost Hutchinson have already been made by the McLeod County Museum and its director Lori Stangel, and citizens Jay Beytien, John Korngiebel, Julie Jensen, and Datlaf Weseloh.

Efforts have been made to publish correct dates and information about each building from old editions of the Hutchinson Leader and various other sources. Some records are sketchy. And, old remembrances are not always accurate. If readers remember dates or information differently, they are invited to submit their remembrances to see if the record can be added to or corrected.

Submissions can be made by dropping off or mailing information to the Leader office. Next week, a “Lost Hutchinson” forum will also be available for readers to post comments and memories online at www.hutchinsonleader.com.

It is not possible to publish every building lost during Hutchinson’s history.

Buildings not featured in the weekly series can, however, be added to the collection and published magazine later this year. Readers should know that some buildings still standing — even if they were changed — were not considered because they have not been “lost.”

Which buildings will be featured? Watch the Leader each Tuesday to find out. The series starts Jan. 30.