Photo 30-JCL-29

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The barn and house in this photo was built by my great grandfather in the 1890s. The farm was owned by his family until about 1917. The house burned down in the 1980s and 5 children perished in that fire.

Such a sad story. According to UPI archives, a Mennonite family's wood-burning furnace apparently started the fire that killed five children, despite their father's attempts to rescue them. It was "32 degrees below zero chill" that morning. According to the news report, a ten-year-old boy had been holding the six-month-old baby when their charred bodies were found. :(

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Do you have a connection to this photograph? Maybe you grew up here or know someone who did? What has changed in the 46 years since this photo was taken? Tell us!