Eight page photograph album documenting the life of the Peck family of St. James, Minnesota. Images include portraits of the various Peck family members, as well as views of buildings in and around St. James. Buildings depicted include the St. James High School, the creamery and the Watonwan County Courthouse. There is an early image of the Mount Hope Cemetery. Also included are a number of images documenting the activities of the members of the local Grand Army of the Republic Post and Drum Corps.
Ashippun Post Office was the first in Watonwan County. It was built in 1857 and was located on Watonwan River's south branch in Rosedale Township. In 1925 it was moved to the City Park in Madelia by the local chapter of the D.A.R.
Exterior view of the City Hotel of St. James. This Building was rebuilt after a fire in 1903 and became a rooming house later that year. Some time after that it became Teeter's Flats, an apartment Building which was later destroyed in a controlled burn by firemen.
The Jesse James - Younger gang fled from Northfield, Minnesota after a failed bank robbery. Young Sorbel recognized the gang as they passed his Hanska farm. Bob, Cole and Jim Younger would eventually surrender to this seven-man posse 8 miles west of Madelia on the banks of the Watonwan River. Charlie Pitts died in the shootout.
Exterior view of the East Sveadahl Lutheran Church in the winter of about 1872. This church building blew down in a wind storm before the summer of 1879.