Elsie Mae Willsey discusses her father's life before coming to the area; her father's choice of homestead ending up far from the railroad; her first trip to Big Turtle Lake from Chicago in 1901; what they did for fun; mosquitoes and bedbugs; her friendship with Martha Miersch; their sock and stocking bazaar; early residents of Turtle River; the town water pump; the railroad coming to Turtle River; her father building boats; a description of her father; who cared for her father in his final years; her father catching 11 fish for dinner; their roothouse; salting fish; and how Movil Lake got its name. The recording, clearly dated September 19, 1952, is continued in bchs119b.
The first interview, with Ralph White, was conducted by Dr. Charles Vandersluis on an unrecorded date in an unrecorded location. White discusses moving to Aitkin County, Minnesota in about 1904. He also discusses logging, farming, and living in Wadena County, Minnesota. The interview continues from a brief mention at the end of BCHS 058a. The majority of the recording is a discussion with a group of unidentified narrators, conducted by Dr. Charles Vandersluis on an unrecorded date in an unrecorded location. The group discusses railroads including the Minnesota Duluth & Western Railway, the Cut Foot Sioux Branch, the Minneapolis & International Railway, the Virginia Rainy Lake Railway, and others. They also discuss logging camps at spurs 29 and 53. They also discuss logging near Blackduck, Minnesota and Turtle River, Minnesota. The final portion of the recording is a fragment of an interview with an unidentified narrator, conducted by an unidentified interviewer on an unrecorded date in an unrecorded location. The interview does not provide substantial information.
