"Wheels across the prairie museum"

"Wheels across the prairie museum" Preserving the past for generations to come. Our museum show cases the CNW R R and surrounding areas

Windom area 4th graders toured the campus this morning
05/07/2026

Windom area 4th graders toured the campus this morning

05/07/2026

We were spoiled with good weather earlier, warmth will return soon, interested in adopting a planter at the wheels let Jon know. Www.wheelsacrosstheprairie.org

Our resident blacksmith. Mr Boji entertained the ladies from lake Sarah Lutheran church of Garvin this afternoon www.whe...
05/04/2026

Our resident blacksmith. Mr Boji entertained the ladies from lake Sarah Lutheran church of Garvin this afternoon
www.wheelsacrosstheparirie.org

Join us as we celebrate America’s 250th by celebrating with tracy students and the posters they did , along with Lingen ...
05/02/2026

Join us as we celebrate America’s 250th by celebrating with tracy students and the posters they did , along with Lingen Dairy on May 27th 6:30 pm we have some very talented students celebrating me join us open house at the museum
Www.wheelsacrosstheprairie.org

Our Annual meeting is May 17th starting at 1 pm we have quite the afternoon planned, be sure to mark your calendar .ehe...
05/01/2026

Our Annual meeting is May 17th starting at 1 pm we have quite the afternoon planned, be sure to mark your calendar .eheelsacrosstheprairie.org

Started some plants today, Roma tomato, cherry tomato, bee mix flowers, trumpet vine, poppy flowers, iris will see what ...
04/29/2026

Started some plants today, Roma tomato, cherry tomato, bee mix flowers, trumpet vine, poppy flowers, iris will see what we get, #

The collection crew was busy this morning they moved some tools and pictures filled the bench added a chair from the Tra...
04/24/2026

The collection crew was busy this morning they moved some tools and pictures filled the bench added a chair from the Tracy depot. We are getting closer to being ready to open . Www.wheels across the prairie.org

04/24/2026

The Farmer Who Shoveled a Tunnel 140 Feet Through Snow to Feed His Neighbor's Cattle, Minnesota, 1936
Armistice Day Blizzard, November 11, 1936. Minnesota. Temperature dropped 50 degrees in 6 hours. 60 mph wind. 16 inches snow, drifts to 12 feet.

Carl Olson, 37, had his cattle in the barn. His neighbor Gus Lindgren, 71, lived a quarter mile north. Gus had 30 head in a pasture shed. Snow covered the shed door 8 feet deep. No way in. Cattle had no water, no hay.

By November 13, Gus came on snowshoes. Said: "They're gonna die today." County plow wasn't coming for a week.

Carl took two grain shovels and started digging. From his barn, straight north. Through a 10-foot drift. He didn't go over. He went through. Made a tunnel 4 feet high, 3 feet wide.

He dug 140 feet in 3 days. November 13–15. Slept 2 hours at a time in his barn. Ate standing up. His hands froze and thawed and froze. He broke through to Gus's shed door at 4 PM November 15.

They carried hay through the tunnel. Carried water in buckets. Kept all 30 cattle alive. Tunnel stayed open until March thaw. Kids used it to play in. Called it "The Olson Road."

Carl lost the tips of two fingers. Gus paid his property tax that year. Didn't tell him until 1947.

"County said a week. Gus said today. Carl said 140 feet. He dug a tunnel through a 10-foot drift for 3 days because 30 cattle don't understand weather and 71-year-old neighbors shouldn't watch them die. He lost two fingers. Kept 30 cows. The wind built a wall. He built a road."
#1936

Address

3297 US Highway 14
Tracy, MN
56175

Opening Hours

Thursday 1pm - 5pm
Friday 1pm - 5pm
Saturday 1pm - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+15076261949

Website

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