From

125th Anniversary

History of the Trinity Congregation

Spring Grove MN

page 5

As recorded in his "Recollections," Rev. N. Brandt's first visit to Spring Grove was made in the summer of 1855.  He had arrived in La Crosse by steamboat after spending some time doing missionary work among the settlers in Goodhue County, Minnesota, and the Wisconsin settlement east of the St. Croix River.

From his Recollections: "I stayed in La Crosse a day looking for company to travel up the Root River Valley. I found a son of a widow (Tarje or Ole) from Houston where there were already a few houses, and from there westward to the Widow Grover's home. They permitted me to stay there that night. There I heard that Rev. V. Koren from Washington Prairie had visited these regions and preached...