stillwater living october 2013

OCTOBER 2013

FREE

Homeon theSouth Hill


greatest

• The Outing Lodge at Pine Point (www.outinglodge.com)•• Costumes Required• $10 advance registration or $15 at the door• RSVP by October 16 • www.stillwaterliving.net

Saturday, October 26, 8:00 pm - midnightjoin us!

Too many students are allowed to free-fall through school anonymously. Disengaged, they live,

both literally and figuratively, at the back of the classroom—an indifferent place where apathy

corrodes potential and talented students aren’t challenged.

St. Paul Academy and Summit School is different. There is no back of the classroom here. Our

core belief in the power of personal accountability has led us to create the accountable classroom.

It’s a place where a student-teacher ratio of 8:1 allows unique talents to be discovered and realized.

But the accountable classroom is much more. It’s a place where children of all ages, from a broad

range of backgrounds and experiences, learn that they have a responsibility to engage and

contribute. Every day. Every class. And every activity. Because the school is only as good as the

students and teachers make it, together. The ensuing discourse teaches students to respect the

ideas of others even as they begin to recognize their own talents.

Critical thinking and imagination are both important here. We engage the whole student and

the whole brain to produce college-ready graduates with supple minds that can synthesize,

invent and build—individually or in teams.

But to prepare kids for college, we need to prepare them for life. A sense of entitlement

undermines learning and achievement so it has no place in a community of accountable

innovators. At SPA, students are challenged by what we believe is the best academic curriculum

in Minnesota. Caring support is a constant, but students will come to know hard work and high

standards before they graduate. We believe that the right balance of support and academic rigor

dashes any sense of entitlement while teaching resilience and a love of learning. It also creates

a community where people are judged based on what they contribute, not what they have.

It takes a special kind of faculty and administration to cultivate an accountable, yet innovative

culture. But for those who are the very best at what they do, SPA provides the freedom, time and

resources to really focus on the students. In turn, the students inspire our staff to do the best work

of their lives.

Why are we so passionate about educating children? Simply put, our mission is to shape the

minds and the hearts of the people who will change the world. It is our deepest responsibility

to prepare them to make it amazing.

a vision a passion

a responsibility

a purpose

OUR Mission

Fall Admission Open Houses: October 22 (grades K-5) and October 24 (grades 6-12).

Visit www.spa.edu or call 651-698-2451.

VOTE YES! on Nov. 5th

Our Schools Our Valley

Our Schools Our Valley is an all-volunteer, community-led grassroots campaign to support the local levy for Stillwater Area Public Schools. Prepared and paid for by Valley Parent & Community Network, co-chairs Andrew Kubiak and Tracy Maki.

www.ourschoolsourvalley.org

OurSchoolsOurValley

@YesOSOV

Pass the Stillwater Area Schools levy.

There is no rewind button for childhood. Let’s go forward with Pony Pride!

October 2013

Departments

4 6 8

14

30

EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

MAINSTREETNews and Views from the ValleyBY JESSIE WADE

60 MILESRoad Trip to StockholmBY JIM REYNOLDS

CORNER TABLEA Friendly Conversation with Kathy BuchholzBY PETER MCNIFF

Feature

COVER PHOTO BY AIMEE CHRISTENSON

A LABOR OF LOVERemodeling a Piece of Stillwater HistoryBY KIRSTEN STILLMAN20

Photo by Becky Beissel

contentscontents

WWW.STILLWATERLIVING.NET 3

VOLUME 9, NUMBER 8 OCTOBER 2013

OK, I get the fact that Johnny Depp is not a great American actor/poet or anything – but he is right on the money with his above listed thought. We would all do well to heed his sage advice, and just enjoy the ride. It’s pretty rare to hear that someone on their death bed wished they had spent more time at work or keeping the house tidy. Most often we hear that they wish they had spent more time with loved ones, more time spent living in the moment and being present for their loved ones.

New this month is our “60 Miles” department. It takes off where Valley Experience left off in traveling the neighborhood in search of a being a good tourist in our own backyard. The difference between the two types of stories is that 60 Miles leaves the area to explore great day-trip destinations. In this first installment we head south for fall colors along the mighty Mississippi.

On Stillwater explores the relationship between our longtime hometown auto dealership Stillwater Motors and GM, Ducks Unlimited and American Luxury Coach. I had no idea that the Silverado could look so cool.

Reggie and Molly Krakowski were kind enough to let us into their home. It is a beautiful, historic south hill home that has its own stories to tell. The Krakowski’s went to great lengths in their renovation to bring the old home back to her former state of grandeur. Using all local talent in the renovation makes the tale that much more interesting to us locals.

Kathy Buchholz was kind enough to sit down with us and talk about the impending levy vote. How many of you really understand what is being asked of the voters? Do you understand how the vote will impact our school system? Read on and you will.

Whatever your ride is at the moment, enjoy it. I’d encourage you to get outside while the weather cooperates and enjoy what’s left of this awesome season. Don’t forget to bring us with – this is a portable magazine.

Real Good Then

Peter McNiffPublisher and Editor [email protected]

GEOFFREY BISHOPJIM REYNOLDS

KIRSTEN STILLMAN

BECKY BEISSEL

MARIA KOWALSKI

JEFF BAGGOT

STEVE (SHOWCASE) SKALMAN

HAWK

4 STILLWATER LIVING OCTOBER 2013

editor’s note

OCTOBER 2013

FREE



Julie Bourman

Peter McNiff

Jessie Wade

Curtis Dale

Copyright 2013Watershed Publishing, Inc. all rights reserved.

Stillwater Living is published byWatershed Publishing, Inc.

P.O. Box 2302 Stillwater, MN 55082651-430-3143 [email protected]

“I think the thing to do is enjoy the ride while you’re on it.” -Johnny Depp


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letters to the editor

News to Me

I enjoyed reading the Arcola story in your September issue. I had no idea how that place came to be or what exactly it really was today. I have lived in the area for 20 years and have heard about people doing stuff at Arcola from time to time, but I didn’t really know what was happening there.

The article opened my eyes to the majesty of Arcola. Last weekend I made my maiden voyage to Arcola and I walked the trails and toured the old house… it was a great experience. I think we should all be grateful to the Van Meiers, particularly Katharine, for leaving the property to a foundation that allows us to visit the land.

Sara G. Stillwater

Art is the Bomb!

I found Stillwater Turf and Power last winter when my darn snow blower would no longer blow snow. Art took me in, repaired my blower and throughout the process I felt that I was being taken care of – not taken advantage of.

Your article about him and his great little repair business last issue was spot-on. Thanks for finding him and writing about him, it’s a class operation and your article seemed to convey that well.

Joe M.Stillwater

“The soldiers were generally unskilled,

unpaid, and saw no value to the land,”

Jim says. “They didn’t know what to

do with [it, but] the lumber barons

recognized the value.” Saloons and towns

were erected to help settle the area and

the lumber barons “offered [the soldiers]

five to ten cents to the dollar on the

land. The lumber folks came in, cut the

timber, and developed the sawmills. One

of those families was the Mower family.”

“It was a very welcoming area,” Dian

adds, “both when the [Native Americans]

were there (it was an area that was

designated as non-warring, a safe haven)

and when the Mowers established their

village. Steamboats stopped there; it was

self-sufficient, and it was friendly. They

had schools, blacksmith shops, a general

store, [etc.].” The stream was the reason

they chose their location on the river,

Dian says, since they could make their

sawmill, run it, and also access the river

to get around with the steamboat they

built.

Martin Mower “thought the sawmill

was the way to go. He was a mover and

a shaker,” Dian says. Martin’s brother,

John, “was also a strong business man,

they were a team, but as the lumbering

went away, so did the village.”After the Mowers left the property, the

house stood empty for many, many

years. At least, until the day a young

couple was walking down by the river

and saw what they thought was a

mirage. Dr. Henry Van Meier and his

wife, Katharine, instantly fell in love with

the house and the peacefulness of the

property.Dianne Storti, another Arcola Mills

volunteer and a self-proclaimed lover

of the Van Meier years, says the couple

“determined that they wanted to buy it.

[But] they didn't have enough money

to purchase the whole place. It was

55 acres, and it was $9,000. So they

prevailed upon Katharine's mother for

the money and she was very reluctant

to do so because this Minnesota was so

primitive,” Dianne says with a laugh. “So Katharine hatched a plan to invite her

mother out and took her to every social

event she could; to every concert, to

every museum, she took her everywhere.

She convinced her mother that this was

indeed a very civilized place, so her

parents lent them the money.”


riving up the gravel road, one of the last things

you’d expect to emerge from behind the trees

is a stately Greek revival-style house that was

completed in 1847. Surrounded by trees, babbling springs

and streams, and the faint rushing sound of the river just

beyond the back porch’s view, it isn’t unusual for visitors

to feel completely awed by the magnificent beauty of the

Arcola Mills property. Walking in the front door of the house, which also doubles

as a visitor’s center for guests, the grand architecture and

hand-laid floors immediately command attention. But

not for long, since the plaques and information panels

scattered throughout the house invite a tour of the house

and the gorgeously stunning views that surround it.

It’s not hard to picture the area as it was before there was

a house overlooking the river. Arcola Mills volunteers Jim

and Dian Gardner feel the same way and, like all the other

volunteers, are eager to share the history of this land and

the surrounding area.The history of Stillwater starts long before the St. Croix

Valley was considered a place of peace by the Native

American tribes that lived in the area. But, let’s skip to

the early 1800’s when the fur traders started trapping and

trading with the Native Americans. Some of the area’s

beaver pelts were even shipped off to Europe, Jim says,

“specifically England, and were made into beaver top hats.”

In 1837, the United States formed treaties with the Native

American tribes. As a result of the treaty, the government

acquired the land that ranged from the Western

Wisconsin area to as far west as the Brainerd area, and

the Native Americans were moved to a reservation. After

the Mexican-American War, land warrants were issued as

payment because the United States didn’t have the money

to pay the soldiers.

D

Our Hidden TreasureBy Kirsten StillmanPhotos by Aimee Christenson

24 STILLWATER LIVING SEPTEMBER 2013

651-439-4333 • STILLWATERMOTORS.COM

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NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE VALLEY


mainstreet

We should offer ourselves some well deserved congratulations for making the most of Halloween in this community. During the month of October, throughout the area fun little jack-o-lanterns, smiling ghosts and friendly witches among other black and orange decorations adorn the picture windows and front doors of homes.

Most kid-friendly homes in our area make an effort to create a great Halloween experience for neighboring kids. It’s all hands on deck for the big trick or treat extravaganza on the 31st.

Several “safe and friendly” as in “not spooky” options exists for wee little ones to gather in gymnasiums and church basements. One could argue that these gatherings are not

so much for the child as they are for mom and dad to get a picture of their oblivious baby in some sort of Anne Geddes costume type pose – in any case, we gather.

Several neighborhoods move from “king of the lawn” unspoken contests throughout the summer to “best Halloween” décor in October. While we loath the former, we applaud the latter, in part because in the end the kids benefit.

The reigning champs of the Liberty on the Lake neighborhood have nothing to worry about – their title is safe. No one holds a candle to these buccaneers, well done guys, well done.

BEST IN SHOW


THE HONEY BEE CLUB OFSTILLWATERStillwater resident Marcie Forsberg is no stranger to beehives, she grew up watching her father tend to the family beehives. As a professional landscaper she is inherently aware of the enormous role bees play in plant reproduction. However, beekeeping was not legal in the City of Stillwater until last year when Marcie, along with two other Stillwater city residents and a Lake Elmo beekeeper worked with the Stillwater City Council to change the beekeeping ordinance to make beekeeping legal in the City. The effort was successful and hives of happy honeybees thrive in Stillwater.

The beekeepers have organized the Honey Bee Club of Stillwater to support beekeeping and pollinator issues. The club is open to the public and meetings take place on the third Monday of every month at Family Means.

The raw, unfiltered honey from the Honey Bee Club member’s hives is luscious and will be on sale this month while supplies last! Pure, local, wonderful honey is not the only way to make use of a happy hives efforts, watch for a hive-based skin care line in the coming months.

To learn more about the Honey Bee Club of Stillwater, email [email protected].

612-338-2020www.vujovich.com

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Do you have any plans on the Saturday before Halloween? Well you do now! Join in the fun at the Outing Lodge for a Halloween Costume Ball. Last year’s event was a huge success, with a live DJ that inspired dancing till they turned off the lights. A few brave souls sang their hearts out with karaoke and the night was capped off with a costume contest that awarded a HUGE cash prize. No particular theme is in place, just dress to impress with your favorite character or a traditional costume of the season.

This fun filled event is exclusively for the grown-ups. Minors and non-costume clad party goers will have a tough time getting past our security detail which is comprised of

three 400lb Samoans who will be standing guard at each entrance. They are sweet and helpful guys to all of the well-behaved, costume wearing ticket holders.

Please think ahead and be responsible with your transportation. When the clock strikes midnight, carpool with a designated sober driver - we want to see you again next year.

Greatest Halloween Costume Ball...EVERsaturday, october 268:00 PM to Midnight$10 per person (adults ONLY)stillwaterliving.net

Voted BEST Veterinary Clinic!

Bring in this ad for $25 off your first exam. New clients only.

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Compassionate, exceptional care for your pets.

Now open for evening appointments.

60 for 60-Receive a 60-minute facial, massage or pedicure for $60 in October. Get these great rates all the time when you’re a Spa member.

Just For Me Spa 110 Greeley St.651-439-1662www.justformespa.com

October is Spa Month at Just For Me!


Sirens of

the 60’s saturday, november 27:30 p.m.Tickets $21 in advance, $26 at the door, Festival Theater Flex Pass eligible210 N. Washington StreetSt. Croix Falls, WI 715-483-3387www.festivaltheatre.org

This event is a celebration of the vocal prowess of singers like Dionne Warwick, Barbra Streisand, and Dusty Springfield. In addition, sing-along songs and celebrated hits such as “Loco-motion,” “I Got You Babe,” Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party,” and Nancy Sinatra’s “Boots,” will be performed by singers Colleen Raye, Debbie O’Keefe, and Katie Gearty.

Presented by the St. Croix Festival Theater, this event is sure to have you singing along and reminiscing on those “groovy” days gone by.

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courtesy photo, left to right, Debbie O’Keefe, Colleen Ray, Katie Gearty


october 31Thursday, October 31 - Saturday, November 307:00 pm - 9:00 pmFreetimnyberg.com/sideshow

Local artist Tim Nyberg has created a collection of whimsical, fictitious sideshow performers to showcase a phenomenal exhibit at the Stillwater Public Library. Displays include the characters’ original paintings as well as the advertised banners like the ones seen outside of a sideshow tent. “Barker” scripts, much like the ones used to lure people into the event, will also be featured.

The exhibit is inspired by Tim’s childhood trips to the Minnesota State Fair and his visits to the Freak Shows on the Midway. Paired with “musical portraits” composed by Minneapolis-based Lulu’s Playground, the show will be a comprehensive and unique experience not to miss. Opening night will feature Lulu’s Playground performing seventeen one-minute compositions and a performance by a “barker” to announce each sideshow entertainer.

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ADULT EDUCATION = BIG LIFE CHANGESMost of us that are stretching our pennies to make ends meet find ourselves in a repetitive pattern. Many feel overwhelmed and often stressed out over the high cost of groceries and basic transportation – it’s not an easy cycle to break. While it might make us feel better to know that we are not alone in this nip n tuck merry go round budget lifestyle, having company isn’t going to help much in making a change.

That’s where CCCS education classes could be the impetus we need to make significant change changes in our financial life. Berni Johnson-Clark, education manager at Family Means, tells us “most people we see in our education classes are interested in learning how to set up a household budget, manage that budget and be able to set and achieve money goals. Some people like to come and hear from others about what is or isn’t working and then figure out how to improve their current ways of budgeting.”

•“Economic Way of Thinking” to Choose Between “Wants” and “Needs”•Developing Sound Financial Habits•Developing Sound Budgeting skills•My New Budget: Developing a Plan That Works•What are your money goals?•What factors are causing the biggest problems?•Changing financial behavior

Monday, October 21, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. “Your Future Paycheck”This class is for both men and women, 40 + years old. It covers budgeting basics, what retirement means to you, sources of retirement income, statistics around earnings, the impact on retirement and resources available to help you plan. Tuesday, November 5, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.“Staying the Course: Developing a Budget for the Long Run”This class uses the Better Fortunes curriculum and is intended to help you change your approach to personal money matters and provide you with the tools and the knowledge to build a new financial life based on sound financial principles.

651-439-4840www.familymeans.org

Fine Arts & CraftsLive Music

ExhibitTea RoomHolidayDecorations

Santa

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Saturday, Nov. 23 ~ 10-5 • Sunday, Nov. 24 ~ 11-4 $3.00Sat/Sun Special BOGO with this ad! Free admission with one paid admission

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Preview GalaFriday, Nov 22 6:30 - 9:00

Complimentary appetizers, desserts, beverages.$25 in advance/$30 at door

www.waterstreetinn.us • 651-439-6000

Live Music

On the Riverfront Next to the Li� Bridge.

October 18-19Hounds of FinnA high energy Irish musical entity forged from the roots of Celtic & American traditions. One of Charlie’s favorites!

October 25-26Stirling BridgeA two-piece band whose repertoire consists of a healthy dose of Celtic songs as well as some Gospel, Country and Folk.

November 1-2Tom DahillTom Dahill and Ginny Johnson are superb entertainers with a fantastic repertoire of old Irish songs and dance tunes that you won’t hear from anyone else.

rom our humble beginning Stillwater Living magazine has encouraged everyone to “be a good tourist in

your own backyard.” We’ve demonstrated that concept with years upon years of Valley Experience articles. In the beginning Karin Housley was our super fun host, she was then followed by Ellen the Explorer for a number of years. We took you on horse back riding trips, boat rides, snowmobile outings, food and wine stops, pub crawls, trap shooting excursions, cave tours, pumpkin patch mazes and the list goes on and on.

The concept of promoting good tourism in our own backyard is a product of Stillwater resident John Edman and his staff at “Explore Minnesota Tourism.” I think we’d all agree that what we see everyday, or many times each week, does lose some of its original mystery and charm.

It seems that some of the lure is removed when we are spoiled with touristy-type riches that, if we’re not careful, we run the risk of becoming complacent.

This new section of Stillwater Living extends the backyard tourism concept by unfolding the map one more flap to include destinations roughly an hour away – give or take thirty minutes. Today’s day-trip destination is Gelly’s Pub & Eatery in Stockholm, WI – plan to leave Stillwater by 10:30ish.

We went with the caravan concept for this excursion, Z’s little red convertible and our mini van (we like to call it the Sport Utility Van – credit Jason Gonnion) as a way to accommodate six people nicely, two in the car and four in the SUV. We are committed to a two person rotation

Road Trip to StockholmF


By Jim Reynolds

Photo by Becky Beissel


from the SUV to the convertible at various stops along the way, this might sound like over planning but it does help ones peace of mind to know that another short stop is just around the corner and that we all will have a chance to enjoy the convertible on a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon.

From the shadow of the lift bridge we head south on St Croix Trail into Afton where we have two boxes to check-off on our list of stops for the day. Squire House Gardens is to gardeners what Candyland has become to the sweet tooth. Richard and Martin warrant more than a 15 minute stop but that’s all we have time for if we’re going to actually make it to Stockholm before they roll-up the sidewalks. After a quick hello and goodbye we are back on the road for another ten minutes – ten minutes of the best curvy, hilly, fun driving that MN has to offer.

Whistling Well Farm is an old school apple orchard located on a family farm. We allow for another 15 minutes here because we can kind of soak it all in rather quickly, of course if you were to be on a Valley Experience type of trip you would pack up the kids and spend the day pulling wagons, picking apples and enjoying Charlie’s farm…. but we’re not, so off we go again – southbound.

St. Croix Trail ends with a “T” in Point Douglas Road – hang a left and within three minutes we’re in Prescott, WI. It’s lunch time and the gang at Muddy Waters have a special table on the deck waiting for us. They have renovated a tired hole-in-the-wall bar, which is situated between the railroad bridge and the vehicle bridge, roughly eight or nine years ago into what has become a “must-see” destination at the confluence of the St. Croix and the Mississippi rivers. For some (the non-drivers among us) it was a Bloody Mary enhanced lunch, the rest of us enjoyed the B.B. King salad, the Ellsworth Cheese Curds, and the Fat Daddy Angus Beef Burger. In each case we were all satisfied with the quality, the price and the view. It is a wonderfully unique little restaurant.

While Prescott is a fine river town, we really haven’t left the neighborhood yet - it’s time to dive in to what this day-trip is really all about. As we climb the river valley coming out of Prescott, heading toward Diamond Bluff, it feels as though we are lost in time – the road has a sense of grandeur, which makes sense once we learn that we are on the Great River Road - Wisconsin’s only designated National Scenic Byway, and it’s immediately obvious why this stretch of road is so designated. The region includes elevations ranging from 603 to 1,719 feet, creating hilly, curvy, scenic stretches of road. Mixed in with the stunningly beautiful views of the Mississippi River, winding roads, river bluffs, and occasional wildlife sightings, are the opportunities to get out at scenic overlooks and catch deep gasps of fresh air.

Photo

by M

aria

Kowa

lski


After just twenty minutes or so of this great drive we pull off the main road to find Hager City’s Harbor Bar (directly across the river from Red Wing). We unknowingly wondered into a “Parrott Head” music festival. The Harbor has an expansive backyard/patio area that rolls toward the river in twin points, encompassing a transient marina, an open lawn where dogs give chase to tennis balls and kids throw frisbee, etc. The Jimmy Buffet sound-a-like band was great and the crowd was a mix of traveler, boater and local. This particular afternoon was all about being outside, it was 75 and sunny – I wasn’t sure that we’d be able to keep to our schedule in this scene. We were fortunate enough to bump into Scotty Z’s old girlfriend “Bambi”… the years have been kind to her. She was happy to take a picture as was our good natured, deadhead bartender dude. What a great stop.

Time to get back to that road. It was gracious of Z to allow others to drive his little convertible out of Stillwater, Afton and even Prescott, but this time he was sure to be behind the wheel for the next stretch of road. Too bad for him that Nancy called “shotgun” – I’d much rather be in the SUV than stuck in a two seater next to that laugh (it’s particularly tough to take after a couple of margarita’s )… good on ya.

The next half hour was filled with breathtaking vistas filled with the pop of fall colors. October is, without question, the best time to make this journey and, sans the annoying laugh, the SUV was the perfect vehicle to make such a journey. As we rounded the curve that exposed the northern section of Lake Pepin, the Mississippi lost its muddy color and looked a bit like a great lake or some other large body of water – it is a magical sight.

If you’re into architecture, cozy little sleepy towns, out of the way nooks, shopping, and as much history as you can take in an afternoon, your day is about to get euphoric. Maiden Rock is a must-stop destination, with plenty of natural beauty to scope out and a variety of shops to explore. After exhausting our options in Maiden Rock, we continue on to the village of Stockholm – our final destination. Stockholm is home to a variety of shops, which are mainly cozied up near the Wisconsin 35 and Spring Street intersection.

Photo

by B

ecky

Beis

sel

Photo by Maria Kowalski

We loved the offering a free

bikes in Stockholm, most of us (those of

us with an ounce of courage) toured Stockholm on sweet old fashioned cruisers. The riverside park has a great campground and the shop keepers were a mix of fun personalities. After working up an appetite with our little shopping spree, we parked the bikes and headed over to Gelly’s Pub & Eatery. As we walked in we saw a server carrying a tray of shrimp and ribs… no need to look at their menu, bring us six servings of that!

What a great little road trip, it did feel as though we had “gotten away” and yet we knew we could be back home in roughly an hour. No one was racing for the convertible as the sun began to drop in the sky… kind of funny. Time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey.

Jim Reynolds is a frequent contributor to Stillwater Living magazine.


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oing through the historic neighborhoods of Stillwater is much like stepping into the past, despite the modern

cars sitting in front of the houses. And it’s even more surreal to walk into a remodeled Victorian house to find a comforting blend of modern furniture and appliances mixed with antiques from years long passed.

Perhaps better known as the old Aiple house, the cozily sprawling house on Third and Hancock embodies that comforting blend, remodeled to resemble its original Victorian fashion while still retaining an undeniably modern quality. The house, now owned by Molly and Reggie Krakowski, is a labor of love for the two.

The couple bought the house after the previous owner, Adam, passed away about a year ago. The Krakowskis have been living in the neighborhood for about 13 years, all but one of which were as neighbors and friends to Adam. “We helped his mom with the memorial service,” Reggie says, “plus we were friends.” When it was time to start thinking about selling the house, Reggie added that Adam’s mom “knew to contact us and we helped her move a lot of stuff out.”

“We’re just family friends basically,” Molly says. Reggie and Molly—in the manner of two people that have been married for a while—start and finish the other’s sentences; and both agreed that Adam’s mom told them it was his wish for them to live in that house.

So, Reggie, Molly, their eight-year-old son Max, and their dog Murphy, packed up and moved a few houses down into the unfinished house. And though they started remodeling right away, even going so far as to demolish the kitchen and the upstairs down to the studs, the move was even more irregular than just living in an unfinished house.

The first week after the move, there wasn’t a working bathroom in the house. The family had an outhouse that they used in the first week of December when the weather was a chilly 10 degrees. “We didn’t have a shower, we showered at the gym,” Reggie says. “Well,” Molly added, “we still had the [other] house, so we’d run across the street.”

After getting a temporary bathroom in the house, the upstairs floor was next on the to-do list. “It was about a five-month process. In the winter [the house] was down to the studs so it was always cold,” Reggie recalls. “It was like 60 degrees in our house the whole time, but it was fun and it was an adventure.”

An adventure that turned out gorgeous results. A tour of the house starts in the kitchen. “We’re kitchen people,” Molly said. The remodel around the kitchen was an important part of the process, since entertaining is a big aspect of home life for the Krakowskis. “Every time we have people over, it’s in the kitchen,” Reggie said.

“Adam had this sort of half-gutted kitchen,” Reggie said. Molly added, “[Adam] had a lot of wood and a lot of doors, so we found all this wood and stuff in the garage.”

Reggie, Molly and Max Krakowski

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Reggie and Molly incorporated the wood throughout the house, but particularly in the corner of the kitchen that sports glasswork from the 1800s alongside a new bar fridge. “The glass on the cabinet is 90 percent original and 10 percent Reggie,” Molly says, adding that their cabinetmaker did custom work on everything.

For the rest of the kitchen, the main attractions are the custom cabinets and the huge center island in the middle of the kitchen. “The builder asked us all these questions,” Molly says when describing how they came up with the kitchen layout they adore. “He drew up a plan from the information he got from us [on our kitchen lifestyle] and he came up with this, which is super awesome. Reggie said he wanted a bar fridge, but that was pretty much our only requirement.”

Walking into the bathroom just off the kitchen, there are two immediate features that command attention: the giant, sliding, barn-like door; and the sink, which is original to the house. “We had the people [come] here that lived here in the 40s,” Molly says, talking about the Aiple family. “They remember the sink. We have a faucet tub from them upstairs, too. We want to honor the house from what it was and bring it into the present.”

Also remaining in the house are the fireplaces and the radiators. “The fireplaces are original: they used to heat the house with coal,” Molly says, explaining that the coal chute in the basement was the best way to a warm home back when the house was built.

Stepping out to the porch after gazing at the unlit fireplaces, Molly says, “Adam tore [the roof of the porch] off three years ago and reframed it, making it more structurally sound.” In the past months, though, Reggie has been redoing it so it looks more like its original state. “We did siding on the side of the house,” he says. “We’re going to get it back to a screened porch.”

Back in the house and in the old mudroom—which has now been converted to resemble a miniature sunroom—the builders found that there had once been a door where a window now stands. “When we moved in there was just a wall,” Molly says, “but 50 to 70 years ago, there was a door there.”

From that point in the old mudroom, a picturesque gazebo with a soon-to-be-replaced tin roof stands in a yard that once entertained guests clothed in the various fashions of the past decades. “I guess when the [Aiples lived] here, they did all their special occasions out there,” Molly explained, adding that the garden and the yard are still on their project list.

Heading back inside and upstairs, it is immediately apparent that the changes to the house throughout the years were not limited to the first floor. Before Reggie and Molly moved in, a wall would have greeted anyone climbing the stairs. After tearing out the wall to create a more accessible hallway, the remodeling process moved into Max’s room. After surveying a room full of Max’s favorite Legos, Molly explained that by doing Max’s room first, she and Reggie were trying to give Max a

retreat and a place of normalcy throughout the process of finishing the house.

Just around the corner from Max’s room is his bathroom, where the original faucet tub rests. What is most interesting about the now white tub—besides the obvious history and the original faucet handles—is the fact that it has been repainted several times. “I think it was white originally,” Molly says, “but then I saw some teal underneath and some red, so I don’t know, but it’s pretty neat. Max is still at the age where he likes taking baths and he can pretty much swim [in this tub].”

Moving into the guest room, where Reggie and Molly slept until the master bedroom was finished, they both shared a more in-depth account about the details of remodeling a room in an old house. As a massive starting task, all of the wallpaper was taken down in the house. “Everything was wallpapered,” Molly recalls. It took about seven months to tear it all down, with the exception of one room, which will be tackled in the winter.

Wallpaper, it seems, was used to cover the cracks, lumps, tears, and other imperfections of houses back in the 1800s. In the changing seasons “everything shifts” in old houses, Reggie says, “everything moves and swells.” But, Molly adds, “I like the unique aspect of a 132-year-old house.” And looking closely at the detailed wooden floors created nearly a century ago, unique is exactly the right word. Every room in the house showcases different details that decorate and pattern the floors.

In getting back to the tour of the house, Molly points out the wall sconces in the hallway on the way to the master bedroom. “We wanted to use a lot of Adam’s stuff,” she says, “and we love lighting. [Adam] had these sconces in his garage” and they were perfect for the hallway. Two of the sconces appear to have an unknown family crest, or coat of arms, embellished on them. A third less-embellished, but still timeless, sconce perches on the wall just outside the master bedroom.

Opening the door that came from a Stillwater Library auction, Molly explains that they have owned this particular door for eight years after picking it up for four dollars. On the glass portion of the door are the words “Study Room A.”

Beyond the library door, there are two more large doors that shelter a closet just to the right of the entrance. “Two more Adam doors,” Molly says. These cool pocket doors are where a spiral staircase used to be, though it was torn down long ago.

In the corner of the bedroom by the pocket doors is a new fireplace that was put in since there wasn’t a radiator in the room. “There are radiators all over the house, except in this room,” Molly says. The fireplace prevents the cold from taking over the space and yet still leaves enough room for the massive poster bed that takes up most of the bedroom. The bed is so big that Adam couldn’t get it through the doors of the house. In the end, a cherry picker had to be used to get the bed into the house. “I don’t know how we’d get it out, it’s so heavy,” Molly


says. The last room in the house is the office, a little nook that’s ceremoniously guarded by an antique half-door whose origins are a mystery. “This is an Adam door,” Molly says, “it’s a cute little door and I’m sure there a huge history on it but we don’t know it. Adam loved doors.” Besides the mystery-shrouded door, Molly’s sprawling desk is also a gorgeous, but useful, antique. “Back in the day,” she adds, “this was a kitchen; so the bathroom didn’t exist and this was probably where all the [Aiple] kids came to play and eat.”

The Aiple kids, who recently visited the remodeled house to see what Molly and Reggie have accomplished, have many fond memories there. One of the recent visitors, Frank Carl Aiple, is a fifth-generation Aiple that lived in the house from about 1944 to 1968. “We used to sit here and sleep overnight,” Frank says of the porch, “and in the summertime we’d enjoy all the sounds of the big city.”

Margaret Aiple also visited the house, saying: “I had the happiest time of my childhood in this house. I have so many wonderful memories of mom having coffee with all the ladies in the neighborhood. I lived in the upstairs bedroom and it was a wonderful place to live.”

“It was awesome walking through the house with the Aiple family,” Molly says. “Hearing about all the things that had changed and all of the memories they had of the house was a great experience and makes their love for the house that much more precious.”

“We love to keep houses in this neighborhood historical,” Reggie says. “We love making everything match, from remodeling to keeping it to the period of the house. We used all local people here in Stillwater and in the area to help us get it [the house] to where it is now.”

“I am very sentimental,” Molly says, “so when we left [our old house] I thought ‘I am going to regret this,’ but I haven’t. Not for one minute. I don’t think we would have moved if it hadn’t been in the same neighborhood, because we love the neighbors.”

The love that the Krakowskis show for their house and for the area is another perfect example of what makes the valley not only a great historic area, but also a special place to live. “I’m so proud to live in Stillwater, it’s such a gem,” Molly says. “It’s the birthplace of Minnesota. The courthouse is the oldest courthouse in Minnesota and it’s just down the street from us. So, you know, I want to be proud of the house, I want to represent my city. I want to be here for the community. I’m proud of where I live and I want to be contributing to it. It’s a good feeling.”

To see before/after pictures & video, visit www.stillwaterliving.net

Kirsten Stillman is a freelance writer and contributor to Stillwater Living magazine.

Mark Willis Construction worked with all local craftsman on the Krakowski's remodel.


The Krakowskis with Margaret Aiple (left), Frank Aiple and his wife.

"I had the hap piest time of my chil dhood in this house..."

~Margaret Aiple


corner table

Thanks for meeting with us. Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you got involved with the Stillwater Area school board

This is my third term serving on the school board. I was first elected in November 2005. At the time, my two children were enrolled at Afton-Lakeland Elementary School. My youngest daughter just graduated from Stillwater Area High School last June. The years have flown by! My main reason for wanting to get involved with the board was to ensure that the Stillwater tradition of a high quality education would continue, not only for my kids, but for all students.District 834, Stillwater Area Public Schools, has a levy proposal on the ballot November 5th.

Tell us more about that.

Yes, that’s correct. Our current operating levy will expire at the end of the 2013-14 school year. To maintain the tradition of high quality academics, arts and athletics expected from our schools, our board unanimously agreed to put a levy question on the ballot this fall.

If voters approve the request, it will renew the current levy of $11 million per year and increase it by $5.2 million to provide a total of $16.2 million in annual levy funds. These funds will address three key areas; maintain our current programs and services ($13.3 million), support our Bridge to Excellence plan ($2.4 million) and increase school safety and security ($450,000). The levy amount would be $1,536 per student.

This levy is about maintaining programs for students and property values. When compared to east metro schools in our area, we are close to the bottom in terms of levy dollars per student. Neighboring districts have more dollars per student and we need to be competitive to offer the programs that parents want for their children to be successful.

Voters failed to approve a levy request in 2011. What’s different now?

Great question. First, we reached out into our community and engaged them in a transparent, six-month strategic

A Friendly Conversation with Kathy Buchholz, District 834 School Board Chair

planning process. We asked community members and parents, “What do you want from our school district? What sort of education do our children need?” More than 200 people came together to share ideas resulting in our new strategic plan – Bridge to Excellence.

Second, our community told us they want our school district to wisely spend the levy dollars available. We waited until our current levy is set to expire before asking our community for another levy request.

Third, we provided time for our community to learn about our levy request. Initial levy decisions were made last April 2013, six months ago. (Adjustments to our levy request were made on August 8, 2013 to include a new funding tool made available by the 2013 legislature which reduced the overall tax impact by 10%.)

Fourth, our community wants to know how the levy dollars will be spent if the levy passes. If it passes, a majority of the dollars, 82%, will be spent to continue the programs and services we currently provide. A smaller portion of the levy dollars, 15%, will be spent implementing our new strategic plan, Bridge to Excellence, and 3% will be spent to increase school safety and security.


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And lastly, our community wants to know the impact on our students if the levy fails. Last April, our board unanimously approved a list of budget reductions that will occur if the levy fails. No one likes surprises so we made the budget decisions early so our community has time to understand the impact of a failed levy. Included in the budget reductions are increased class sizes from eliminating about 50 teachers, a four-day school week, significant reductions to our 5-12 grade music program, reduced transportation services, eliminating security officers at our high school, eliminating junior high athletics, reduction of 15 custodians, closing one elementary school, mandatory study halls at the junior high by removing elective courses, etc. These budget reductions would significantly affect all families within our district. A complete budget reduction list is available on our school district website.

You mention “community-driven.” Do you think the community is behind the final proposal?

Public schools should reflect community expectations based on their level of support. This is a community that values high quality education. To continue this tradition, an all-volunteer, community-led grassroots organization, Our Schools Our Valley, formed last spring. They’ve created volunteer committees at each of our schools, an informative website and an active Facebook presence. They’ve printed materials and secured endorsements from a wide variety

of individuals and organizations in the St. Croix Valley. It’s inspiring to see what a committed group of volunteers can do! These folks care – deeply. We are extremely fortunate to have people behind us, moving our district and our children forward. From what I’ve seen, they have incredible momentum.

The State of Minnesota actually increased school funding this past spring. Why doesn’t that help District 834?

It helps, but not nearly enough. The reality here, and for most school districts, is that it is less than an inflationary increase. After years of flat funding, we are all so far behind, we have a long way to go to catch up. We can’t keep pace with inflation, increasing costs and unfunded mandates.

We are extremely careful with our finances and have been recognized, nine years in a row, for excellence in financial reporting. This is important because we can highlight the integrity and strength of our operations, providing community members with as much information as possible. This honor is awarded to fewer than five percent of school districts in Minnesota so we are very proud to receive it.

If I don’t have kids in the school district, why should I care?

We’ve heard, from many people, empty-nesters to retirees, that they want high quality schools that prepare students

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to successfully compete in a global economy and also a desire to maintain property values. At a recent School Board meeting, a retired 3M engineer stood up and told us we were on the right track. “This is an excellent levy and I, as a retired person, am very happy to spend my money for this. Because these students are the future of our country. I’m past tense. We need them.”

Another gentleman, on a fixed income, told the Board that paying more taxes wasn’t on the top of his “bucket list,” but he was more than happy to do his part!

I think it’s about a strong, vibrant community. It’s about a safe community. It’s about a productive community. The more than 8,500 students in our district contribute directly to the well-being of the St. Croix Valley. We have a long history of award-winning music programs, outstanding athletics and high achieving alumni. We need to keep that strong tradition in the years ahead.

With our community-built Bridge to Excellence, and a levy proposal on the table, we can continue the excellence that people want in our schools. If we don’t support our kids, who will?

Thanks for sitting down with us and explaining the Levy.

My pleasure!

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