GaryOsberg.com

In January I got a phone call from a fellow in Upsala.  They were looking for someone to be the treasurer of the Upsala Area Historical Society.  I had a bit of history with the organization, since they own the Borgstrom House in Upsala and that is where they keep the artifacts that represent the history of the area including the 1928 Rio Fire Truck that started the whole thing.

Axel Borgstrom was born on August 8, 1888 and his father built the Borgstrom house in 1913.  Sometime in the seventies Marcia and I, along with another couple, had dinner together at our house on Cedar Lake west of Upsala.  Axel and his wife Carrie had a cabin on Cedar Lake.  Since I was in sales, it fell to me to ask the touchy question, “Axel, would you and Carrie consider willing your house to the Historical Society so that we could have a museum.”  I was expecting a negative response, along the lines of “What kind of question is that?”  Instead, Axel smiled at his wife of 70 years and said, “That’s okay, Carrie and I will build a new house and you can have the old house now.”

True to his word, at the of age of 92, he hired a contractor and built a wonderful rambler across the street from the bank that he, his father John Borgstom and Pete Viehauser had established in 1914.  They left almost all of the furniture and belongings in the old house to give the Historical Society a head start on the collection of artifacts.  The Borgstrom house will be open for tours during Upsala Heritage Days on August 12^th.  I hope to see you there.

Secret to a long life:  “When you think that you are going to die, brace up.”  Axel Borgstrom 1988