Lakes, ponds are filled with ice skaters in OT County

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

Many people who grew up in Otter Tail County will never forget ice skating during the winter months at various lakes and rinks throughout the county. Ice skating is among the memories brought up during high school reunions.

Many baby boomers recall skating with their friends on weekday evenings, under the lights in bygone decades, or on Saturday and Sunday afternoons during the 1950s and 1960s. A special treat was skating for one or more afternoons during the school Christmas break.

Kids warmed themselves by wood burning stoves inside warming houses at lakes and rinks. Others recall skating to 1950s and 1960s music played over outdoor loudspeakers.

Ice skating races were held throughout Otter Tail County. Well over a century ago, in 1898, races between John S. Johnson and T.V. Thomsen at the Lake Alice rink in Fergus Falls attracted a great deal of attention.

The first race was a one-mile test of speed and was won by Johnson. The skaters started at opposite sides of the rink. But before Thomsen had made the first lap he had two unfortunate falls. This gave Johnson a decided advantage, which he retained to the end of the race.

Thomsen, as noted by Otter Tail County Historical Society researchers, redeemed himself by winning the two-mile race.  For the first half mile both skaters (Johnson and Thomsen) held their own. Then Thomsen began to gain, slowly, but perceptibly. 

The crowd, which had been with Thomsen from the start of the race, cheered him on. Thomsen continued to lead and at the close of the race he almost was overtaken by Johnson. But Thomsen prevailed.

Another skater, Axel Johnson, gave what many attendees saw as “some wonderful exhibitions of fancy skating.” The audience was delighted, and applauded heartily.