History

[Copied by Lory Brasel, lbrasel@leagent.net, from the book "History of Otter Tail County" Volume I - 1916 by John W. Mason]

The township of Blowers (township 130 range 36) was created by the commissioners on March 20, 1884, and the first election was set for April 9, at the house of George Sheets. The petitioners had asked, or rather "prayed" as the petition states, that the new township be called Freedom, but this was refused on the ground that there was another township by the same name in the state. The commissioners named it in honor of A. S. Blowers, one of the prominent citizens of the early history of the county, and a member of the board of commissioners for many years.

This is one of the few townships in the county without a lake of any kind. The northern portion of the township is drained by Hay creek, a tributary of Red Eye river, while the southern portion falls within the watershed of Leaf river. The township is about equally divided between the two watersheds, and so well distributed are the branches of the two rivers that every portion of the township is easily drained. Blowers contains fine farming land and is settled with thrifty farmers who are fast bringing it to the front as one of the leading agricultural sections of the county.

This township was one of the last to be organized in the county, only two others Orwell and Dead Lake being organized later. This was due to a multiplicity of reasons, one of the chief being its remoteness from the county seat. It is seventy miles from the northeastern part of the township to the city of Fergus Falls and at least twelve miles from a trading center of any size. For many years a postoffice by the name of Blowers was maintained, but it was discontinued many years ago and the township is now served by the rural free delivery. There has never been a town site platted within the limits of the township; neither has there ever been a church in the township, although there is a cemetery in the northern part of section 1. A majority of the population are of German descent and with their usual thrift and well directed efforts they have made fine homes for themselves.

The present township officers are as follow: Supervisors, O. P. Jacobson, Martin Bengtson and E. Laine; clerk, Emil Hietala; treasurer, F. M. Windels; assessor, John O. Tolppi; justices, William Lee and H. Savela; constables, Gust Kyrola and Charles Bjorkland.