SARGEANT – Later this summer, the city of LeRoy will celebrate its 125th anniversary, but Sargeant came earlier so it will celebrate sooner.

Thursday, June 14, 2001

SARGEANT – Later this summer, the city of LeRoy will celebrate its 125th anniversary, but Sargeant came earlier so it will celebrate sooner.

The 125th anniversary of the founding of Sargeant will be held June 30.

The smallest town in Mower County is planning a low-key, but nonetheless sincere salute to its existence.

Sargeant Township is joining the celebration and the Sargeant Booster Club also is helping the city.

"It’s a nice and friendly town," Mayor Dan Linbo said. "People know each other and we enjoy the small-town way of life."

The Booster Club’s John Kaiser said the town is a "peaceful and quiet place" and that is what its residents want.

Frances (Gronseth) Martin, a former teacher in both the former Sargeant school and country schools in the township around the community, said, "It’s a pleasant town full of nice people."

Diane Linbo, wife of the mayor, said the celebration’s theme also describes Sargeant. The theme displayed on commemorative souvenir items to be sold June 30 reads: "You can count on your neighbors in Sargeant."

Tristan Rieken, son of Richard and Tyna Rieken, is the town’s newest resident; born May 30.

His birth should push the town’s population back to the level of the 1990 census, 78, because David and Lisa Bungum had a daughter, Brooke, born in April.

According to the 2000 census, Sargeant’s population declined by two to 76.

Sargeant and Taopi have battled each other for the distinction of being the smallest incorporated community in Mower County for years. Now Taopi, located midway between Adams and LeRoy has surged ahead with a 2000 census count of 93.

But Sargeant residents say "smaller is better" and that the quality of life in their community rivals or surpasses that of other places.

With Dan and Diane Linbo, Kaiser, Susie Larson, Ellen Scott, Frances Martin and Alice Jensen gathered around the table at the Sargeant Community Center, planning the June 30 celebration, the conversation is filled with acceptance and appreciation of the community they call their own.

"We’ve got a post office, store and coffee shop, Wayne’s Auto Repair and the bank," Mayor Linbo said. "Don’t forget VanBusKirk Welding and the jobs they have created in town," Kaiser said.

"There’s Linbo Insurance, too," Jensen added.

"Plus we’ve got Sargeant Grain Elevator and then you got to include all the businesses in the countryside around the town," Larson said.

"There’s Jensen Repair, Larson Pioneer Seed, VanBusKirk Construction and I don’t know if we can list them all," Kaiser said.

"Plus, you forget, there’s the Great River Energy plant just down the road," the mayor said.

Located in north central Mower County along the northern tier of townships, the city of Sargeant is near the intersection of Mower County No. 1 and 20.

When the community celebrated its centennial in 1976, the nation’s bicentennial year, the celebration committee chairman was John Linbo, father of the current mayor and then committee treasurer Dan Linbo.

Call Lee Bonorden at 434-2232 or e-mail him at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com.