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By Tim Ruzek

In Austin, lead organizer Lewis Foote and others built an ice palace north of where Main Street ended.

“A beautiful ice castle has been built on a picturesque, little island near the riverbank,” wrote the Rochester Post on Jan. 30, 1891, adding that plans for the palace’s “grand storming” would feature “the finest display of fireworks ever seen in this section of the country.”

Austin’s free carnival featured a “Carnival King, in his chariot of fire” and Ice Queen with guards of honor; 1,000 horsemen; 3,000 gentlemen and ladies in toboggan and skating costumes, five bands, floats and more.

St. Paul’s Daily Globe previewed Austin’s first carnival, noting it would have an extensive procession, horse trotting on ice, skating races, several toboggan slides and an ice rink.

“A fine ice castle is being constructed on a pretty island in the bed of the Cedar River,” the Globe wrote Jan. 25, 1891.

Austin Carnival Association invited every town within 75 miles to organize temporary clubs to visit its winter party.

Locals met in mid-January at Austin’s city council chambers to organize and raise money for the Feb. 2-4 festival when Austin – called the “Queen City” of southern Minnesota – would host the Traveling Men’s Association.

An article by the carnival committee ran in newspapers detailing plans and encouraging support as it could attract thousands of people.

“Let our people one and all take hold of this grand carnival and make a success of it,” the Transcript wrote.

Austin’s first carnival proved to be a great success, drawing praise from other towns.

“Never before has this city or Southern Minnesota seen such a display,” wrote the Winona Daily Republican with the headline: “Austin’s Frolic – A winter carnival closes in a blaze of glory.”

Austin was described as “brilliantly illuminated and the streets crowded” while filled with “delighted and admiring visitors who have had a day of unalloyed sport at Carnival Park” on and along the Cedar River.

Above-freezing temps (30s to 40s) were highs as 5,000 visitors, six bands and area delegations visited Austin.

“The storming of the ice palace was a brilliant affair,” the Globe wrote, estimating 1,500 people participated in it.

Winter sports were each afternoon’s main attraction, including toboggan and ski slides that dropped onto the Cedar; horse races on ice; and river-skating contests.

On the opening afternoon, the ski slides were open to amateur skiers who entertained onlookers with unsuccessful attempts. Brass bands from Austin; Wells, Minn; and Cresco, Iowa, played music.

People called “bouncers” went around launching people in the air from a bouncing blanket. No one was injured.

Visiting news editors and prominent guests enjoyed a banquet at the Tyron Hotel on Water Street (4th Ave NE).

That opening night, “the grand storming of the ice palace took place, and our streets and the riverbank were crowded with the thousands who had come to see the novel sight. Not one of the throng was disappointed,” the Transcript wrote Feb. 11, 1891.

At 7:30 p.m., the “attacking and defending forces” organized on Main Street before being escorted to the palace through the streets by bands, toboggan clubs and others.

This included a display of roman candles and fireworks. Once attackers captured the palace, the night closed with a “grand illumination” of the castle that “was brilliant and marvelously beautiful; nothing has ever been seen in Austin to compare with it.”

On the second day, a torch-lit procession spanning one mile walked through downtown, with bands, police, toboggan clubs, railroad workers, clubs and horse-drawn floats, including the Friedrich & Hormel meat market’s float. Those men parted ways later that year.

Another ice castle illumination ended the evening while Austin’s towering courthouse also was lit. Electric light and Chinese lanterns illuminated a decorated Main Street.

The Transcript predicted Austin’s second carnival in 1892 would be even better.

Area newspapers praised Austin’s first winter carnival except Spring Valley thought the ice palace was unnecessary.

On Feb. 11, 1891, the Transcript ran a front-page article and sketch of lead organizer Lewis Foote under its recurring series: “Prominent Men and Women of Mower County.”

“No more appropriate sketch could be given this week than that of L.A. Foote, the originator and boomer of the Austin Winter Carnival.”

Foote’s energy, enthusiasm  and wisdom were credited largely for the festival’s success. Austin businessmen initially gave a lukewarm response to Foote’s idea — only St. Paul had done such an event in the Northwest — but Foote’s plans led them to see the positives.

Foote even created the toboggan slide and skating park.

Meanwhile, Foote’s plant was making 75,000 train freight seals daily with 15 employees. Major railroad companies were buying his patented seals that were saving U.S. railroad companies “millions of dollars annually.”

For a while, the New York Car Seal Co. shipped all its tin to Austin for Foote to make seals.

If you have a column idea or a question, reach out to Tim Ruzek at tim@mowerdistrict.org