In 1893 Christopher Dinehart, owner of the State Bank of Slayton and owner of 4,000 acres of Murray County land, took his award-winning wheat to the Chicago World’s Fair. While there, he picked up a business card for a famous house of woodcarvers from Brienz, Switzerland. The result of picking up that card was the purchase of two hand-carved Black Forest bears. The statues once graced the newel posts of the grand staircase in the Dinehart home.
In 1996, after the death of Judge John Holt, the bears were sold out of the house. Last summer the owners of the bears approached the Murray County Historical Society to see if the historical society would like to purchase them back for the original cost and restore the bears to their rightful place in the Dinehart Holt House.
The MCHS board has decided to dedicate the Pat Weber Memorial gifts to begin a fundraising campaign to purchase the bears. The total cost of returning the bears will be $10,000. To date, there are $1500 dollars raised in the Bear Fund.
To continue the fundraising effort the MCHS is hosting a “ROOT BEAR TASTING” before the Front Porch Music concert Thursday, August 1, from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Flytes of root beer will be available to taste and you can choose the one you want for a Root Beer Float. All for a $5 donation. It is a fun event for all family members!
If you would like to help us bring the bears home, send your donations to the Murray County Historical Society, PO Box 61, Slayton, MN 56172, and be sure to make note it is for the bears. We are excited about this possibility. Help us make it a reality! For more information contact jtimmerman@co.murray.mn.us or call 507-836-6533.
