| Summary: | Tobiason Lake Fairfield Township In June, 1881, Tobias Johnson came to Beaver Creek and homesteaded on the northwest quarter of section 14, building a little shack near the slough which was later referred to as the "Tobias Slough". On January 28, 1931, a meeting was held at the Beaver Creek Center schoolhouse to discuss the possibility of digging a channel from the creek so as to divert the overflow water into Tobias Lake. The meeting was called to order by Nels Berge. The following were elected temporary officers: T. K. Walsvick, president; H. J. Ness, secretary and treasurer; Andrew Lerol, John Ness and Elmer Bjerke, project supervisors. Charles Mills of Hatton was hired to survey the project. In February, 1931, several groups in excess of seventy people met with picks and shovels and finished digging the ditch which created Tobiason Lake. A metal culvert sixty feet long by forty-eight inches in diameter was installed. On April 6, 1932, a meeting was held to elect seven directors to serve for a term of one year: Carl Klabo, Arthur Gronhovd, H. J. Ness, Andrew Lerol, Nels Berge, Edgar Bjerke, and Gilbert Erickson. These directors of the Tobiason Lake Association bought 55 acres of land from the Klabos at $20 per acre, and 21.2 acres from the Federal Land Bank at $15 per acre. In 1932 a bath house and two refreshment stands were built; and in May, 1935, Ingvald Walsvick was hired to plant trees around the lake. Since June, 1946, the North Dakota Farmers Union has owned the Lake property, having since converted it into a camp with a large auditorium, two dormitories, office, home for the caretaker, and a recreation area. Swimming, boating, water skiing and fishing are enjoyed by campers and visitors alike. 1 Tobiason Lake Fairfield Township is a sister township of Oakville on the north, Allendale on the east, Union on the south, and Pleasant View on the west. The Glacier period endowed the township with three types of soil, ranging from a light sandy texture on the ridge, a sandy loam in the central section, to an alkaline condition in the "Flats". The latter area is used primarily for its wild hay. The township boasts of several places of interest, uncommon in most localities of the state. Several of these places are Spring, Mound and Lone Rock. The Spring together with the many artesian wells in the area provide an almost inexaustible supply of water. An Indian mound and Lone Rock are located on land owned by Ole Nygard (formerly the M. B. Johnstone homestead), The mound has been excavated and found to contain several skeletons, trinkets, and hammers. These discoveries contribute to the general belief that an Indian battle had been fought in that vicinity. Lone Rock is believed to be one of the largest in the state. Pioneers surmise that this rock was used by the Indians as a place of worship. English Coulee, which wends its way northeast by the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, has its source in Fairfield Township. This Coulee drains the northeastern portion of the township into the Red River. A lake created by a wide spot in the Coulee had three uses. First, it was a camping site for the early pioneers, then a baptismal pool for the "Saints", and later a recreation area. Farmers from the southwestern part of the county traveled the Goose River Trail to Grand Forks with their products and used the lake as a camping place. John and William Leake came from Canada and were the earliest settlers. These persevering pioneers made their home in the north central part of the township and became engaged in agriculture. The Leake brothers and their nephew Walter were the first farmers to thresh in the township. This threshing was done by flail in 1881. The first meeting was held at the home of a pioneer who had migrated from Fairfield, Iowa. Thus the name Fairfield was adopted. It was at one of these early meetings that Hans Anderson was elected chairman of the board of supervisors. This office paved the way to the more responsible position of county commissioner and county auditor for 12 years. Early records were lost, so little data is known regarding business activities, but a high value was placed on education, so the township organized three schools. One of these, the Central School, was built by William and John Leake, in 1884. The first school meeting was held at the Hood farm and the following directors were elected: Martin Johnson, Albert Hood, and William Leake. May A. Travas of Grand Forks was the first teacher to be 211 Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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