Sarah Nigbor

Change can be good, but change can also be really difficult. I am a creature of habit and am not a big fan of change. I often wonder how my grandparents handled the momentous changes they witnessed throughout their lifetimes. Born in 1919 and 1925, think of the things they saw evolve and change: using motor vehicles as the main form of transportation, electricity on the farm, installing a bathroom on the farm, air travel, space travel, computers, cell phones, etc. It’s unimaginable really.

As you know, my children love to point out how ancient I am. It’s completely unfathomable to them that I didn’t have a cell phone or the internet growing up.

“But how did you know anything?” my daughter asked astounded.

“I read books and talked to people,” I shot back. “I didn’t get to Google every answer.”

They really get a kick out of when I talk about using a rotary phone and having to untangle the long phone cord so I could hide in the dining room to talk away from my grandparents’ perked up ears. They can’t imagine what it must have been like to use a card catalog at the library or a VCR when watching movies. I still remember the first movie I ever watched on a VCR: A real tear-jerker called “The Land Before Time.”

My daughter loves it when we drive through River Falls and I point out everything that has changed. I know there are many more changes than what I remember, but during my 44 years, there have been many. I remember when the hospital was located where the public library is today. In fact, that’s where I was born on a 106-degree July day. I miss going to Hardee’s to get their special Tom & Jerry juice glasses, but now it’s St. Croix Gas. I was beyond excited when River Falls got its first “mall,” complete with More 4, Radio Shack, Let’s Party, Checker’s Nightclub, a jewelry store, Tradehome Shoes, Burger King, Pizza Hut and a few others. Now it’s Family Fresh and a medical clinic. Not nearly as fun (no offense to Family Fresh of course – they are wonderful).

I used to go to the doctor in a little brick clinic with at Spruce and Spring streets where the Radisson/Junior’s now sit. I remember it was shaded by towering evergreens and had green outdoor carpet on the outside steps. I also miss going to Lund’s Hardware with my grandpa to get lemon drops in a brown paper sack. When it was really hot out, I would stand on the old-fashioned floor vents as the air engulfed me and blew up my dress. I loved to drink out of the white porcelain water fountain at the front and explore the miles of aisles for “treasures” with Grandpa when he was looking for a tool or whatever Grandpas need for woodworking.

I miss stopping at A&W for a root beer float after swimming lessons and going out for coffee with Mom and her friends at Country Kitchen. In college, much of my life revolved around the Second/Main/Walnut Street block: I worked at South Fork Café, banked at M&I bank and went to church and taught Sunday School at the United Methodist Church.

I remember when they built the bypass around River Falls and blasted through the rock hills to create passthroughs. Driving to Hudson on windy Highway 35 used to be fun, because I liked to look at all the unique farms and houses. Now it takes five minutes to get to Hudson in a blur of speeding traffic. Convenient, yes. Nostalgic, no.

The population of River Falls was 7,017 for the longest time when I was a child. I can’t believe it’s well over 16,000 and growing. I know change is inevitable, but sometimes I long for the old days when River Falls was a small, undiscovered hometown on the Kinni.