History

• The City of Sleepy Eye was founded in the year 1872 by the railroad company.
• Sleepy Eye is in Brown County at the crossroads of Highways 4 and 14, on the shores of Sleepy Eye Lake.
• Like many frontier communities, Sleepy Eye’s founding centered around development of the railroad. Rochester railroad lawyer Walter Brackenridge is credited with platting the original streets of Sleepy Eye on September 18th, 1872. The plats were officially registered at the Brown County Courthouse the next day.
• One of the early settlers of the area is also credited with the formation of Sleepy Eye. Thomas Allison wanted the railroad to come to “his” lake, so he visited railroad lawyer Walter Brackenridge and got the railroad to come to Sleepy Eye.
• The City of Sleepy Eye was named after the lake which borders it’s northwest side. The lake was named after a Chief of the Sisseton Sioux Indians, Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba, which translates to Sleepy Eyes. Chief Sleepy Eyes was born in 1780 near Swan Lake in Nicollet County. His jurisdiction covered the Sisseton from Carver to Lac-Qui-Parle. He signed the treaties of Prairie Du Chien, Mendota, and Traverse Des Sioux, and visited with President James Monroe in 1824.
• Chief Sleepy Eyes died in 1860 in South Dakota. In 1964, the City of Sleepy Eye recovered his remains and buried him in a small park dedicated to his memory. A tall, narrow monument marks his grave. The City also erected an 8-foot-tall bronze statue, created by Native American artist Joanne Bird, as a salute to the Indian leader.
• During the Sioux Uprising of 1862, the area that would become Sleepy Eye was overrun by Indians. Fort Ridgely, located about 10 miles north of Sleepy Eye, was the center of the attack.
• Sleepy Eye had it’s first store in 1872, the same year the town was created. Christian Emmerich built the city’s 1st hotel, and Carl Berg built the 2nd one in 1873. The 1st school records date back to 1874.
• The Sleepy Eye Fire Department was organized on March 11th, 1887 by M-H Anstett. The City’s Library was built by F-H Dyckman in 1900.
• The Sleepy Eye Flour Milking Company began operations in 1883, and closed in 1923. During it’s time it was the biggest rural flour mill in the country.
• A Sleepy Eye celebrity whose name is well-known around the world is Linus Mauer. Linus was a life-long friend of “Peanuts” creator Charles Schultz, who based one of the comic strip’s characters on his friend. The City of Sleepy Eye has a Linus statue to commemorate that friendship.
• A famous Sleepy Eye native is former W-C-C-O-T-V Sports Anchor Ralph Jon Fritz, who was on the air for 37 years. Fritz grew up in Sleepy Eye and attended St. Mary’s School. He appears with his dog Louie on the t-v show “Out and About,” which mainly centers on hunting and fishing.

Businesses

• Two of Sleepy Eye’s main employers are the two school systems: public and Catholic. Sleepy Eye Public Schools call themselves the Indians and Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s is the Knights.
• Sleepy Eye is home to several large employers. These include: Del Monte, a large vegetable-canning facility; Norwood Promotional Products, makers of calendars and bulletins; Stimpert Enterprises, makers of manufactured homes; Anderson Custom Processing, makers of dry food products; Mathiowetz Construction; River Region Farmer’s Co-Op; Christiansen Family Farms; Haala Industries; and Miller Sellner Implement. There is also Divine Providence and Sleepy Eye Care Center nursing homes.
• The Orchid Inn in Sleepy Eye is an entertainment hub for the city. Along with being a place to have a fine meal or cold drink, there are also numerous social events held here during the year.
• The Sleepy Eye Economic Development Authority received an E-Commerce Readiness Certification from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The award recognizes the city for implementing a new technology infrastructure.

Festivals & Events

• Sleepy Eye’s annual Corn Days celebration takes place every August. The 2-day celebration is packed with numerous events, with the main attraction being the free all-you-can-eat buttered sweet corn at Allison Park. Rides for the kids and live music also take place throughout the day. The following day consists of a 5K run for all ages and the celebration concludes with an evening parade.
• On the last Sunday in September, the Sleepy Eye Area Historical Society celebrates their pioneer heritage by hosting the Great Grassroots Gathering. The day includes various flea markets, arts & crafts, music, and food.
• People from around the area come to Sleepy Eye on the evening of July 3rd to enjoy the annual Street Dance with live music. On the 4th of July, the celebration at Allison Park includes music and buffalo burgers, followed by fireworks over the lake.
• Stores in Sleepy Eye go crazy during the middle of summer. Crazy Days sees prices slashed and great bargains both in stores and on sidewalks.
• Every March the Sleepy Eye Jaycees sponsor the Miss Sleepy Eye Pageant. Numerous young women vie for the coveted title. During the following summer, Miss Sleepy Eye competes for the Queen of the Lakes title during the Minneapolis Aquatennial. She also appears in numerous parades and town celebrations throughout the year.
• A big, delicious breakfast is served at the Sleepy Eye Airport during the middle of July. The Jaycee-Fly-In Breakfast is open to pilots, people who enjoy airplanes, and people who love breakfast. Airplane rides are available as well.

People

• The population for the City of Sleepy Eye is approximately 3,500 people. The Mayor is Jim Broich.
• The first baby of the New Year for 2010 was from Sleepy Eye. Heath Eckstein was born to Scott and Rachel Eckstein of Sleepy Eye at the New Ulm Medical Center.
• The Sleepy Eye Medical Center’s 2010 New Year’s Baby arrived on January 28th to Randy and Alicia Netzke. Keeyan Randall Netzke and his parents received numerous gifts from Sleepy Eye businesses sponsoring the New Year’s Baby contest.
• In February 2010 KNUJ’s Hometown Hero was Deb Hadley from Sleepy Eye. Deb is a 4-H leader who also volunteers at her church and several committees in the community. She was also instrumental in starting a Basketball Booster Club, and serves as the club’s president as well as running it’s concession stand at numerous basketball tournaments. Hometown Hero recognition is sponsored by KNUJ and select Thrivent Financial For Lutheran agents.
• August’s Hometown Hero was also from Sleepy Eye. John Rosenhammer is a long-time supporter of 4-H who worked with Brown County 4-H and Junior Holstein Association members to raise funds to construct a new and improved milking area and remodeled milkhouse at the Brown County Fairgrounds. He also plays a key role in the annual Brown County Twilight Meeting, is superintendent of the Dairy Show at the Brown County Fair, is active with his church, and was named Good Farm Neighbor of the Month in 2010 as well.
• In November of 2010 KNUJ’s Hometown Hero for the month was Shari Hittesdorf of Sleepy Eye. Shari is the Sleepy Eye Ambulance Coordinator and the Safety Director for Sleepy Eye. Because of her work, over 10,000 individuals have tried and practiced CPR. She goes to all the Sleepy Eye schools each year and teaches 5th and 6th graders as well as 9th and 10th graders.
• Sleepy Eye’s schools had 4 ExCel award winning students in 2010. ExCel is a recognition program for Minnesota Juniors who are active in extra-curricular activities, show leadership qualities and are model citizens in their community. ExCel winners from Sleepy Eye included: Sleepy Eye Public’s George Hirschboeck and Cassie Cselovski and Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s Isaiah Butler and Molly Moldan.
• Seven friends from Sleepy Eye won the Minnesota Lottery Powerball in 2010. Gary Buley, Gerald Hornick, Randy Keim, Leland Oleson and Jason Schultz of Sleepy Eye, Joshua Hacker of Morgan, and Laura Dominguez of Springfield had been pooling their money to buy Powerball tickets for about 3 years. One of their tickets matched all 5 numbers without the Powerball, and the group cashed in the winning ticket worth $200,000.
• Sleepy Eye resident Pat Lange won $100,000 in a Minnesota Lottery Scratch Game in 2010. Pat had won $10 on a $5 Wild Cherry scratch ticket when she decided to re-invest her winnings. The next Wild Cherry ticket she purchased turned out to be 1 of the 6 grand prize tickets worth $100,000.
• In 2010 the Sleepy Eye High School ag teacher, Mary Hoffman, received the Region 6 Outstanding Middle and Secondary School Agricultural Education Program award from the Minnesota Association of Agricultural Educators. Hoffman teaches 7th-through-12th grade ag at Sleepy Eye High School.
• The Sleepy Eye Teacher of the Year for 2010 was 4th grade teacher Katie Schmiesing. Katie was chosen for the honor by her fellow teachers and staff at Sleepy Eye Public. Schmeising utilizes technology in her classroom in a variety of ways, including having her kids give power-point presentations and by using the internet when researching assignments. The New Ulm native earned her teaching degree from St. Cloud University and has been teaching with Sleepy Eye for 5 years.
• Miss Sleepy Eye 2010 was Kristina Busch, the daughter of Fritz and Marietta Busch. Named attendants were Erica Jensen, the daughter of Tom and Sue Jensen, and Madeline Schmitz, the daughter of Tony and Lisa Schmitz.
• Gary Windschitl of Sleepy Eye was named Minneapolis Aquatennial Honorary Commodore for his dedicated volunteer service in 2010.
• Buttered Corn Days 2010 corn eating contest winners were the Sleepy Eye off-Sale team of Mark Kober and Nick Finstad.
• The Seifert Quards of Sleepy Eye celebrated their 60th birthday in 2010. Monica Clayton, now of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Marie Hoffman of Worthington; Michael Seifert of Brown County’s Stark Township; and Martha Anderson of Albert Lea made worldwide headlines when they were born on May 3rd, 1950, at the Sleepy Eye Hospital. The 4 healthy babies ranged in weight from 2 to 4-and-a-half pounds. They were believed to be the first set of quads to survive into adulthood in Minnesota. They commemorated their birthday with a round of golf at the Sleepy Eye Golf Club.
• The Sleepy Eye FFA chapter was named the Premier Crops Chapter of the State at the 2010 Minnesota State Fair. More than 80 of the chapter’s 139 members are exhibiting crops at the fair. Sleepy Eye High School junior Josie Fischer was named the top FFA Crops Exhibitor and won the poultry contest senior division at the fair as well. Fischer exhibited shelled and ear corn, soybeans, oats, wheat, and popcorn in the crop show. She also represented Minnesota at the National FFA Poultry Contest in November 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky. Josie’s sister, Jamie Fischer, won the junior division poultry contest at the State Fair as well.
• A Kids Against Hunger food-packing event was held in the City of Sleepy Eye in 2010. It resulted in more than 70,000 low-cost nutritional meals being packed for families around the world. Around 300 volunteers were on hand at the Eagles Orchid Inn for the event. Sleepy Eye High School students and staff helped raise over $500 for Kids Against Hunger as well.
• In 2010 the Sleepy Eye Economic Development Authority unanimously agreed to combine new and existing loans to allow the Sleepy Eye Eagles Club to purchase the Orchid Inn. The Sleepy Eye City Council also approved a liquor license for the Eagles Club to use at the Orchid Inn.
• The Minnesota Historical Society awarded a grant worth $7,000 to help support the restoration of the historic Berg Hotel in 2010.
• The Holidays 2010 in Sleepy Eye included a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, who arrived in town via the Sleepy Eye Fire department. Santa and Mrs. Claus helped turn on the holiday lights, had supper with the kids thanks to Volunteers Of America. Sleepy Eye’s Little Miss Holiday 2010 was Millicent Sorenson, the daughter of Eric and Charlotte Sorenson. Little Mister Holiday 2010 was Zachary Rutscher, the son of Steve and Susan Rutscher. Lots of Christmas lists were shared with Santa during the event as well.
• The Sleepy Eye Historical Society received a peace pipe from a descendent of Chief Sleepy Eye himself during a special ceremony in 2011. The pipe was presented by Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba’s 7th generation grandchild, Karyn Douglas Cissell. HIstorical Society Director Debbie Joramo said it was an important event for the City of Sleepy Eye. During the ceremony at the monument to Chief Sleepy Eye a Dakota band from the Lower Sioux Agency was performing, dancing, and drumming.
• The Sleepy Eye Area Chamber of Commerce held it’s annual banquet in February 2011.
• The Sleepy Eye Area Chamber of Commerce named Sleepy Eye Repair it’s 2011 Business Of The Year. A special luncheon was held to recognize Peter, Dan, and their staff for the company’s contributions to the community.
• KNUJ’s Player Of The Year Banquet was held in November 2011 and the Offensive Player Of The Year was Jordan Anderson of Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s, and the Defensive Player Of The Year was Sleepy Eye’s Marc Gemmill.
• The Sleepy Eye School District saw a pair of referendum questions defeated in 2011. The Sleepy Eye School District is one of the few districts in the state with no tax levy in place.
• The Sleepy Eye School Board chose Keith Lendt to fill a seat on the board in 2011.
• The brown County republican Convention was held in Sleepy Eye in 2011. Representative Paul Torkelson presided over the convention and was joined by Senator Gary Dahms in discussing important legislative issues. Brown County Republican Committee Officers were chosen, including Jim Hahn of New Ulm was elected chair and Greg Bartz of Sleepy Eye was named vice chair. Mary Batrz was the recipient of the Brown County Republican Of The Year Award.
• The cities of Sleepy Eye and St. James entered into a cooperative agreement in 2011 that would help homeowners with repairs. The Sleepy Eye City Council unanimously approved the block grant proposal which would allow for 0% rehab loans to be used for 70% of home repair costs. 10% of the loans would be forgiven each year, with no principal remaining if a family stays in the home for 10 years.
• The Sleepy Eye City Council agreed to move forward with more than 3.1 million dollars worth of street and utility improvements upcoming in 2012.
• The Sleepy Eye City Council approved plans to construct a new park in the city’s downtown area. Improvement plans are made for the 4 lots along Main Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue Northwest. The Council also voted to improve downtown alleys and storm sewers, as well as plans to create the new Veteran’s Memorial Park.
• The Sleepy Eye City Council approved funding in 2011 for the Sleepy Eye Chapter of Let’s Go Fishing With Seniors. A total of $2500 was approved for the program, which for several years now has given local area senior citizens free fishing trips.
• Anna Surprenant was named Miss Sleepy Eye 2011. Anna is the daughter of Scott and Judy Surprenant. Crowned Sleepy Eye Attendants were Kahley Pelzel, the daughter of Steve and Lynnae Pelzel, and Megan Gilliland, the daughter of Rick and Lori Gilliland.
• Miss Sleepy Eye 2010 Madeline Schmitz, the daughter of Tony and Lisa Schmitz, was a candidate in the 2011 Queen Of The Lakes at the Minneapolis Aquatennial celebration. Schmitz won a spagetti eating contest, and for the second year in a row Sleep Eye brought in the most food during the Aquatennial Food Shelf Drive with Schmitz collecting 4,000 pounds of donated food.
• The City of Sleepy Eye’s 50th annual Buttered Corn Days celebration was held in August 2011 with a 5K run-walk, a Dad’s Belgian Waffle Feed, city-wide garage sales, and the Buttered Corn Days Parade.
• Brown County Dairy Princess and Princess Kay Of the Milky Way Finalist Kelsey Sellner of Sleepy Eye, the daughter of Mike and Judy Sellner, had her head carved in a block of butter at the Minnesota State Fair in 2011.
• Santa Claus visited Sleepy Eye in December 2011 and the new holiday royalty was crowned. Little Mister Holiday was Spencer Hoffman, the son of Jeff and Amy Hoffman. Little Miss Holiday was Kayla Schroepfer, the daughter of Joel and Marti Schroepfer.

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