Now and Then

In May 1979, members of the Kasson-Mantorville Vo-Ag class were busy planting 500 Norway Pines and Green Ash in North Park around what was eventually going to be a softball field. There are now two softball fields located at Veterans Park north of the Aquatic Center. When the Dutch Elm disease caused a huge loss of elm trees, a large number of ash trees were planted as replacements. The Emerald Ash borer has now devastated a huge number of ash trees in Kasson and millions of trees across the U.S. It was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009 in Minneapolis and continues to spread this destruction across the state. The Kasson Public Works Dept has been cutting down the diseased boulevard trees and recently several have been taken out in Veterans Park, some of which may have been part of those planted in 1979. Photo from the 1979 DCI archives.