March 10, 1902 – Red Lake Band Cedes Land for Settlement
On March 10, 1902, the Red Lake Band of Chippewa agreed to cede a large tract of land adjoining the Thief River and Red Lake River Valley, an area known as the “Western Townships” or “Eleven Towns.” This cession opened the region around Thief River Falls to increased homesteading and development. The agreement was ratified in 1904, leading to a government land sale of over 256,000 acres in front of the Thief River Falls school later that year. This land deal significantly expanded the area available for settlement and paved the way for the growth of Thief River Falls in the early 20th century.
March 10, 1948 – Blizzard Brings Record Cold
A ferocious late-winter blizzard struck Minnesota around March 10, 1948, bringing extreme cold and snow to the Thief River Falls area. In fact, March 10, 1948 was one of the coldest March days on record in the state – the high temperature that day only reached –3°F, marking the only time in Minnesota’s recorded history that a March day stayed below zero degrees for a high.
Residents of northwest Minnesota, including Thief River Falls, endured dangerously low wind chills and deep snow drifts as the storm roared through. The blizzard of March 1948 remains a memorable weather event for its unusual severity and frigid temperatures so late in the season..
March 10, 1992 – Arena Renamed to Honor Huck Olson
On March 10, 1992, the Thief River Falls City Council officially approved renaming the city’s hockey arena in honor of local sports legend Herald “Huck” Olson
The facility, formerly known simply as the Thief River Falls Sports Arena, became the Huck Olson Memorial Civic Center. Huck Olson had been a beloved sports editor for the Thief River Falls Times for over 30 years and a tireless supporter of youth athletics in the community
The push to name the arena after Olson was led by alumni of the 1945 Prowlers hockey team and philanthropist Ralph Engelstad, who helped fund the name change. The arena’s renaming on March 10, 1992, was a fitting tribute to Olson’s legacy, and the building was formally dedicated under its new name later that year on December 8, 1992