Litchfield Toboggans and the St. Paul Winter Carnival

Recently, our Museum staff was going through some files, when we came across a short, handwritten history about the Litchfield Toboggan Club of 1886. We were instantly curious and turned to the newspapers to see what more we could learn.

1886 Lithograph of tobogganers. Source: Library of Congress

However, before there was Litchfield’s Toboggan Club, there was the St. Paul Winter Carnival. The Carnival started in 1886 as a way to show outsiders that the state could be enjoyed, even in the cold temperatures.

The Carnival was set to open on February 1, 1886, but despite the Ice Palace still being under construction, hundreds of St. Paul residents and event coordinators decided to leave town with the goal of spreading the word about the carnival. In preparation for the big event, dozens of clubs had been formed across St. Paul, many with their own distinct uniforms and costumes. There was the Alaska Skating Club, the Scandinavian Ski Club, and Ryan Drug Company Toboggan Club, just to name a few.

On January 27, over 300 people boarded a train for Litchfield. Two other trains had already set out for Mankato and Faribault with a similar mission: to advertise the Winter Carnival. The group arrived at 8:00 that evening, and Litchfield was ready for them, despite only having about twenty-four hours’ notice. Businesses were decorated, and the Litchfield Band and Company H led a parade over several blocks. Many of the businesses along Sibley Avenue were decorated with colored lights. There were also men carrying torches, and a few fireworks were set off.

The parade ended with a speech and then refreshments at the G.A.R. Hall. There was also “bouncing,” the practice of throwing individuals in the air using a blanket or trap, a tradition still seen at the Winter Carnival today. Several residents were sent several feet in the air, including Litchfield Mayor Col. Jacob Howard. Around 11:00 that night, the party broke up, and the St. Paul contingent returned home.

In the weeks that followed, the Co-che-co Toboggan Club of Litchfield became talk of the town, and it wasn’t long before members were sporting their own uniforms, just as the St. Paul clubs had done. They also paraded through town in their red flannel suits, accompanied by the Cornet Band.

By the following winter, in December 1886, Litchfield was said to have been in a “toboggan craze.” The club had at least fifty members, including several prominent businessmen. Determined to literally take the club to the next level, a toboggan run was built that cost $300. The wooden toboggan run was twenty feet at its peak and about 1,200 feet long. It started behind the present-day hospital and sent riders towards the northeast, ending near Sibley Avenue across the street from the current Marathon gas station. Three days a week were reserved for club members, and the general public was welcome on the other days.

Sadly, a strong winter wind destroyed the run sometime in 1887 and brought an end to the Toboggan Club and its winter fun.