Elsie Harrington Berg Oral History

Biographical Information: Elsie Harrington Berg (November 14, 1907-2000) was born in Swatara, Minnesota. While she was in Iowa, Berg worked for the Sheaffer pen factory. She was married on June 25, 1930 to Fred Berg and lived and farmed in Swatara, Minnesota, where they had five sons, Fred, Ed, Gene, Calvin, Kenneth and two daughters, Catherine and Cora. Transcript Summary: Berg discussed her family history in Swatara, Minnesota, in Aitkin County, in the early 1900s. Her father worked various jobs, including at a lumber camp, a plow shop and as a farmer. Growing up in the early 1900s, Elsie described walking to school with the other kids in town, along with walking almost everywhere with no vehicle. Berg also discussed the general history of other families that lived in the Swatara area. Along with general history of the area, she briefly discussed natural disasters during her lifetime. Berg reflected on how much the area and country has changed throughout the years. She described how she wrote poetry that was published. Interviewed by James Roba