UP ONE LEVEL

Without doubt the biggest event in Coon Rapids history was the Khrushchev visit in 1959.

AT&T set up a tower for T.V. broadcasting on the Roswell Garst farm and a building on Main Street was equipped with teletype, etc. for convenience of press representatives. Church women had sack lunches ready for newsmen and photographers to "grab". Seven Greyhound bus loads of newsmen and photographers from all over the world unloaded on Main Street.

There were gate crashers galore at the affair at the Garst farm. One notorious one who has crashed many, many important events was successful in this case.

National Guardsmen were posted at every intersection for a radius of several miles around Coon Rapids.

Not all the townspeople were in favor of the affair, but everyone realized how it put Coon Rapids on the map.

For additional details on the Khrushchev visit click here.