Brazen: Pop-up revelers pour into Farmers Park

LEWISTON, Minn. – Another large drive-in beer bash in the woods, this one in Farmer Park, the third of the season in Winona County, was caught early by deputies. The revelers somehow had been forewarned tyat deputies were on their way. As drove in, the revelers were driving of the 38-acre fenced park on Garvin Brook. Deputies estimated 50 cars were still on-site. It was still early for these kinds of gathering —  about 11:55 p.m. Deputies said nobody was belligerent. The party matched the description of Snapchat-arranged parties that have a law enforcement for moths in Fillmore, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties.  This time, however, the event was in a public park, albeit after hours, and just off the major U.S. Highway14 thoroughfare – a brazen choice, unlike predecessor pop-up parties at secluded rural sites. Like eakier parties, many participants had driven quite a ways. Several were identied from Rochester and the Dover area in Olmsted County.There were no arrests.

The tip

The party missed the new early warning system that law enforcement units have patched together to intercept parties. In this case he first tip was about 11:55 p.n. A girl phoned from the Kwik Trip in Lewiston, three miles away, that she had been whacked across the face. There also were other assaults, she said. She declined to file a complaint or seek medical assistance

Office response

Three deputies were on duty in the county. One was already on another call. Two went Farmers Park. Because it was clear to the deputies that the party was self-dispersing, the deputies didn’t call for backup. There were no arrests.

Related incident?

At 4:05 a.m.  deputies found a 41-yer-old Lanesboro woman drunk at the remote Dutchman’s Crossing on the railroad tracks two miles above Famers Park. She had an injury on her head, and was taken 16 miles to the Winona hospital. Deputies were unsure whether she had been at the Farmers Park party that had begun breaking up four hours earlier 1-1/2 miles down the tracks.

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Historic rail bridge. At Farmers Park. Arches give neighborhood its name – The Arches. One arch spans a Garvin Brook tributary. The other arch spans the old, winding and former path of U.S. Highway 14.

Farmers Park profile

Farmers Park is a county-owned picnic and recreation place on Garvin Brook between Lewiston and Stockton. It’s heavily used for community gatherings and birthday, anniversary and graduation parties. Lodges and pavilions can be reserved. Playgrounds include a softball diamond. Horseshoes anyone?

C. Garvin and his wife Louise donated the tract in 1925 – 15 acres along Garvin Brook and 28 acres of forested hillside. The historic Winona & St. Peter Railroad built a rock-faced semicircular arch bridge in 1882. The bridge still marks the set. The nearby residential enclave s called The Arches. Trains still struggle on a 4% grade on a hillside above the park.

In 1976 the little governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter, introduced himself picnicking Democrats at Farmers Park: “My name is Jimmy Carter, and I am running for President.” He went on to be the 39th president of the United States. Historically the park has hosted the county Democrats annual picnic and the summer Farm Bureau congregations. Parking is aplenty. The park is closed in winter and at dark in warm months. There is no resident caretaker.