"My name is Prince Rogers Nelson. Named after a Baptist minister who rode through here. His name was Prince Rogers and he did his ministry on horseback. But that's enough about him because this is the story of Poor Farm Landing and since my grandmother named the town, you'd best be hearing about her."
"See, I'm 89 years old and I've been here in Poor Farm Landing, for about 82 years. That's right. My family came here before it was called Nicollet County, which I believe came about in nineteen-and-eleven. Anyway, my grandmother was a Kitch and she married a Cache and if you want to know the history of Poor Farm Landing, that's important because my grandfather ran a store here for years, Cache's Grocery. I mention that because most people don't realize we once had stores here. Fact is, we had four of 'em. After my grandfather retired, Cache's burned down. The others went out of business -- even the general store run by Cabin Boy. You could buy a few dry goods, shoes, even overalls there. Shame. Just a shame. I blame Kitch."
"My grandmother, Nodda Kitch Cache, was the first postmistress in these parts and she named the town Poor Farm Landing. She said it was a "historical" name, meaning that future visitors should become aware of the town's past."
"I suppose maybe that my grandmother heard of other "Poor Farm" towns. But here, in the heart of the midwest, we've had congressmen and governors come through our town. Before consolidation, we had a school here. Why, U.S. Hwy. 14 runs right by our town. Got a few hundred people registered to vote in these parts."
"I was personally acquainted with three or four presidents. That's right, Prince Rogers Nelson was in the timber business -- I exported veneer logs -- but I once was in politics a little bit, too. I was nominated for the Congressional District, in 1964 and 1966, but things didn't work out. Worst mistake they ever made was not electing me and Goldwater in 1964."
"I met Reagan at a national convention in Miami Beach in 1972 while he was governor. I was personally acquainted with Ford. That's Gerald Ford. He became president after Nixon resigned. Met Ford when he was minority leader of the House. Met Nixon, too, when he was vice president. Got my picture taken with Nixon and Reagan and have a letter from Reagan hanging on the wall. Right here. Right here in Poor Farm Landing."
"Well, it's beautiful today. We have some bad winters. But today, we're picking some shelly beans, me and my wife. My wife, TandA, she'll give me a whippin' if she finds out I've been talkin' so long. How long we been married, TandA? Sixty-nine years?"
"One more thing. I know in the big city like where you're from this won't mean much: But we once had a murder in Poor Farm Landing. Years and years ago, a fellow named Glisher abused a lot of people and some fellows got together and killed him. That was before my time. Nothing like that's happened here since."
"How about where you're from?"
"What was the name of that little city you're from?"
