6/23/07 - News Hopper

NewsHopper TM June 23, 2007 13Legacy of Warren Potter: Part II, Grandson Warren William KrechConnie PettersenCol. Warren William Potterwas a Civil War hero whocame to Aitkin as a pioneermerchant in the 1870s. Hebecame a respected communityleader, a successfulbusinessman (established thePotter-Casey Company) andleft a legacy rememberedtoday. A bridge on MinnesotaAve. bears his name, as doesthe annual Aitkin Chamberof Commerce “Warren PotterLifetime AchievementAward.” (See 5-26-07 News-Hopper for Part I).Potter also left a hereditarylegacy. A great-granddaughter,Marcia Hasskamp livesWarren William’s classic Barrymore profile. Photo courtesyMarcia Hasskamp.A 1931 autographed picture of Warren William “To Aitkin’sGeraldine Ross” (later Hasskamp). Photo courtesy of MarciaHasskamp.Save 40% to 50%Tradeo Values Save 40% to 50% on Everythingfrom Carpet to Furniture to Car Washes. Plus Savings at over20 Area Restaurants! Tradeo Certificates may be purchased at the 3Wi studios,at 305 West Washington Street in Brainerd ( Across from Walgreens) Monday through Friday8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 218-828-9994Food Certificates $10.00 for $6.00Arby’s • A&W / Long John Silver's • Cedar Chest • Choppers • Deli Max • Deli Station at the Trax • Eclectic Cafe • Ernie's On Gull Lake • Grab A Java •Hardee’s • Last Turn Saloon (Excludes Alcohol) • Maucieri's • Papa John's • Rafferty’s Pizza (Brainerd, Crosslake or Nisswa) • 6th Street Cafe• Sportland Cafe • St. Mathias Food & Liquor • Trail Break Bar and GrillOther Food CertificatesBoathouse $16 Certificate for $8 • Bonanza $10 Certificate for $7 (1 per person, couple or group) •Dave’s Pizza $15 Certificate for $8 • Famous Dave's $15 Certificate for $10 • Kelly’s $15 Certificatefor $8 • Rafferty’s Pizza $15 Certificate for $10 (1 per person, couple or group) • TJ’s On The Cove $15 Certificate for $8 • Zorbaz $15 Certificate for $8Other Certificates• Aardvark Artwork $100 toward sign or logo work $60 • Al'sMarine $500 off Apex GT, Apex RTX or The ATTAK $200 • AmericinnLittle Falls mini suite $79 for $45 • Anytime Fitness,Brainerd 3 months w/ tanning $165 value for $90 • Back woodsInteriors $100 towards design services $50 • Blue Thunder pairof adult season passes $340 value for $170 • Blue Thunder singlejunior season pass $85 value for $40 • Brainerd Tools and More 7ft.solid wood grandfather clock $249 for $140 • Brainerd Tools andMore 5ft. solid wood grandfather clock $99 value for $60 • BrainerdTools and More $10 certificate for $6 • Cakes By Design $100towards a $200 order $60 • Citadel Games 4 hours comp. time $10for $6 • Citrus Tanning 10 sessions $35 value $22 • Citrus Tanning5 sessions $26 value $13 • City Looks $20 towards any hairor nail service $12 • Computer Cleansweep deluxe package $150for $75 • Country Inn in Deerwood standard room $79 for $45 •Curves Brainerd 6 month membership $210 value for $130 CurvesNisswa / Crosslake 6 month membership $245 value for $139 • CustomFitness 3 month membership $125.85 for $65 • Dairy Queenone 8" ice cream cake $16.99 value for $10 • Einstien Cellular $30in the area today. A grandsonborn in 1894 throughhis daughter, Frances, wasa world famous Hollywoodfilm star named “WarrenWilliam.”Frances Potter marriedFreeman Krech, an ownerand editor of The AitkinIndependent Age for manyyears. The couple had threechildren – Pauline, WarrenWilliam (named after hisgrandfather) and Elizabeth.The Krechs built a 2½storystructure across thestreet from Frances’ father’s(Col. Warren Potter’s) house.Eventually it was sold out ofthe Krech family when theyleft the area. F. H. MacGregorpurchased the residence andraised his family there. It isthe large yellow house onthe east side of MinnesotaAve. near Potter’s Bridge andthe city park. It is currentlyowned by MacGregor’sgranddaughter Betty and herhusband John Fossen.Grandson Warren WilliamKrech, born December 2,1894, graduated from AitkinHigh School where he wasa star player on the 1913football team. As an adult, hestarred on Broadway first asWarren W. Krech, later as aHollywood screen star “WarrenWilliam” whose brightestyears were the 1930s-40s.Warren Krech’s first thespianexperience actually wason the Aitkin stage when heappeared in a class play. Hisfather, once associated witha theatrical company beforecoming to Aitkin, apparentlypassed on his love forthe theatre. Once in line toinherit his father’s newspaperbusiness, Warren triedbeing a reporter, but didn’tcare for what he considerednewspaper drudgery. (Yearslater, starlet Judy Garlandstopped in Aitkin on her wayto Grand Rapids and visitedThe Independent Age to seewhere the then-infamousmovie star Warren Williamhad once worked).During high school, Warrenthought about becoming anarchitect or engineer. However,his math skills were notgreat and he never consideredhimself a good student.Yet he was intelligent, inventiveand, as a boy, designeda motorboat operated by abicycle and named it “ThePirate.”In 1917, he joined WWI inAmerica’s infantry and wentto France, eventually reachingthe rank of sergeant. Hevolunteered in a YMCA entertainmenttroop performingcamp shows. After the war,his acting ambitions took himto Broadway. He attended theAmerican Academy of DramaticArts, finding roles inroad shows and little theatregroups. Around 1920, a NewYork reviewer wrote: “ . . .a comedy role is amusinglyacted by Warren W. Krech.”He courted actress HelenNelson (originally fromBrainerd) after being introducedby Helen’s roommate,his sister Pauline, who alsolived in New York. Warrenand Helen married in 1923.His Broadway debut was theH.G. Wells play, The WonderfulVisit. He also madea few silent pictures underthe name “Warren Krech” buteventually changed his stagename to “Warren William.”From 1924-1930, he didmany Broadway plays andhad three or four real successes.After playing the malelead in The Vinegar Tree onBroadway, a reviewer calledhim “a young John Drew.”Certificate for $15 • Exhaust Pros $300 towards replacement orrepair $150 • Framing Connection $50 toward a complete customframe order $25 • Giant's Ridge lift tickets $25 • Hudrlik Carpet$200 off of a purchse of 20 yds carpet or more for $100 • It Firgures3 month membership $139 value for $79 • Itsy Bitsy $15 CertificateFor $8 • JB Western Wear General Merchandise $25 Value For $15• JB Western Wear $25 toward regular merchandice $15 • KenlorEnterprises used merchandise $40 for $20 • Kustom Koncepts$300 off of custom paint package worth $500 or more $200 • LakeCounty Journal $1 yr. subscription $20 value for $12 • Lake Master$200 towards lake art for $100 • Lake Master $300 toward lakeart for $150 • Liberty Tax $100 certificate for $50 • Mattie And Me$10 Certificate for $6 • Meyers Cleaners Dry Cleaning $10 ValueFor $6 • MN Fishing Museum family season pass $25 for $13 • MNVac Pfaff Sewing Machine $350 • Mr. Tubs Car Wash $6 Value For$3 • North Country Floral $15 for $8 • Northern Design Partystore general merchandise $50 Value for $25 • Old Log Theatertickets for 2 $54 value for $27 • Omnitheater addmitance to omnitheater and exhibit hall $13.50 Value for $7 • Paintball Connection$20 towards merchandise $12 • Paul Bunyan Bowl 2 hours of bowlingfor 6 people, 1 pizza and pitcher of pop $25 • Paul Bunyan Bowl2 games bowling, shoes, party decorations, 1 pizza & pop for every3 bowlers (can use more than one at time) $6 • Pine Village TMC$55 toward any service for $35 • Rainbow Healing Center Rieke& Angel reading $60 value for $30 • Rapid River Water Park 1admission Sun - Thurs. $7 • Service Master carpet cleaning $50value $25 • Shannon’s Auto Body 2 wheel front end alignment $50value for $30 • Shannon’s Auto Body 4 wheel alignment $75 valuefor $50 • Shannon’s Auto Body complete truck detail $200 value for$100 • Shannon’s Auto Body complete car detail $150 value for $75• Shwiky Meats good for smoked sausage & fresh meats $15 toward$25 purchase $8 • Snow White Car Wash $6 Value For $3 • Sother’sStudio $50 Toward Photography Packages - $25 • Spirit Spas towardservice $25 for $15 • Tender Care Home Managment 2 hoursservice work : organization, meal prep, shopping etc. $60 value for$35 • Teresa's Parts $25 toward any applicance $15 • Tykes $100towards merchandise $50 • Tykes $200 towards merchandise $100 •Wild Bird Store $20 certificate for $13 • Wild Wedge Season pass(9 holes ) $199 for $99 • Wild Wedge round of golf (9 holes) $13 for$7 • Wild Wedge round of mini golf $6.50 for $3Listen to what the talk is all about: Laura Ingraham • Bill O'Reilly "The Factor" • Thom Hartman • Garage Logic" with Joe Soucheray • Rush Limbaugh • Dr. Laura Schlessinger • Duke and the Doctor • Michael Savage - "TheSavage Nation" • Ed Schultz • "The Eye Opener" with Lon Schmidt • Mary Koep "Koeping With Government" • Sportstalk with Joe Soucheray and Pat Reusse • Matt Drudge "The Drudge Report" • The Sports Huddle" withSid Hartman and Dave Mona • Coast to Coast AM with George Noory • Jerry Doyle • David Letterman • Chris Markowski "Watchdog on Wallstreet" • Charles Osgoode