Most people probably think of Eden Prairie’s settler history uniformly as agrarian, protestant, and primarily of northern European descent. But, besides its rich indigenous past, Eden Prairie’s last 170 years or so have been peppered with endearing examples of African Americans welcomed into the community as laborers, tenants, and business owners. One such example comes from the memories of Roger Dressen. A descendant of Eden Prairie’s first pioneers, Roger was born on a farm near Pioneer Trail in 1930. He tells the story of a man named Edgar Kennedy King, who along with his wife, Grace, purchased in 1938 the…
Author: Kathie Case
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Kathie Case
Kathie Case Growing up in Bloomington and living most of her adult life in Eden Prairie, Kathie Case is a Minnesota girl through and through. Kathie spent 18 years as a flight attendant with Northwest Airlines and for the past 20 years or so has been a health instructor, offering training in CPR, AED, and First Aid. Building on a lifetime of interest in history, including purchasing an 1874 Eden Prairie farmstead in 1988, she has served in the Eden Prairie Historical Society for most of the last 30 years, first as vice president and for more than a decade, now, as president. Along with her husband, Ron, Kathie has four adult children who attended and graduated from Eden Prairie schools, five grandchildren, and one very special puppy named Sota! She’s passionate about keeping the stories, memories, and artifacts of those who came before us alive and remembered for future generations.