At the heart of history

Pam Johnson (left) and Mary Mattson are right at home inside the Balaton Area History Center. Photo / Per Peterson

Lora Anderson is a 101-year-old going on 52.

The sharp-as-a-tack, loquacious Balaton resident is a word traveler and will happily rattle off all 50 states just like that if you ask.

Last Wednesday, she found herself amongst friends — she affectionately refers to them as kids since many are at least 40 years younger than she is — inside the Balaton Area History Center, which was hosting a holiday open house.

It was a fitting place to be for the centenarian, as Balaton history literally surrounded her.

“I think this is great,” said Anderson, taking a break between swapping stories with fellow Balatonites. “This is wonderful — where else would all the pictures of these students who have graduated from here go? They would’ve been just thrown around now that we don’t have a school any longer.”

The dozens upon dozens of framed “Class of …” photos featuring Balaton High

School graduates are very popular with visitors but make up just a small fraction of the history that is carefully displayed at the Center.

See more in this week’s paper!