The Dassel History Center & Ergot Museum, is a museum in Dassel, Minnesota, United States. The museum was established in 2006 in the historic Universal Laboratories building which is listed on the National Register for its role in the production of

ergot Ergot ( ) or ergot fungi refers to a group of fungi of the genus ''Claviceps''. The most prominent member of this group is '' Claviceps purpurea'' ("rye ergot fungus"). This fungus grows on rye and related plants, and produces alkaloids that c ...

from the mid-1930s through the late 1960s.

Dassel History Center & Ergot Museum

The Dassel History Center & Ergot Museum, operated by the Dassel Area Historical Society established the museum in 2006 in the historic Universal Laboratories building. The museum features permanent exhibits relating to local history of Dassel, Minnesota alongside the story of ergot, a

fungus A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

that has had a profound impact on humanity. Permanent exhibits include, Ergot: From Blight to Blessing: This exhibit explores the complex history of ergot, delving into its dangers as a rye disease and its surprising benefits as a source for medicinal drugs; Dassel Seed Corn Story: Planting the Seed: This exhibit highlights the significant role Dassel played in the seed corn industry, showcasing the area's agricultural heritage; Magnus Johnson: No Yokel and No Man’s Echo: This exhibit tells the story of

Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party Minnesota ( ) is a state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the south, and Nor ...

politician

Magnus Johnson Magnus Johnson (September 19, 1871September 13, 1936) was an American politician. He served in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives from Minnesota as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party, Farmer–Labor P ...

, the only Swedish-born person to serve in the U.S. Senate. Johnson championed farmers' rights during his time in Congress. The museum regularly features rotating exhibits that delve into various aspects of Dassel's history and culture. These exhibits might explore local businesses, prominent figures, or historical events. In addition to exhibits the museum organizes events throughout the year, such as lectures, workshops, and demonstrations related to local history and culture.

FungusAmongus Players Theatre

The FungusAmongus Players Theatre is an on-site theatre troupe of the Dassel History Center & Ergot Museum. This community theatre group stages performances that connect to the museum's themes or explore local history, offering audiences a unique blend of entertainment and historical insight.

Research collection

The Dassel History Center & Ergot Museum maintains a comprehensive research collection chronicling the history of Dassel, Kingston, Darwin, and the surrounding townships. This valuable resource includes a detailed index of Dassel newspapers dating back to 1893, along with microfilm and original copies. Additionally, the collection boasts census records, plat maps, obituaries, photographs, published histories, church and school records, family histories, and a community entity index. The museum staff accepts queries via phone, mail, email, or in-person visits to assist with research needs. Universal Laboratories Building is a building in Dassel, Minnesota, United States, listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. It was listed on the National Register for its role in the production of

from the mid-1930s through the late 1960s.

Universal Laboratories Building History

The business was established in 1935 as Rice Laboratories, as a manufacturer of

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom (biology), kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are est ...

for

livestock feed Fodder (), also called provender (), is any agriculture, agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, domestic rabbit, rabbits, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. "Fodder" refers particularly to food ...

. Yeast was used as a feed supplement because the

enzyme An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different mol ...

s fermenting in the

digestive tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the Digestion, digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascula ...

s of hogs and poultry would break down food and help in nutrient absorption. In 1937, the company built a new building on the north edge of town. In that same year, the manager of the company, Lester R. Peel, started production of ergot. Local farmers were discarding

rye Rye (''Secale cereale'') is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is grown principally in an area from Eastern and Northern Europe into Russia. It is much more tolerant of cold weather and poor soil than o ...

that was infected with

sclerotia A sclerotium (; : sclerotia () is a compact mass of hardened fungal mycelium containing food reserves. One role of sclerotia is to survive environmental extremes. In some higher fungi such as ergot, sclerotia become detached and remain dormant u ...

growths, because the ergot could cause deadly poisoning. Peel, a former school teacher, understood that the ergot also had medical applications, such as controlling

postpartum bleeding Postpartum bleeding or postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is often defined as the loss of more than 500 ml or 1,000 ml of blood following childbirth. Some have added the requirement that there also be signs or symptoms of low blood volume f ...

and treating

vasoconstriction Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels, in particular the large arteries and small arterioles. The process is the opposite of vasodilation, the widening of blood vesse ...

hypertension Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a Chronic condition, long-term Disease, medical condition in which the blood pressure in the artery, arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms i ...

, vascular headaches, and

migraine Migraine (, ) is a complex neurological disorder characterized by episodes of moderate-to-severe headache, most often unilateral and generally associated with nausea, and light and sound sensitivity. Other characterizing symptoms may includ ...

s. Peel gave the ergot business the name Universal Laboratories. Production initially began with ergotic rye bought from local farmers. Universal Laboratories staff would then bring the rye through small mills that would break up the rye kernels. They would then pick the grain from the conveyor belt and let the ergot fall into a receptacle for bagging. The company also hired people to work from their homes in Dassel picking and bagging ergot. Later, the process was improved by new machines that automated the process of separating the ergot from the rye. The grain was passed through mills that would flow into gravity separators, which had spiraling chutes that would separate the light ergot kernels from the heavier rye kernels. Peel had good timing getting into the ergot business, because supplies in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

had been subject to disruption.

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

was the world's principal exporter of ergot until the

Russian Revolution The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...

in 1917.

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

then became the top producer of ergot, but supplies were then disrupted with the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

in 1936. In an effort to ensure his supply of raw materials, Peel began a campaign to educate farmers on the importance of ergot.

Eli Lilly and Company Eli Lilly and Company, Trade name, doing business as Lilly, is an American multinational Medication, pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in 18 countries. Its products are sold in approximately 125 count ...

, one of Peel's major customers, also assisted in this effort by providing publicity. Universal Laboratories began receiving considerable amounts of ergotic rye, which was stored in a

grain elevator A grain elevator or grain terminal is a facility designed to stockpile or store grain. In the grain trade, the term "grain elevator" also describes a tower containing a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyor, which scoops up grain from a lowe ...

in downtown Dassel. The company supplied the vast majority of domestically produced ergot in the United States during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. In 1940, they produced , while in 1941, production was . Eli Lilly continued to do business with Universal Laboratories, even after

ended and foreign supplies became more stable. Peel died in 1959, and the company ceased producing yeast somewhere around that time. In the late 1960s, Eli Lilly dropped Universal Laboratories in favor of European suppliers of ergot. The company continued business for a while longer, providing ergot to

Burroughs Wellcome GSK plc (an acronym from its former name GlaxoSmithKline plc) is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with headquarters in London. It was established in 2000 by a Mergers an ...

, but it went out of business in 1975. The building sat empty until the late 1990s, when local citizens rehabilitated the structure. It now houses the Dassel Area Historical Society and its museum.

References

External links

{{National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota 1937 establishments in Minnesota Buildings and structures in Meeker County, Minnesota Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota Industrial buildings completed in 1937 Museums in Meeker County, Minnesota National Register of Historic Places in Meeker County, Minnesota