Witness to History: 2006
In 2006 Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union having failed to meet the new definition of a planet. Since its discovery in 1930, Pluto had been classified as the ninth planet from the Sun. Also in 2006, Farrish Johnson Law Office moved from its downtown Union Square location to its new building at 1907 Excel Drive. Pluto Once considered the ninth and most distant planet from the sun, Pluto is now the largest known dwarf planet in the solar system. In August 2006 the International Astronomical Union downgraded the status of Pluto to that... Read More
Witness to History: 2010
This week in 2010 the first annual Mankato Marathon took place. The Marathon draws thousands of runners and spectators to the city each year. That same year Scott Kelly became an associate member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a national association dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the 7th amendment. Mankato Marathon The first Mankato Marathon was on October 23, 2010 with 2,200 runners, nearly 1,000 volunteers and approximately 8,000 spectators. Planning for this now annual event began in late 2008 with local marathons at the heart of these efforts.... Read More
Witness to History: 2000
In 2000 the Minnesota Wild began their first season. The state was awarded an expansion franchise in 1997, which was officially named the Wild in 1998. That same year, Terri Stoneburner, an attorney with Farrish Johnson for many years, was appointed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals by Governor Ventura and remained there until her retirement in 2014. Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild were the first NHL franchise in Minnesota since the North Stars moved to Dallas in 1993. They were the only Minneapolis-St. Paul area major professional league franchise to play in St. Paul until Minnesota United FC move... Read More
Witness to History: 2013
In 2013 the Speechless Film Festival began in Mankato, MN. The Festival is presented by Bethany Lutheran College each year and showcases the work of local and international artists. Also in 2013, Jospeh Gangi joined the firm and first received the North Star Lawyers Award for the Minnesota State Bar Association for his commitment to pro bono service. Speechless Film Festival Speechless Film Festival is a 3-day multimedia event that showcases local and international artists. Created in 2013, the festival is presented by Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato and is the only international, independent film festival in or around Mankato.... Read More
Witness to History: 2001
In 2001 Cambria opened its facility in Le Sueur, MN. The company was founded in 2000 when the Davis family decided to enter the quartz surface business after being presented with the opportunity to buy equipment. In that same year, Robert G. Johnson, one of the firm’s namesakes, retired from the practice of law. During his time with the firm, its reputation in the area of trial practice continued to grow and expand. Cambria Cambria’s 150,000-square foot building in LeSueur opens and begins business as a tile manufacturer. Founded in 2000, Cambria is a natural, quartz surfacing product, used for... Read More
Witness to History: 2007
In 2007 Scouting celebrated its 100th anniversary with worldwide celebrations. All Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts organizations trace their origins back to the work of Robert Baden-Powell, which began in 1907. That same year, Charlotte Farrish and Robert J. Sheran were named among the “Most Influential Lawyers” in the history of the state of Minnesota by Minnesota Law and Politics Magazine. Scouting 100th Anniversary The first Scout Camp opened on August 1, 1907 by founder General Baden-Powell with 20 boys in attendance, located on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, southern England. Exactly 100 years later, approximately 400,000 Scouts took part... Read More
Witness to History: 2015
In 2015 Mankato was named as one of the top 10 “Best Small Cities in America” by NerdWallet. Over 1,300 small cities were evaluated for their economic health, affordability and quality of life. Also in that year, Steve Fink was selected for inclusion on the Minnesota Super Lawyers list, published by Super Lawyers®, a Thomson Reuters business. The list recognizes the top 5% of all lawyers in Minnesota. Best Small City in America The low cost of living, reasonable commutes, educational institutions, and economies boosted by jobs in health care, education, and technology in the Midwest perform well when determining... Read More
Witness to History: 1993
In 1993 CERN released its World Wide Web technology into the public domain, donating it to the world. In that year, Farrish Johnson Law Office celebrated its 100th anniversary, having opened in 1893. World Wide Web Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, invented the World Wide Web in 1986. It was originally conceived and developed to meet the demand for automatic information-sharing between scientists in universities and institutes around the world. The first website was dedicated to the World Wide Web project and described the basic features including how to access other people’s... Read More
Witness to History: 1927
In the year of 1927 Charles Lindbergh made the first solo non-stop trans-Atlantic flight, from New York to Paris. The feat won Lindbergh the Orteig Prize and advanced public interest in aviation. In 1927 Charlotte Farrish, the firm’s namesake, won her first case. At the time she was Mankato’s only female attorney and one of the first women to appear before the Blue Earth District Court. Trans-Atlantic Flight On May 21, 1927, American pilot Charles A. Lindbergh, a native of Little Falls, Minnesota, landed at Le Bourget Field in Paris, successfully completing the first solo, non-stop transatlantic flight and the... Read More
Witness to History: 1979
In 1979 Mankato State University, now Minnesota State University, Mankato, consolidated its two campuses into one on their highland campus. Also in 1979, William Partridge, an attorney with Farrish Johnson Law Office, began practicing in Mankato. MSU Consolidates Campuses Mankato State University was first established as the Mankato Normal School on October 7, 1868, operating out of rented quarters at the Methodist Episcopal Church. The school then relocated to quarters in the Shaubut building before establishing itself in the three-story Old Main building, completed in 1870. The school experienced near disaster in 1922 when Old Main was destroyed by fire... Read More