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Published December 26, 2012, 12:00 AM

Small Town Profile: Gary, Minn.

Forum photographer Carrie Snyder shows us Gary, Minn.


Denise Rasmussen and Becky Hansen manage the Gary Cafe, which is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. A town whistle sounds every day at noon, 6 and 9 p.m. for dinner. The cafe serves townspeople and residents in the rural areas. Carrie Snyder / The Forum

  • Denise Rasmussen and Becky Hansen manage the Gary Cafe, which is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. A town whistle sounds every day at noon, 6 and 9 p.m. for dinner. The cafe serves townspeople and residents in the rural areas. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • Many residents bring their cars to be repaired at Pat's Auto, owned and operated by Pat Chisholm in rural Gary, Minn. Chisholm has been repairing cars, boats and other recreational vehicles for 26 years. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • From left, Byron Lindteigen, Lowell Stevens, Alden Anderson, Sanford Moen and Ordale Thronson joke around after having dinner at the Gary Senior Center. The senior members of the community can gather for lunch every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The men sit at one table and the women another and always in the same spots. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • Ally Knutson (16), left, and Abbie Bennefeld (17) workout at the Gary (Minn.) Wellness Center. The center is located in the old meeting room in the Fire Hall. The two friends take advantage of the exercise equipment a few nights a week. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • The Gary Laundromat, City Hall, Cafe and Senior Center are housed in one building. Most of the buildings in Gary are multifunctional. They mirror the residents who also take on multiple jobs like the mayor/nutrition site manager/rescue squad volunteer/paraprofessional sub at the local elementary school. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • Jessicah Sistad, left, and Brenda Grunhovd style hair at Highlights Salon in Gary, Minn. Grunhovd opened the salon seven years ago. Locals can get their hair cut and colored, manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing and a massage. The salon also has a tanning bed. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • DeFloren Rude, 92, of Gary, Minn. stops at the Farmer's Union Oil convenience store for coffee and conversation with the locals. Rude's grandparents settled in the area before the town was called Gary. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • An old German church sits abandoned in rural Gary, Minn. The church is a common stop for visitors to get out and take photographs. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • Alden Anderson, a retired school teacher, reads through an old copy of The Gary Graphic. Copies of the extinct newspaper along, with memorabilia of the long-gone Gary High School sit in the Gary Alumni Center. The center is open for Gary Days, class reunions or upon request where passers-by can look at old class photos, team uniforms, band and choir robes and trophies. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • Fire gear hangs in the Fire Hall in Gary, Minn., ready for the 21 volunteer firefighters to use at a moment's notice. Fire Chief Buck Engen said they respond to 12 to 15 fire calls a year. The fire department also responds with the Gary Rescue Squad to car accidents. The department has a pumper, tanker truck, and three pickup tankers. The Fire Hall, Gary Rescue Squad and Gary Wellness Center are located in the same building. Funds are being raised to build a new fire and rescue hall. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • A variety of hot dishes are served at the Gary Lutheran WELCA supper. People from Gary and the surrounding communities can enjoy a homemade meal, salad and dessert every second Wednesday of the month. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • Steve Anderson of Fargo, N.D. updates the ordering tags on products at Farmer's Union Oil in Gary, Minn. Anderson works for Mason Brothers, a wholesale grocer that specializes and advocates for small-town grocers. "Without them we wouldn't be in business," said Anderson. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • The Agassiz Recreational Trail is an old rail corridor available for hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and other outdoor activities. The trail runs through Gary, Minn. and is 52 miles long, starting in Ulen, Minn. and ending in Crookston, Minn. Carrie Snyder / The Forum
  • The Gary Pines is located on Highway 32 just north of Gary, Minn. In 1942, 160 acres of land were planted with a majority of pine trees to ease erosion problems. Now travelers can stop at the rest area and enjoy the scenery and wildlife while hiking on the trails. Carrie Snyder / The Forum