vTHROUGH THE LENS continued from page 30 National Register of Historic Places. The Perkins Congregational Church Society was organized in 1900 and completed construction of their building in 1901. It was formed by settlers of mixed ethnicities including English, German, Scandinavian (Danish), and Dutch. Located at 31205 409th St., it is listed in the National Register as significant locally for architecture. The building represents early churches constructed in the late Gothic Revival style in Bon Homme County. The church has a wood frame, clapboard siding, lancet-arch wood windows, and a central steeple entrance. The Perkins church was “yoked” to the larger Congregational church in Springfield. Both churches were part of a circuit with the Congregational churches at Springfield, Perkins, Tyndall, Running Water, Leyden, and Kingsburg in various combinations over the years. In 1904, Bon Homme County had eleven established Congregational church societies, including the Perkins congregation. The frame church was the first and only church built in the hamlet of Perkins. In the year 1904 a small church was organized west of Perkins in what was known as the Dahlenburg School, under the name of Lyden church, a name given by Mrs. Woudsma’s husband, after a town in his What Is a Hernia? A hernia occurs when an organ or fatty tissue squeezes through a weak spot in a surrounding muscle or connective tissue called fascia. The most common types are inguinal (inner groin), incisional (resulting from an incision), femoral (outer groin), umbilical (belly button), and ventral (upper stomach). native country, Holland. Mrs. Woudsma was a charter member of the Lyden Ladies Aid and later joined the church when it was reorganized as the Perkins Lyden Congregational church and was an active worker in the group. In 1923, the Leyden congregation merged with Perkins, changing the name of the church to the Perkins Leyden Congregational Church. By 1942, the small Perkins Leyden congregation had disbanded, and the Congregational Church Building Association sold the Perkins Leyden Church building and its property to the Bethlehem Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran congregation, which disbanded in 1968. The history of the village of Perkins began in 1897, when Captain Leach of Running Water purchased three acres of land from Fred Perkins. Leach opened The Peoples Store, which contained a post office, cooperative creamery, and feed store. Perkins later also included a school, Modern Woodmen of America Hall, machine shop, pool hall, creamery and a blacksmith shop. The development of better roads and larger stores in nearby communities led to local farmers shopping out of town, causing the decline of the village. After our tour of the church Jeff walked us over to the abandoned home still standing and full of belongings, not having been lived in for some time the cobwebs were thick and in the kitchen where the sink was, it was filled with dishes and silverware and the cobwebs blanketed even encasing the items creating a mummified look. Each time I enter an abandoned home that still has almost all the belongings still present from furniture to photos, Knick-knacks, toys, clothes, so many personal items the same questions always come back to me. Why would anyone leave everything they have behind? And what happened to the person or family that once lived here? It can be a earie feeling when I enter and start to look around, but in each instance I always focus on what I need to capture to document where we’ve been and these abandoned locations before they are completely gone and in hopes of telling a story for others to enjoy and even for future generation to see. Think of all the memories that make up your life story: secrets shared with siblings; back yard barbeques; family vacations; your first car, first date, first kiss; building a career or a business; saving for that first home; raising children of your own….the list goes on and on. Preserving those stories can be a tremendous gift for future generations that helps bring richness and depth to your family’s history. What better way is there to celebrate life than to capture the story of how we got here? n What Causes Hernias? Hernias are caused by a combination of pressure and an opening or weakness of muscle or fascia. The pressure pushes an organ or tissue through the opening or weak spot. 1. What are Hernia Symptoms? Symptoms may include: bulge on or near your abdomen, abdominal pain, or groin pain, bloating, constipation, nausea, and vomiting. A physical exam is often enough to diagnose a hernia. Most hernias require surgical repair. If you have symptoms or would like more information, call our office today. 2525 Fox Run Parkway, Suite 204, Yankton www.yanktonsurgical.com Kynan C.Trail, MD, FACS NO REFERRAL NECESSARY Independently Owned 605.668.9670 HERVOICEvSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019v31