Vera Johansen's popcorn wagon became a Northfield landmark

The rat-a-tat sound of popcorn popping punctuated the farm kitchen of Lewis and Vera Johansen near Coulter, Iowa.

"Dad loved his popcorn," said Jeanine Landswerk, 82, the oldest of their three daughters. "He used to have his bowl of popcorn almost every single night."

Her dad vowed that one day, when he finally got off the farm, he intended to buy a popcorn wagon and drag it to big events across the countryside, selling his beloved kernels.

But when Lewis' kidneys failed and he died in 1963 at 54, Vera gave up popping — for 16 years, anyway. The fourth of five children of an Iowa lumber dealer, she had taught in rural schools before becoming a farm wife during more than 50 years in Iowa.

Widowed at 52, she moved to Northfield, Minn., where her sister lived, becoming the head resident at Hoyme Hall at St. Olaf College. She also worked at Perman's clothing store and served as the librarian at St. Olaf's science library until retiring in 1978 at 67.

That's when she spotted a popcorn wagon while visiting her daughter, Sandy, in Colorado. "She just looked at the wagon and said: 'That's what I'm going to do,' " Landswerk said.

A "Mr. Fixit" column in the Minneapolis Tribune led her to a Burnsville man who put her in contact with a friend in Rhinelander, Wis., who was restoring an antique popcorn wagon made in Chicago in 1918. Originally steam-powered, the C. Cretors & Co. designed its Model C wagon to be pulled by horses.

After sandblasting the beast and adding fresh coats of paint, Vera struck a deal 40 years ago with Northfield tourism leaders to place the wagon at Bridge Square — the city's central park along the Cannon River 45 miles south of Minneapolis.

Joining the aroma emanating from the Malt-O-Meal plant, Vera's popcorn wagon has been a harbinger of better days in Northfield, according to local historian Susan Hvistendahl.

"Nothing beats the first smell of popcorn from the little red and yellow popcorn wagon on Bridge Square" to prove Northfield has survived another winter, she wrote in one of her "Historic Happenings" columns in 2010.

For several summers, Vera Johansen became an unofficial Northfield ambassador, fixing jugs of lemonade in the morning to sell with her popcorn to visitors and locals alike.

"It seems when they come to the popcorn wagon, they're always in a pleasant mood. So it's fun," she told the Northfield News in 1979.

Now, on the 85th anniversary of their wedding and the 40th anniversary of Vera's popping debut at Bridge Square, the Northfield Historical Society is honoring her.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, they'll dole out free popcorn at Bridge Square, Hvistendahl will talk about the wagon's history and everyone will sing along to the Supremes' song, "Buttered Popcorn" before a community band concert.

Two of Vera's daughters will be on hand along with many of the volunteers from the FiftyNorth senior center — who currently staff the wagon all summer.

"It's just like a landmark and everyone's excited it's there and we're all looking forward to the celebration," said Lesley Weirich, who coordinates for the volunteers.

Vera rented the wagon to neighbors in the 1980s and sold the wagon in 1987 to a retired gas station owner. After his death, funds were collected for the senior center to take over the popping. Its volunteers staff the wagon from noon until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and noon until 3 p.m. on Sundays. The popcorn sells for $1.50 to $3 depending on bag size, and all profits and tips go are funneled back to the senior center.

"The Model Cs were smaller than the Model Ds and there's probably fewer than 100 on the market," he said. "Only 20 are in good shape with original steam boilers, and collectors will spend from $20,000 to $50,000 for the good ones."

A 1920 ad for the Model C claimed: "Attractive, durable and of medium price, it has proven itself the best machine on the market for the money."

Landswerk, who lives in Maple Grove, said her mother would be tickled by the upcoming celebration.

"If you mentioned the name Vera Johansen, people would shrug for a second and then say, 'Oh, the popcorn lady, that Vera,' " she said. "She loved people and was so friendly and compassionate, they couldn't help but come up and talk to her and she'd welcome them to Northfield."

Curt Brown's tales about Minnesota's history appear each Sunday. Readers can send him ideas and suggestions at mnhistory@startribune.com.