Roots & Riddles Podcast

Roots & Riddles is a storytelling podcast that digs deep into the forgotten corners and unsolved puzzles of Fillmore County, Minnesota. Hosted by Lenora and Preston, each episode unearths a tale where history meets mystery—from chilling crimes and vanished towns to skyward dreams and roadside riddles.

The idea for the podcast was born from Legacy Lane’s own family history research, which uncovered countless captivating stories tucked away in dusty archives and fading memories. These discoveries sparked a desire to share and preserve the region’s rich heritage—not just for one family, but for the whole community.

Blending meticulous research with narrative warmth, the show invites listeners to rediscover the people, places, and events that shaped southeastern Minnesota—some legendary, some long buried, and all worth remembering. Whether it’s a saloon robbery in Fountain or a sky-hopping pioneer in Cherry Grove, every story reveals a thread in the fabric of the past.

Roots & Riddles is a proud production of Legacy Lane Genealogy, committed to preserving local heritage through compelling audio storytelling.

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Found Near Canton: The Victor Patterson Mystery – Roots & Riddles

In the summer of 1912, teenager Victor Patterson disappeared after a night out with friends. Days later, his body was discovered in a pasture near Canton, Minnesota, dead from a gunshot wound. A revolver lay nearby, and the initial conclusion leaned toward suicide—but the details left many uneasy.Newspaper accounts from the time reveal conflicting interpretations: questions about the weapon, the timeline, and the language used by investigators and the coroner’s jury. Rather than providing clarity, the official verdict introduced ambiguity—suggesting uncertainty about who held the gun and how Victor truly met his end.In this episode of Roots & Riddles, we examine contemporary reporting, coroner testimony, and period attitudes toward youth, alcohol, and accountability. More than a single tragic death, Victor Patterson’s story offers a glimpse into how early-20th-century communities understood—and sometimes struggled to explain—sudden loss.Sources:– Harmony News, July 4, 1912– Preston Times, July 3, 1912