Carl Clifford Nelson 1910-1992

Surveyor & Highway Engineer.

Carl started work as a surveyor for Otter Tail County Highway Department in April 1929. Two years later he got a job with the Minnesota Highway Department. In 1933 he was laid off due to the depression but resumed work in 1935. He stayed with the MHD until 1939. During this time he worked all over the state, sometimes moving several times a year. In 1939 he returned to Fergus Falls to work for Otter Tail County. He remained there until the Second World War intervened.

Carl enlisted in the Construction Battalions (CBs) of the US Navy in July, 1943. After initial training at Camp Peary, Virginia, and Davisville, Rhode Island, the 129th CB shipped out to Hawaii. There they worked on the airport runways. They stayed in Hawaii from April 1944 until May 1945 when they were sent to the Philippenes. They worked on hospitals there until the war was over. Carl returned home in November 1945.

After the war, Carl returned to his job but also pursued becoming a registered highway engineer. He achieved this in 1948 and became the County Engineer of Douglas County in Alexandria. In 1953 he move west to Hillsboro, Oregon, but returned to Jackson, Minnesota by the end of the year. In 1955 he moved to Wadena where he was once again the County Engineer. In 1958 he moved for the last time to Detroit Lakes as County Engineer there. In 1969 he returned to work for the Minnesota Highway Department as a Project Engineer until retirement in 1975.

Chronology

• 19 May 1910 born , Parkers Prairie, Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
• 10 Aug 1935 (age 25) married , Brandon, Douglas County, Minnesota.
• 20 Nov 1942 (age 32) son was born, Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
• 15 Mar 1949 (age 39) son was born, Alexandria, Douglas County, Minnesota.
• 04 Mar 1957 (age 47) daughter was born, Wadena, Wadena County, Minnesota.
• 1958 (age 48) moved to , Detroit Lakes, Becker County, Minnesota.
• 30 May 1992 (age 82) died , Detroit Lakes, Becker County, Minnesota.