Laney Smith

Laney Smith

Laney Smith has lived in the Spring Valley/Wykoff area the majority of her life. She is the owner of Legacy Lane Genealogy and former Friends of Forestville President.

Author's Archive

Historic log cabin in winter, partially covered in snow, with weathered wooden walls, small windows and bare trees casting long shadows across a snowy rural yard.

Southern Minnesota’s Near-Miss: The Children’s Blizzard Revisited

Laney Smith revisits the historic and devastating Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888 and how the experience reshaped how Minnesota deals with snowstorms.

Display case featuring Brevet Brigadier General Judson W. Bishop’s Civil War sword, informational placard, and small U.S. flag at the Fillmore County History Center in Fountain, Minnesota.

Civil War Hero Judson W. Bishop, Instrumental in Building Fillmore County’s Future

On the occasion of Veterans Day, Laney Smith uncovers the story of Chatfield’s Judson W. Bishop whose legacy includes Civil War leader, engineer, newspaperman and visionary who helped shape Fillmore County, Minn.

Two red brick historic buildings -- on is two story on the right, the other is one story and stretches out to the left. Windows and doors are trimmed in white wood. Behind the building is a hillside with leaves in yellow and orange against a bright blue sky.

Bypassed, Threatened and Still Here: The Resilient Heart of Forestville

Laney Smith reports on the remarkable story of Historic Forestville, Minn., its uncertain future, 2025 budget cuts and closure of the Meighen Store.

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