Herman Melheim
The beauty of the Kabetogama United Methodist Church sanctuary is greatly enriched by the hand-carved pulpit, baptismal font, candelabra done by Mr. Herman Melheim, a local resident.
Hermund "Herman" Melheim was born in 1891 in Sogn, Norway. He arrived in Minnesota in 1915. He purchased six Alaskan reindeer and a sleigh and toured the Midwest during the holiday season. To feed his reindeer, he gathered moss from around Lake Kabetogama. He became known as “The Reindeer Man” who traveled cross-country with his team and sleigh, visiting sick children in hospitals and bringing smiles to parade goers as he joined festivities nationwide.
In 1933, he and wife Lillian built their log cabin not far from the lake. This is where his talent for wood carving came to the light. Needing furniture for the cabin, Herman started carving with a pocket knife and some tools he made himself. “We had lots of good white pine on our property and I had lots of time,” said Melheim.
Hermund "Herman" Melheim was born in 1891 in Sogn, Norway. He arrived in Minnesota in 1915. He purchased six Alaskan reindeer and a sleigh and toured the Midwest during the holiday season. To feed his reindeer, he gathered moss from around Lake Kabetogama. He became known as “The Reindeer Man” who traveled cross-country with his team and sleigh, visiting sick children in hospitals and bringing smiles to parade goers as he joined festivities nationwide.
In 1933, he and wife Lillian built their log cabin not far from the lake. This is where his talent for wood carving came to the light. Needing furniture for the cabin, Herman started carving with a pocket knife and some tools he made himself. “We had lots of good white pine on our property and I had lots of time,” said Melheim.
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