In the summer of 1876, an infestation of grasshoppers nearly destroyed the crops in Minnesota. By the spring of 1877, farmers were worried the dreadful plague would once again visit them and destroy the rich wheat crops, bringing ruin to thousands of people. The situation was so serious that Governor John S. Pillsbury proclaimed April 26 as a day of prayer and fasting, urging every man, woman, and child to ask God to prevent the terrible scourge. On that April day all schools, shops, stores, and offices were closed. There