Part I of the book gives a brief history of Minnesota and Houston County. The main section, Part II of the book, comes from the Houston Valley Signal using excerpts as written by the editors. The Houston Signal was owned for many years by C. F. Schonlau and later his son G. L. Schonlau. Both were ardent supporters of Houston, as you will discover as you read their words. Besides fires and the fire department, the book includes articles about major items, fun items (check out the Ole parties), and ordinary life for the residents of the Houston area. Ads from those days give a glimpse into life from another time. Part III includes excerpts from the secretary's minutes, lists of firemen through the years and other items of interest.