Lena Flaiskey Becker

Lena Flaiskey Becker. 1875 – 1905. This mural is in memory of Lena Flaiskey Becker aka Eva Davenport. She was only here a few years, but her tragic story is woven into the fabric of our local history. We believe she came here with hopes of a better life with her husband Edwin who secured a job at the Bohemia Nugget newspaper. It was reported that her husband was addicted to drugs and was fired after a few days on the job. He was soon arrested for theft and sent to prison, leaving Lena to fend for herself with few options and no family. , Between 7th and 8th Streets, there were three saloons on the north side of Main Street. Lee Minard controlled two of thos saloons and was known to prey on vulnerable women in what’s now considered human trafficking. Lena went to work for him and her fate was sealed. She died under suspicious circumstances on March 3, 1905. Her death was deemed a suicide, but many didn’t accept the coroner’s verdict and “a feeling existed that the woman had been foully dealt with.” Even some who sat on the Coroner’s Jury were unhappy with the verdict., The temperance movement had already been working to make Cottage Grove a more family friendly place and Lena’s death highlighted the need for change. By October of 1906, our town voted to go dry (prohibition). Her story is a tragic one and the Cottage Grove Historical Society published a booklet of Lena’s life story – “Unconventional – The Woman Who Changed Cottage Grove” – in 2021., If you see signs of human trafficking, call the hotline at 1-888-373-7888. If you or someone you know suffers from depression and/or drug addiction, please call 988 or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357.