See the news article printed in the Champlin-Dayton Press.

A story of the U.S.-Dakota Conflict of 1862

 By Megan Hopps  SUN PRESS Newspapers

Champlin author and historian, Colin Mustful, recently published his novel “Thy Eternal Summer,” a story focusing largely on the enigmatic struggle between American Indians and white settlers of the nineteenth century.

Mustful attended Salem International University in Virginia where he graduated with his bachelor of arts degree with a history minor. He went on to earn his masters at the University of Minnesota, Mankato.

It was during his time in Mankato that he was inspired to learn more about the U.S. Dakota conflict. For, in Mankato sits a life-size buffalo statue commemorating this moment in history.

Thy Eternal Summer, written by Champlin resident Colin Mustful, is a story of the U.S. Dakota conflict of 1862 where 38 Sioux Indians were hanged in what is now Mankato, Minnesota.

In his author’s note Mustful writes, “I passed by this statue a number of times… And, being a so-called historian I had a certain obligation to discover just what this motionless figure represented in the history of the town which I lived.”

And so, Mustful began writing his novel, Thy Eternal Summer.

“I never learned about the U.S. Dakota war in school,” Mustful said. “I was living in Mankato, passing that statue often and I didn’t even know what it represented.”

Mustful said that he wanted to shed light on largest mass execution in United States history where 38 Sioux men were hanged in, what is today, Mankato, Minnesota for their participation in the U.S. Dakota conflict in December of 1862.

“I wanted to convey history in the most accurate way possible by pulling out as many facts as possible,” he said. “I didn’t want to tell the reader what happened, I just wanted to lay it in front of them.”

Mustful grew up in Champlin and excelled in school and athletics. He graduated from Champlin Park High School and went on to Bethany Lutheran College to play soccer. After two years, he transferred to Salem International where he explored writing and history.

Mustful has worked at Andover High School, at Yellow Stone National Park and for the Holocaust Museum. He’s traveled to Spain on their work away program and is planning more travels. He enjoys the flexibility of his schedule as he has time not only to work, but to explore his passion for writing.

Through his research and writing Mustful hopes to inspire others to delve into historical documents as they unveil the past and its influences on the future.

“What I seek is personal enlightenment through a thorough and objective search of the events, words, actions and context of the people and places gone before me.”

Today, Mustful is enthused to announce the completion of a second historical novel, Ere the Battle, a story about the Spirit Lake massacre of 1857.