Wayne Peterson watches over Second Street from his bench

By Jon Echternacht

No doubt many a commuter and other travelers who drive down Second Street on a regular interval have noticed Wayne Peterson sitting on the bench in front of the Croix View Apartments. The 68-year-old retired building engineer likes to take respite on nice days and watch the traffic go by. Many times he waves at the drivers and the drivers wave back.

"Most of the people who wave, I don't even know," he said last Thursday as he talked to a reporter from his customary perch on the bench.

When asked if there was a particular story surrounding his routine of traffic watching, he said. "There's no story, I just like to sit out here. I take it one day at a time."

Wayne is an area native. "I was born and raised in River Falls," he said. He served a three-year hitch in the Army during the Korean War including duty in Okinawa. He went back into the service in 1955 and logged 10 years as a radio operator in the Air Force.

"I've been three-quarters of the way around the world," he said.

He left the Air Force and worked 25 years in St. Paul as an engineer for the owner of several apartment buildings.

"I did everything, plumbing, electricity, carpentry, you name it," he said. "If I can fix it myself, I'll do it."

After retirement, he moved back to River Falls but didn't like it much, he said. He moved into the Croix View about three years ago. "This is my third summer here," he said.

Peterson said he didn't like the way St. Paul was changing. "It wasn't safe to stand at the bus stop anymore," he declared.

Life in Hudson is better, he said. He likes his apartment setup. "I've got a patio out front and sometimes I sit there. There is a shop with power tools in the building and I do some work in there during the winter," Peterson said.

His day is not filled with idle rest on the bench, however. He regularly bikes around town, often in the morning. He even travels to the businesses up on the hill. "When I go to County Market, I ride my bike up the Coulee Road Hill," he said. He also walks down Second Street to various stores.

"I have a bike with an automatic transmission. I got it a year ago and I have 300 miles on it. I can't afford a car," he said.

Wayne said he doesn't have many relatives in the area, only a half-brother in River Falls. He was married for six years then divorced when he was in the service.

For now, in good weather, his days are consumed with riding his bike in the morning or walking and sitting on the bench and watching traffic in the afternoon.