The Old Court House

Ramsey County outgrew two courthouses between 1851 and 1932. There ain’t nobody alive who can remember the first one and only a precious few can still recall the imposing old pile of rock pictured here. Construction began on the second courthouse in 1885. At the time Ramsey County was growing by leaps and bounds. In … Read more

The Empire Building

The seven-story  Empire Building at 360 North Robert Street was completed in 1891. Designed by St. Paul architect Clarence H. Johnston, the Jacobsville Sandstone, red brick  office and banking building was formerly known as the Manhattan Building and the Capital National Bank Building. At the turn of the century, the famous stenographer, Miss Ruth M. Hillman … Read more

Towering Above Wabasha

Joseph Friedman already owned several small St. Paul movie houses when he opened the Tower Theatre 1921. The building designed by architectural firm of Toltz, King and Day, is remembered for an elegant facade and patterned brickwork. Inside a small marble lobby gave way to an enormous 1,100 seat auditorium containing a balcony, orchestra pit, … Read more

The O’Donnell Shoe Factory

A new $100,000 shoe factory, employing between 900 and 1,000 workmen, is being erected by the O’Donnell Shoe Co. in St. Paul. William O’Donell is president of the company. The directors include Charles Patterson, George J. Freeman, William F. Enright and Andrew J. Schmitz. At present O’Donnel Shoe Co. employs 500 hands and is building … Read more

The Davidson Block

At the intersection of 4th and Jackson, the old Davidson Block stood where the Great Northern Railway Building is today. Built four stories high in 1876, the building held the local offices of Wells Fargo & Co. Express, Gasser Wetcalf and Mack Real Estate and the Davidson Investment firm. The building was demolished in 1914.

Aqua City

The Aqua City Motel 5739 Lyndale Ave. So., U. S. Hwy. 65 MINNEAPOLIS 19, MINN. 10 Minutes to Downtown On the best Bus Line Phone: Taylor 3-5247 — 20 Units, Air-Conditioned, AAA Approved Carpeted, Fireproof Rooms — Ceramic Baths and Showers Free TV and Phone in every room.

The Sulphur Vapor-Bath Parlor Then and Now

“Why go to a health resort when you can obtain the same or better results in Minneapolis without loss of time or attention to business. Looking at these interiors views of the Sulphur Vapor-Bath Parlors at 2526 Hennepin Avenue demonstrate our standards of cleanliness. Our baths were awarded a gold medal and international diploma at … Read more

Elevators Every 17 Seconds

When it was completed in 1929, the 27-story Rand Tower was one of the Mill City’s tallest buildings. The deco skyscraper designed by the architectural firm of Holabird and Root was named for World War I flying ace, Rufus R. Rand. The buildings sleek, Moderne ornamentation pays homage to aviation and Rand’s experience in the … Read more

The Old Orpheum

The big names played at Fifth and St.Peter back in the heyday of St. Paul’s Orpheum Theater. Sarah Bernhard, Lionel Barrymore, Eddie Cantor, Al Joson, W.C. Fields and Will Rogers all took a turn there on the vaudeville stage. The Orpheum opened in 1906 and played host to traveling acts for at least 17 years … Read more