Saint Paul’s Municipal Menagerie
In 1873 the city of Saint Paul acquired 300 acres of land around Lake Como for use as a public park. Saint Paul’s experiment with a municipal menagerie began in 1897 when the city fenced pasture in the park to hold a gift of three deer. Como’s Art Deco zoological building was designed in [...]
Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Church Then and Now
The cornerstone for Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Church was laid on June 14th, 1914. The congregation all pitched in to build this replica of the Church in SanNicolau Mare, a small village in western Romania, in less than six months. In 1926 the little Church on Woodbridge Avenue was visited by Her Majesty [...]
A KSTP QSL
Back in the old days, you could listen to the AM radio band at night and hear stations from all over the country. If you sent the station a letter telling them where you heard them, what time and what they were playing, they would send you a souvenir QSL card, usually signed by [...]
Calhoun Boulevard and 36th
Originally called by the Dakota “Mde Maka Ska”, which meant White Earth Lake, settlers later named it with the Dakota name “Medoza” or Loon Lake. The United States Secretary of War, John C. Calhoun, sent the Army to survey the area that would surround Fort Snelling in 1817. Calhoun had also authorized the construction of [...]
Holly Flats Then and Now
The Jewish Educational Center in Holly and Grotto was the precursor to the St. Paul JCC. The building served as a recreation and education facility for over 100 community groups, including Boy and Girl Scouts, a theater company, and two orchestras. Today the building houses Holly Flats apartments and the nationally known Twin Cities [...]
At the Edge of the Richest Shopping District
The Sheridan was built around the corner from the old Minneapolis Auditorium and Lyceum Theater in 1926. The hotel was one of at least six brick courts at the southern edge of downtown. In 1938 one could get a single with a bath of $2.00. Many of these old places became residential in the [...]
The Free-Way
When Detroit told America they really couldn’t do much better than 25 miles per gallon, David Edmonson built his own car, small and light. In 1977 his Free-Way vehicle won mileage contests achieving 80.3 miles per gallon. In 1978 with his scored 88.3 MPG in a contest based on actual road driving conditions. the [...]
The Grand State Bank Then and Now
This two story commercial building at Grand and Victoria has become my every other Wednesday morning destination as Cafe Latte’s Bread and Chocolate Shop. The Grand State Bank moved down a couple blocks. Their old drive-thru at 1071 Grand is still in use as a U.S. Bank branch.
The SteppingStone Theatre Then and Now
Designed by Thori, Alban and Fischer the corner stone for the the First Methodist Episcopal Church was laid on October 15, 1907 and the building was completed in 1910. A dedication booklet noted that the church faced Holly Avenue in a “situation ideal to show its classic and simple architecture, the massive columns of the portico [...]
Don’t Cross the Street in the Middle of the Block!
The first crossing walk signal was set up on Bridge Street in Westminster, London in December 1868. The signal consisted of semaphore arms raised and lowered manually by a police constable rotating a handle on the side of a pole. The arms were augmented by green and red gas lights. In January 1869, [...]
The East Lake Library Then and Now
The first East Lake Library opened in 1924.The little brick library looked like a storefront and was nicknamed the ‘Reading Factory’. The building made good use of its south facing location with a skylight and enormous front windows. In the early seventies, the library board started making plans for a larger branch a couple [...]
Where Men Meet Men
Built at 9th and Lasalle in 1919 the old YMCA building in downtown Minneapolis originally had a low-rise wing to the north which contained the swimming pool. The wing was demolished for the construction of LaSalle Plaza in 1989. The Gothic Revival tower was renovated as 121-unit apartment complex in 1994 and added National Register [...]
Harold E. Stassen brought to you by Longines
Brought to you by Longines, World’s Most Honored Watch Minnesota’s 25th Governor, Harold Stassen was born in Dakota County on April 13, 1907. He graduated from St. Paul’s Humboldt High School at the age of 14 and received his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1929. Stassen was elected Dakota [...]
Bryant and Franklin Then and Now
Three views looking up Bryant Avenue toward Franklin in South Minneaplis. Bryant is named for the American Poet, William Cullen Bryant. He’s best remembered for his book Thanatopsis and Other Poems. Published in 1821. The slim volume was considered by many to be the first major work of American poetry. The Church on the right [...]
The St. Clair Substation Control House Then and Now
Here’s a picture of the guys building a long awaited, Northern States Power substation control house overlooking the Ayd Mill trench on St. Clair Avenue in St. Paul. Electric power often needs to flow through several substations between generating plant and your house and its voltage may change in several steps. Lowly substations like [...]
