Ramsey County History – Fall 2010: “‘It Was Like Living in a Small Town:’ Three St. Paul Neighborhoods That Worked: Dayton’s Bluff, Payne Avenue, and Arcade Street in the 1940s and ‘50s “

“It Was Like Living in a Small Town” Three St. Paul Neighborhoods That Worked: Dayton’s Bluff, Payne Avenue, and Arcade Street in the 1940s and ‘50s 
Author: Steven C. Trimble

The three neighborhoods that abutted the industrial complex on St. Paul’s East Side developed as the city expanded outward from its downtown. At first, these neighborhoods had a mixture of prosperous families, a strong presence of middle-class residents, and a large number of working-class households. Immigrant groups, whose composition changed over time, were also a part of each community. The people in these neighborhoods started a variety of churches and institutions to serve their special needs. The residents of all three faced hard times during the 1930s, but the job base was expanding even in those days. During World War II and the decade after, good jobs became plentiful and the neighborhoods became predominately blue-collar enclaves. The largest employers were 3M, Hamm’s Brewery, and Seeger/Whirlpool, and the creation of labor unions at the plants of these companies was an important part of the story. There were also many smaller sources of employment. During the war, a majority of the companies shifted to the production of goods for the military, and many women joined the workforce. People strongly supported recycling campaigns and put up with shortages and rationing. Schools also joined in the effort with scrap and paper drives. The 1950s brought changes as the housing aged, people moved away, and the small businesses suffered from the competition of chain stores.
PDF of Trimble article