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Rocky Roots: Geology and Stone Construction in Downtown St. Paul (second edition)

Sr. Joan Kain & Paul D. Nelson

The second edition of Rocky Roots is a guide to the use of stone in downtown St. Paul’s architecture. It can be a flexible and useful guide to several different walking tours that will enrich a pedestrian’s stroll through town. It uses text, photos, and maps as a guide to…

Ramsey County History – Fall 2007: “The Other Librarian: Clara Baldwin and the Public Library Movement in Minnesota”

Robert F. Garland

The Other Librarian: Clara Baldwin and the Public Library Movement in Minnesota Author: Robert F. Garland Clara Baldwin (1871–1951) was the state librarian from 1900 to 1936. She lived almost all her life in St. Paul and was part of a turn-of-the-century movement to establish public libraries throughout Minnesota.

Ramsey County History – Summer 2007: “Minneapolis and St. Paul Stumble: Henry Ford Wins the Struggle for the High Dam “

Brian McMahon

Minneapolis and St. Paul Stumble: Henry Ford Wins the Struggle for the High Dam  Author: Brian McMahon There were two early Ford plants in the Twin Cities—one in Minneapolis and another on University Avenue in St. Paul. Henry Ford was a big promoter of hydroelectric power; consequently, he wanted…

Ramsey County History – Spring 2007: “A House of Versatile Talents: The William and Carrie Lightner Residence on Summit Avenue”

Paul Clifford Larson

A House of Versatile Talents: The William and Carrie Lightner Residence on Summit Avenue Author: Paul Clifford Larson William Lightner was a prominent St. Paul attorney for fifty years. He dabbled in politics and was a big supporter of history. Born in Pennsylvania, he came to this city in…

Ramsey County History – Winter 2007: “‘If It Can Be Manufactured from Wood, We Can Make It:’ A History of the Villaume Family and the Company They Built”

Steve Trimble

“If It Can Be Manufactured from Wood, We Can Make It:” A History of the Villaume Family and the Company They Built Author: Steve Trimble In 1847, Joseph Villaume, a Frenchman, arrived in St. Paul, and his two nephews joined him in 1873. One of them, Eugene, landed a…

Ramsey County History – Fall 2005: “Stonebridge: The Story of a Lost Estate and Oliver Crosby, the Inventive Genius Who Created It”

Jay Pfaender

Stonebridge: The Story of a Lost Estate and Oliver Crosby, the Inventive Genius Who Created It Author: Jay Pfaender Even in the Groveland neighborhood, little is remembered about Stonebridge, an estate built by St. Paul businessman and civic leader Oliver Crosby. A New Englander from Maine, he came to…

Ramsey County History – Summer 2005: “Lots of St. Paul: A Photo Essay on Downtown Parking and What Urban History Can Tell Us about a City”

Steve Trimble

Lots of St. Paul: A Photo Essay on Downtown Parking and What Urban History Can Tell Us about a City Author: Steve Trimble This photo essay is a response to a letter to the editor wondering why the magazine bothered to publish an article on “nothing more than a…

Ramsey County History – Winter 2005: “Ramsey County Historical Society’s Collection of Building Permits and the Story of the DeLoop Parking Ramp”

Robert F. Garland

Ramsey County Historical Society’s Collection of Building Permits and the Story of the DeLoop Parking Ramp Author: Robert F. Garland St. Paul began to require building permits in 1883. This is the story of one downtown property, the DeLoop Parking Ramp, which the author researched using these permits, now…

Ramsey County History – Winter 2005: “Union Park in the 1880s—Band Concerts, Balloon Ascensions Once Lured 10,000 People in a Single Day”

Minnesota Junior Pioneers

Union Park in the 1880s—Band Concerts, Balloon Ascensions Once Lured 10,000 People in a Single Day Author: Minnesota Junior Pioneers In 1880, the Milwaukee Short Line Railroad opened up development in today’s Macalester, Groveland, and Merriam Park neighborhoods, then on the outskirts of St. Paul. Union Park, as it…