Catalog
Ramsey County History – Winter 2008: “Tommy Milton: The Story of ‘St. Paul’s Speed King’”
Steven C. TrimbleTommy Milton: The Story of “St. Paul’s Speed King” Author: Steven C. Trimble While he is rarely remembered except by sports historians, “St. Paul’s Speed King,” Tommy Milton (1893–1962) was one of the most prominent race car drivers in America during the early years of the twentieth century. He…
Ramsey County History – Summer 2007: “Minneapolis and St. Paul Stumble: Henry Ford Wins the Struggle for the High Dam “
Brian McMahonMinneapolis 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: “Lost Neighborhood: The Jews of Fourteenth Street Remembered”
Gene H. RosenblumLost Neighborhood: The Jews of Fourteenth Street Remembered Author: Gene H. Rosenblum Gene Rosenblum’s grandparents, immigrants from Lithuania, moved into St. Paul’s Fourteenth Street neighborhood in 1907. This heavily Jewish community comprised several streets in the shadow of the State Capitol. It had two synagogues, a community center, and…
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 – Winter 2007: “‘A Great Experience:’ Villaume Builds Gliders in World War II”
John M. Lindley“A Great Experience” Villaume Builds Gliders in World War II Author: John M. Lindley German troops used gliders in May 1940, and the Americans decided to use them too. They didn’t want to build gliders at existing airplane manufacturers and wanted to minimize the use of scarce metal. The…
Ramsey County History – Fall 2006: “A Little Known Railway That Couldn’t: The St. Paul Southern”
John W. DiersA Little Known Railway That Couldn’t: The St. Paul Southern Author: John W. Diers The St. Paul Southern Electric Railway, an obscure “electric interurban,” was built to connect the Twin Cities with several southern Minnesota cities. This form of mass transit was developed in other parts of the United…
Ramsey County History – Fall 2006: “The 1894 Pullman Strike in St. Paul and the Death of Switchman Charles Luth”
Gregory T. PoferlThe 1894 Pullman Strike in St. Paul and the Death of Switchman Charles Luth Author: Gregory T. Poferl The 1894 Pullman Strike had a major impact on the country and on St. Paul, a union and railroad town. Eugene V. Debs, the leader of the American Railway Union (ARU),…
Ramsey County History – Summer 2006: “‘Dreams of the Immensity of the Future:’ Crex Carpet Company Revisited
Paul D. Nelson“Dreams of the Immensity of the Future:” Crex Carpet Company Revisited Author: Paul D. Nelson A short article that follows up on an earlier piece by the author, published in the Winter 2006 issue. It was prompted by the discovery of an unpublished manuscript written by Michael O’Shaughnessy, the…
Ramsey County History – Summer 2006: “Fighting Billy Miske: The Heart of a Champion”
Paul PicardFighting Billy Miske: The Heart of a Champion Author: Paul Picard St. Paul was known for its champion boxers even before the sport became legal in the city, and bouts had to be fought outside the state. Miske, the “St. Paul Thunderbolt,” was the son of German immigrants. He…