Catalog
Ramsey County History – Spring 2013: “Aviation Pioneer: Phoebe Fairgrave Omlie:
Roger BergersonAviation Pioneer: Phoebe Fairgrave Omlie Author: Roger Bergerson Phoebe Fairgrave Omlie (1902–1975) was the first woman to do a lot of things in American aviation: hold a federal pilot’s license; fly over the Rocky Mountains in a light plane; and serve as a top government aeronautics official. Fairgrave first…
Ramsey County History – Winter 2013: “Helping the Sun Shine Brighter for Farmers: Robert Freeman on Mount Ramsey”
Harlan StoehrHelping the Sun Shine Brighter for Farmers: Robert Freeman on Mount Ramsey Author: Harlan Stoehr The year 2013 marks the centennial of extension work in Ramsey County, beginning with Harry G. Krum’s appointment as county agricultural agent. At the time of Krum’s hiring, Ramsey County was home to over…
Ramsey County History – Winter 2013: “‘Cold Blooded Fraud:’ The White Bear Lake Sewer Project of 1926–1935”
James Lindner“Cold Blooded Fraud:” The White Bear Lake Sewer Project of 1926–1935 Author: James Lindner In the mid-1920s, the City of White Bear Lake occupied a relatively remote portion of Ramsey and Washington counties in Minnesota, but its population was growing and city leaders decided that they needed to replace…
Ramsey County History – Fall 2012: “Growing Up in St. Paul: University Avenue: Then and Now”
Joanne A. EnglundGrowing Up in St. Paul: University Avenue: Then and Now Author: Joanne A. Englund Looking back on memories of University Avenue mixed with current observations: traffic accidents; the beat of the author’s father, a St. Paul police officer; patronizing local movie theaters, drugstores, and ice cream shops; passing by…
Ramsey County History – Summer 2012: “The Little Engine That Did: The ‘Iron Walker’ and Its Inaugural Run”
Dave RiehleThe Little Engine That Did: The “Iron Walker” and Its Inaugural Run Author: Dave Riehle The focus of this article is the inaugural run of the William Crooks, also known as the “Iron Walker,” the first railroad locomotive to operate in Minnesota. It made its debut running from St.
Ramsey County History – Winter 2012: “From Boom Times to the Great Depression: Two Stolpestad Men in St. Paul Real Estate, 1886–1936”
James A. StolpestadFrom Boom Times to the Great Depression: Two Stolpestad Men in St. Paul Real Estate, 1886–1936 Author: James A. Stolpestad This is a story about a Norwegian immigrant, Andrew H. Stolpestad, to St. Paul in 1884 who went on to make a modest mark for himself in local real estate…
Ramsey County History – Winter 2012: “How Nettie Snyder Put the City on the Musical Map”
Roger BergersonHow Nettie Snyder Put the City on the Musical Map Author: Roger Bergerson When Enrico Caruso and the stars of the New York Metropolitan Opera Company took the stage at the brand-new St. Paul Auditorium in the spring of 1907, the arias soared and so did civic pride. “The…
Ramsey County History – Winter 2012: “Louis Hill to Henry Ford: “No Deal!” Henry Ford and the William Crooks”
Brian McMahonLouis Hill to Henry Ford: “No Deal!” Henry Ford and the William Crooks Author: Brian McMahon Henry Ford was born and raised on a farm and always preached the value of the rural life and character. Ironically, his Model T automobile (first produced in 1908), more than anything, was…
Ramsey County History – Summer 2011: “From Thomery to ‘The Anchorage:’ The Larpenteurs and Their Journey to St. Paul”
Michele MurnaneFrom Thomery to “The Anchorage:” The Larpenteurs and Their Journey to St. Paul Author: Michele Murnane One of the best-known avenues at the north end of St. Paul is Larpenteur, named after the French-American Auguste Louis Larpenteur (1823–1919), who came to St. Paul in the 1840s, enjoyed productive careers…