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Ramsey County History – Summer 2007: “Growing Up in St. Paul:  Memories of Dayton Avenue in the 1950s”

Susanne Sebesta Heimbuch

Growing Up in St. Paul:  Memories of Dayton Avenue in the 1950s Author: Susanne Sebesta Heimbuch In August 1956, Susanne Sebesta Heimbuch’s parents and five siblings moved to 1795 Dayton. Their parents had been attracted to the parish by St. Mark’s no-tuition policy. All the children took time inspecting the…

Ramsey County History – Spring 2007: “Lost Neighborhood: The Jews of Fourteenth Street Remembered”

Gene H. Rosenblum

Lost 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 – 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 – Spring 2007: “Lost Son: The Forgotten Fate of Roseville’s First Child, Benjamin Rose”

Patrick Hill and Cindy Rose Torfin

Lost Son: The Forgotten Fate of Roseville’s First Child, Benjamin Rose Authors: Patrick Hill and Cindy Rose Torfin This article is a portrait of Isaac Rose for whom Roseville, Minnesota, is named. He was born in New Jersey, journeyed west, married, and joined the army. He would later farm…

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 2006: “Memories of Frogtown in the 1930s”

James R. Brown

Memories of Frogtown in the 1930s Author: James R. Brown Poet and playwright James Brown relates vignettes of the life of his family in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood during the 1930s. It was a community that was a mixture of public schools, churches, bars, and gambling houses, with a…

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 Picard

Fighting 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…

Ramsey County History – Spring 2006: “Mary Hill’s Lowertown, 1867–1891”

Eileen R. McCormack

Mary Hill’s Lowertown, 1867–1891 Author: Eileen R. McCormack Mary Mehegan Hill lived most of her early life in St. Paul’s Lowertown and was there with her husband, James J. Hill, from the time of their marriage until the Hills moved to Summit Avenue in 1891. Surrounded by prosperous families…