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“Ramsey County History – Fall 2013: “Growing Up in St. Paul: My Family and La Nuova Vita”

Eugene A. Rancone

Growing Up in St. Paul: My Family and La Nuova Vita Author: Eugene A. Rancone This is a memoir of a man who grew up in the neighborhood of St. Paul’s Upper Levee in the 1930s and ’40s. He recounts his immigrant forebears who came to the city from…

Ramsey County History – Spring 2013: “Aviation Pioneer: Phoebe Fairgrave Omlie:

Roger Bergerson

Aviation 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 – Fall 2012: “Hands-On Historian: Ethel Hall Stewart and Preserving the Gibbs Farm”

Steven C. Trimble

Hands-On Historian: Ethel Hall Stewart and Preserving the Gibbs Farm Author: Steven C. Trimble On an October day in 1954, the Gibbs Farm Museum opened to the public, thanks to the efforts of Ethel Hall Stewart. Stewart’s love of history and belief in hands-on education was the impetus for…

Ramsey County History – Summer 2012: “Oakland Cemetery Holds Many Caught Up in the US-Dakota War”

Patrick M. Hill

Oakland Cemetery Holds Many Caught Up in the U.S.-Dakota War Author: Patrick M. Hill Many participants of the bloody US Dakota War of 1862 are interred in St. Paul’s Oakland Cemetery. This article summarizes key events of the war, with an emphasis on the experiences of those who are…

Ramsey County History – Summer 2012: “The Little Engine That Did: The ‘Iron Walker’ and Its Inaugural Run”

Dave Riehle

The 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 – Spring 2012: “Who Built the Minnesota Capitol? John Rachač, Master Carpenter”

John Sielaff

Who Built the Minnesota Capitol? John Rachač, Master Carpenter Author: John Sielaff The Minnesota State Capitol was constructed in St. Paul between 1895 and 1905. Because of the importance of this building to Minnesota history, considerable information exists about the competition to select an architect (the prominent Cass Gilbert…

Ramsey County History – Winter 2012: “From Boom Times to the Great Depression: Two Stolpestad Men in St. Paul Real Estate, 1886–1936”

James A. Stolpestad

From 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 Bergerson

How 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 McMahon

Louis 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…