• Clear Filters

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: “‘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: “The 1894 Pullman Strike in St. Paul and the Death of Switchman Charles Luth”

Gregory T. Poferl

The 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 2005: “Rendezvous at the Riverbend: Pike’s Seven Days in the Band of Little Crow—the Wilderness That Later Became St. Paul”

Gary Brueggemann

Rendezvous at the Riverbend: Pike’s Seven Days in the Band of Little Crow—the Wilderness That Later Became St. Paul Author: Gary Brueggemann In 1805, Zebulon Pike, a twenty-six year old lieutenant, led the first American expedition to explore Minnesota. A group of twenty-two men came up the Mississippi River…

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 – Spring 2005: “Spanish Influenza in St. Paul in 1918, the Year the City Found ‘the Wolf’ at Its Door”

Susan Dowd

Spanish Influenza in St. Paul in 1918, the Year the City Found ‘the Wolf’ at Its Door  Author: Susan Dowd The Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918, often referred to as “the wolf,” was one of the most lethal outbreaks the world has ever known. It came in waves. The…

Ramsey County History – Fall 2004: “Hamline University and its Royal Refugee: The Prince and the Pearl of Great Price”

John W. Larson

Hamline University and its Royal Refugee: The Prince and the Pearl of Great Price Author: John W. Larson The author, a Hamline University graduate, recalls the impact of World War II  on the university’s students and the visit of a royal refugee from Germany. Larson, raised in a working-class…

Ramsey County History – Fall 2004: “The Life and Death of Central Park—A Small Part of the Past Illuminated”

Paul D. Nelson

The Life and Death of Central Park—A Small Part of the Past Illuminated Author: Paul D. Nelson The Central Park story begins in 1884. It was a time of city expansion, and the affluent and powerful residents in an area near today’s State Capitol wanted a park to buffer…