Catalog
Ramsey County History – Spring 2006: “Mary Hill’s Lowertown, 1867–1891”
Eileen R. McCormackMary 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…
Ramsey County History – Spring 2006: “Lowertown: Another Perspective”
David RiehleLowertown: Another Perspective Author: David Riehle Fire insurance maps are valuable resources that can reveal some of the patterns of economic class. For instance, pink coloring on the plats is reserved for stone and blue for frame homes. The Hills, Gotzians and Uphams were socially active with each other,…
Ramsey County History – Spring 2005: “Growing up in St. Paul: Simple, Carefree Days—Hague and Fry—and the Center of a Boy’s Universe”
James B. BellGrowing up in St. Paul: Simple, Carefree Days—Hague and Fry—and the Center of a Boy’s Universe Author: James B. Bell The author lived his first sixteen years at the house of his grandfather, a businessman engaged in finance. Life at 1618 Hague was simple and had many carefree days.
Ramsey County History – Spring 2005: “A Novel Look at History”
Steve TrimbleA Novel Look at History Author: Steve Trimble There are some historians who believe that in many cases novels can give readers the real feel of a city—its smells, sounds, and landscape. This article looks at four novels set in St. Paul. Mr. White’s Confession by Robert Clark is set in…
Ramsey County History – Winter 2005: “Union Park in the 1880s—Band Concerts, Balloon Ascensions Once Lured 10,000 People in a Single Day”
Minnesota Junior PioneersUnion Park in the 1880s—Band Concerts, Balloon Ascensions Once Lured 10,000 People in a Single Day Author: Minnesota Junior Pioneers In 1880, the Milwaukee Short Line Railroad opened up development in today’s Macalester, Groveland, and Merriam Park neighborhoods, then on the outskirts of St. Paul. Union Park, as it…
Ramsey County History – Fall 2004: “Hamline University and its Royal Refugee: The Prince and the Pearl of Great Price”
John W. LarsonHamline 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 Rondo Oral History Project Kathryn Coram Gagnon: Operettas, Dances, Parties, and a Growing Love of Music”
Kate CavettThe Rondo Oral History Project Kathryn Coram Gagnon: Operettas, Dances, Parties, and a Growing Love of Music Interview by Kate Cavett Based on oral history interviews, this is the story of Kathryn Coram Gagnon, an African-American woman who grew up in St. Paul’s old Rondo neighborhood. The interview…
Ramsey County History – Fall 2004: “The Life and Death of Central Park—A Small Part of the Past Illuminated”
Paul D. NelsonThe 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…
Ramsey County History – Spring 2003: “The Volunteer Hook and Ladder Company”
Virginia Brainard KunzThe Volunteer Hook and Ladder Company Author: Virginia Brainard Kunz This is a short article on Wilson Farrell’s Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company, which was established in 1854. Like other groups of this type, its members were elected and had to buy their own ladders, buckets, and rope. Arson,…