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Ramsey County History – Spring 2005: “The Force That Shaped the Neighborhoods: 1890–1953: Sixty-Three Years of Streetcars in St. Paul and Millions of Dollars in Investments”

John W. Diers

The Force That Shaped the Neighborhoods: 1890–1953: Sixty-Three Years of Streetcars in St. Paul and Millions of Dollars in Investments  Author: John W. Diers Streetcars were one of the most important inventions to shape the growth and development of the Twin Cities. The privately owned streetcar system hit its…

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 – Spring 2005: “Growing up in St. Paul: Simple, Carefree Days—Hague and Fry—and the Center of a Boy’s Universe”

James B. Bell

Growing 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 Trimble

A 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: “Curtain Up in 1933: The Legacy of the St. Paul Opera Association”

Steve Trimble

Curtain Up in 1933: The Legacy of the St. Paul Opera Association  Author: Steve Trimble Inspired by a trip to Europe, Mrs. W. Homer Sweeney successfully spearheaded the creation of the St. Paul Municipal Opera. Opening in 1933, it was a “civic opera” that chose to present quality music…

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 Pioneers

Union 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. 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…

Ramsey County History – Summer 2004: “From Farm to Florence: The Gifted Keating Sisters and the Mystery of Their Lost Paintings”

Margaret M. Marrinan

From Farm to Florence: The Gifted Keating Sisters and the Mystery of Their Lost Paintings Author: Margaret M. Marrinan This article centers on two Irish farm girls, Anysia and Sophia Keating who became nuns and developed into prolific painters. The mystery had to do with a search for information…