Ramsey County History – Fall 1985: “Farming in the Shadow of the Cities: The Not-So-Rural History of Rose Township Farmers, 1850–1900”

Farming in the Shadow of the Cities: The Not-So-Rural History of Rose Township Farmers, 1850–1900
Author: Kendra Dillard

The story of farming in the shadow of the city of St. Paul focuses on the Gibbs Farm and the Gibbs family history as an example of agriculture’s relation to nearby St. Paul. Heman and Jane Gibbs were one of the first settlers in Rose Township when they moved there in 1854. They grew crops that were needed in the city, such as vegetables. Home market gardeners integrated their rural lives with urban needs. Because of the higher price of land near St. Paul, Gibbs and others produced goods with higher values rather than grain cash crops. They often specialized in dairy and swine for year-around money. Heman’s account books show items shipped and sold. This type of farming started disappearing from Ramsey County after World War II.

PDF of Dillard article