Ramsey County History 2026 Issue 1

Volume 61, No. 1

Paul Nelson and James Fleming, Kate Dietrick, Eula T. Murphy (with David V. Taylor)

PDF of full issue: Ramsey County History 2026, Issue 1

 

Articles in this issue:

“Hired to Carry the Dagger: Pierce Butler in St. Paul”

Authors: Paul Nelson and James Fleming

Pierce Butler was the first Minnesotan to serve on the US Supreme Court, remembered as a staunch conservative who blocked social programs of the 1930s. This first article of a two-part series, co-written by Paul Nelson and James Fleming, considers Pierce Butler’s early life and career in St. Paul. Even before he reached the highest court, he was known as a fierce corporate lawyer, a courtroom bully who made outrageous arguments and won lucrative cases on behalf of railroads and industrial power. Here, the writers explore the person behind the figure: the formative experiences in Ramsey County that sharpened his skills and forged his politics.

 

“Under Lisowsky’s Baton: Myth, Memory, and the Origins of the St. Paul Jewish Community Center Symphony Orchestra”

Author: Kate Dietrick

When was the true beginning of the St. Paul JCC Symphony Orchestra, and does that make it the longest-running community orchestra in the country? Archivist Kate Dietrick investigates a discrepancy in founding dates across various archival documents, revolving around the orchestra’s long-time, illustrious conductor, Peter Lisowsky. With a spirit of inclusion that goes back many decades, the orchestra plays on today.

 

“Growing Up in St. Paul: Looking Back at the Black Community”

Authors: Eula T. Murphy (with David V. Taylor)

This article is a reprint from the Winter 1992-93 issue of Ramsey County History, with a new foreword by David V. Taylor. Eula T. Murphy (1919-2006) shares the story of her family’s migration north in hopes of less discrimination, more opportunity, and a better life. Her writing evokes the tight social fabric of the Rondo community before the construction of I-94, and elucidates how young Black women navigated the pathways available to them at the time, opening possibilities for future generations.

 

In Our Collection: A.I. Root Honey Extractor

Author: Mollie Spillman