Ramsey County History – Winter 1994: “Giesen’s: Costumers to St. Paul’s Families and Festivals—1872-1970”

Giesen’s: Costumers to St. Paul’s Families and Festivals—1872-1970

Author: Virginia L. Martin

Out of the heavily German culture of St. Paul’s early decades grew Giesen’s, which for a time was one of the biggest commercial costume businesses in the country. The founder, Maria Giesen, ran it until 1903: her daughter-in-law, Olga, until 1960. They supplied costumes for countless music and theater performances, dances and parties for high society and regular folks, and the Winter Carnival. It lasted almost a century. This is the story of a glamorous and forgotten St. Paul institution.

PDF of Martin article