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Greetings, Thank you, Ron Pearson |
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ANSWER Well the closest we have to an answer comes from the book "St. Paul Fire a History" by Richard L. Heath It list the following
information for Engine #18 which was housed at 681
University. Ladder #9 which was also housed at 681 University also list an in service date of December 15,1908, It was motorized in 1916. So I would say December 15,1908 is your day. A building permit was
issued May 6, 1908 for the Engine House #18 and Hook &
Ladder Company #9 at 681 University Avenue. 
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Bob Wagner
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ANSWER
The
Centre Theater was located at 1078 (1080) University
Avenue. The photo at right shows the grand opening on the theater. The movie being shown is Bing Crosby's "If I had My Way". Also shown in the photo: Lexington Groceteria, Woolworths and in the background a bleachers and lights from the Lexington Ballpark.
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Was there ever a White Castle hamburger business
on Payne Avenue? Thanks, Bernie
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ANSWER
Yes, It was the first White Castle to
open in St. Paul. It was located at 1081
Payne Avenue and opened the summer of 1928. Other White Castle Locations from 1928 to 1934: · 172 E. 6th St. - opened in the fall of 1928. It was located near where the Galtier Plaza stands today. · 89 W. 7th St/385-395 Auditorium- existed from 1929-1959. Today would be located across from the Excel Energy Center. · 470 St. Peter St. · 615 University Ave. · 548 & 548 1/2 Wabasha Ave. Other locations after 1934: · 1085 University Ave -opening in 1937 · 505 Rice St near University Ave · 1945 University Ave –opening in the 1930's Today White Castles are located at 1120 University Ave. and 505 Rice St. and 1605 White Bear Ave.
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Might you know who might know something about a pedestrian stairway that starts on the south side of Summit Avenue between Western and Selby Avenues, travels eastward (and downward) across 35E, continues between two buildings of United Hospital, and ends at Smith Street? I’m wondering:
Does
it have a name? If so, what is it?
Thanks! |
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ANSWER
The
stairs you are referring to are often called the "Walnut
Street Steps".
James J. Hill
purchased the land along Walnut Street in 1899 and had
Walnut Street (between Irvine Avenue and Summit Avenue)
vacated in 1901.
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I am looking for the name of the diner that was located on Rice Street in 1972. This diner was known for their coney islands or chili dogs and was located between University and Charles. We have company from Arizona this week and they were talking about what they did or liked to do in the past when they lived in MN and one of their favorite places was this diner. However, they are being haunted by the fact that they cannot remember the name of this diner. They also said this diner might have been located where the present White Castle is on Rice. Hope you can help us out because searches on the web have proved fruitless.
Thanks, |
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ANSWER We can't be sure but here are a few possibilities:
West side
of Rice St:
You may already know, but the most popular place for
Coney Island style hot dog in St Paul was the
Original Coney Island located at 444-448 St. Peter
Street. The building is there, however, the restaurant
closed in 1999. I hope one of these rings some bells. Good luck on your search for your Coney Island style hot dog.
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Hi, |
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ANSWER
In
1884 the land that would become the Cleveland School was
owned 1884 by the C. Schurmeier Co.
Cleveland Elementary school was built in 1885.
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Dear
staff:
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ANSWER
I am not sure
what photo you are referring to but the photo at the top of
this page features the ice palace in question.
Wigington drew
two plans for the 1938 ice palace, calling them Fort
Belvedere and Windsor Castle. Wigington did design the 1937, 1940, 1941, & 1942 ice palaces. Check out the Winter 2000 issue of our magazine “Ramsey County History” to learn more about ‘Cap’ Wigington and his Ice Palace ‘Babies’ |
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HI- |
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ANSWER No, your home at 908 Hyacinth was constructed in 1923. The oldest on the block, by our records, is 916 Hyacinth, that shows a building date of 1908. Most homes on your block look to be built around 1919-1924, with yours being one of the newest 3, built in 1923.
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ANSWER |
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St
Paul City Directories 1886 to 1948 |
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Dear researchers at RCHS:
Do your historical corporate
files have any reference to a company by that name? |
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ANSWER McKibbin & Co. began in 1888 by Joseph McKibbin, Henry Hasenwinkle, Henry E Whaley, Arthur Driscoll. It was a
Wholesalers and Manufacturers of Hats, Caps, Gloves, Furs,
Overcoats, Leather Jackets and Sheep Lined Coats William Dorsey became a partner in 1901. The name changed that same year to McKibbin Driscoll & Dorsey Inc. The name, McKibbin
Driscoll & Dorsey Inc., was in large bold print in the St
Paul City Directories from 1888 to 1932. The McKibbin family continued to live in St Paul, MN after the store closed. My personal guess is that the company was hit hard by the after effects of the Stock Market Crash of 1929. SEE: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nyy/history/timeline1.jsp "Year 1913: April: The Highlanders are officially renamed the "Yankees" after moving to the Polo Grounds, home of the National League's New York Giants". After finding out when McKibbin Driscoll & Dorsey Inc. was in existence with their full name AND cross referencing with the NEW YORK YANKEES website and the quoted line above, it looks like you may be able to date your jacket from 1913 to 1932. AND MORE I read the response to the question from the fellow with the Yankees jacket. McKibbin was Joseph Chambers McKibbin, a brother of my mother's paternal grandmother Mary McKibbin Scully. Prior to the Civil War the McKibbins had moved from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. When their father died, mother Jane Brackenridge McKibbin, a Pittsburgher, moved back with her children. When/why JC went to Minnesota is one of those family history questions that some day may be answered. Ditto for why he went into the clothing business. A potential reason for the Minnesota trek was to accompany his brother William, an attorney and Presbyterian minister, who pastored a church in St. Paul. The store probably closed shortly after JC's death in 1931. My research indicates he had three children: Allison, Anne, and JC, Jr. Allison married a gent named Charles Bigelow. No idea what happened to Anne. JC Jr., also died in 193; from Hodgkin's Disease.
Cheers,
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Research question, |
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ANSWER Hello, |
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Can you give me any information about the St. Joseph Infant Home, or Home for Unwed Mothers? I believe the address was 341 Dale. My mother was a resident there, admitted October 10, 1945. I was left there in December, I believe to be adopted. Was the Infant Home an Orphanage? Was the Maternity Residence only for unwed mothers, or could a woman having a difficult pregnancy go there for medical treatment as well? |
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ANSWER Hello, The St Paul Catholic Infants Home was located at 341 Dales St. from 1929 to 1952/32. The Hazeldon Foundation moved into 341 Dale in 1953/54. The St Paul Catholic Infants Home moved to 933 Carroll that same year. 341 Dale St. was demolished by 1962-64 to make way for Highway 94. It was located between St Anthony and Rondo. NOTES:
Try contacting Seton
Catholic Charities for records http://www.adoption-agency.us/agency/Catholic-Charities-of-the-Arch-Saint-Paul-620.asp Here are a few more websites that may help: http://www.rootsweb.com/~irish/igsi_published/orphanages/orphans.htm http://www.adoptreform.org/history.html I hope this helps... Good Luck,
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ANSWER
I am sorry, we
don't know where their records are housed today. I can
only give you a little history of the organization. I
hope it gives you some insight.
The St. Paul
Babies Home began in 1890 on Summit Ave. by a group of
St Paul women. Essentially, a home for destitute,
abandoned and orphaned children.
In 1891 they moved
to a house located at 846 Lincoln Ave.
A nurse was hired
to care for the children and a local doctor contributed
his services free of charge. By the end of the
first four years, the Home had cared for 291 infants,
and it was the only such facility in the city which
would accept children under the age of two. At the
doctor's request, the babies were sent to homes in the
country during the hot summer months. The Home also
helped the mothers of some of the babies to find jobs
either outside or in the facility. |
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Some of the babies at the Home were eventually adopted or claimed by their family or friends, though a few died. It is not known how long the Babies Home was operated, but by 1932 the property is listed in the city directory as apartments.
I have attached a
photo of the house |
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I have been in deep
discussion about Grocery Stores (their customer service, who has
the best selection, carts and grocery bags) with my friends
today. I know, we are an odd bunch. I wonder if you can help me
out. I heard that grocery bags originally were invented here in
St Paul, do you know? Thanks, S. T. Ailgater |
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ANSWER The Deubner Shopping Bag Walter H. Deubner ran an old-style grocery store in St. Paul, and he was looking for a way to give his business a boost. By careful observation, he noticed that his customer’s purchases were limited by what they could conveniently carry home. So he set about devising a way to help them buy more purchases at one time. It took him four years to develop the right solution: a prefabricated package, inexpensive, easy to use-and strong enough to carry a lot of groceries.
The package consisted of a paper bag with cord running
through it for strength.
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Thanks, |
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ANSWER We do not have any photos of the drive-in in our
collection. Use this link to connect to the MN Historical Society's Visual Database http://collections.mnhs.org/visualresources/ It was built in 1950, had parking for up to 650 cars.
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I would love to get some information on my grandfather and the information about how he died. Here is what I know: It pertains to the explosion of 3M or (Minnesota Mining and Manufacture) in I believe 1950 in St. Paul. I have tried to do some research on a Fire/explosion and typing in 1950 and 3M and nothing comes up. Do you have any record of this happening in St. Paul. My grandmother was 8 months pregnant with my mother so I am thinking it happened in January or Feb. 1950 (but don't quote me on this - it could have been Dec. of 1949) Please let me know if
you have any type of information on this.
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ANSWER
From the book
A Century of Innovation - The 3M Story (
2002) At 8:20 a.m. on Thursday, February 8, 1951, a massive gas explosion rocked three 3M buildings at the corner of Arcade and Fauquier Streets on St. Paul’s East Side. About 4,000 3M employees had just reported for work. The explosion started in Building 12, a six-story structure where minerals were crushed and treated in ovens heated with butane. The blast swept through underground tunnels and damaged a neighboring tape packing plant as well as 3M’s main office building. Fifteen people died and 49 others were injured in St. Paul’s worst disaster. Two sides of the minerals building were blown out and employees were pinned under falling floors, walls and ceilings. “Mobilizing its forces quickly’ the St. Paul Dispatch newspaper reported, “the company assigned one man to each victim’s family to work with them as long as necessary. A $25,000 emergency fund was set up to pay for taxi fares to hospitals, baby sitters, transportation of relatives from out of town, telegrams to survivors, funeral costs and whatever else was needed.” 3M also created an emergency aid committee. “The idea was to help families reestablish themselves,” Ivan Lawrence, vice president, Personnel, told the Dispatch. “We were determined not to make them dependents, but to help keep them on an even keel and restore their lives as close as possible to what they were before the explosions.” The company quickly made sure that workers’ compensation and insurance payments, as well as company benefits, were paid to the survivors. 3M also contacted the U.S. Office of Social Security to speed up payments. Since the day after the blast was a payday, a special paymaster’s window was created to distribute wages on time. Damage to 3M property totaled about $1 million but settling that claim was a distant second to caring for 3M people and their families. “The company just took care of people,” said John Pitblado, branch sales manager, Los Angeles, at the time. Pitblado later retired as president, U.S. Operations.
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Could you give me some information on whom Holman Field was named after. I am researching a distant relative named Walter Holman who was born in the early 1900's and wondering whether he could be related. Thank
you. Betty |
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ANSWER
Holman
Field was named for Charles W. "Speed" Holman
(1898 to 1931).
Charles
W. Holman
He was born in
Bloomington, MN. Here are a couple of websites with more information on this historic aviator: http://www.century-of-flight.freeola.com/racing/PILOTS/CHARLES%20HOLMAN.htm http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aero/aved/museum/halloffame/holman_charles.htm We have minimal information on a Carl J. Holman from Mankato, an Oliver P. Holman of Mpls, an Oscar E. Homan of St Paul. If you are related to any of them I can send you a little info that may help.
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My mother attended Eastern Heights school for grades 1-3 in about the years 1922-1926. Is there any information on the history of the school from about that time? She said each grade was in a different wooden building. Thanks! - Milli |
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ANSWER Eastern Heights Elementary School is located on the northwest corner of Ruth Street at 2001 Margaret Street, out near Ruth Street and Minnehaha. Unfortunately we do not have any photos of this school in our collection.The only resource we have here to visually look at the school during the time frame of 1922-1926 are Sanborn Plat Maps. I looked at 1916 and 1927. The 1916 plat map shows a spot saved for the school but the school wasn't actually built until 1919 (resource: permit index card). The school was built on top of a pond! The 1927 plat map shows there were 3 buildings on the property, one was said to have a wooden roof. By 1930 the school buildings were either torn down or moved to make way for the newer brick school structure. Additions were made in 1952 and 1970 (resource: permit index card). You could also try contacting the St Paul Central Library "St Paul Collection", located on the 2nd floor in downtown St Paul. They have a fabulous yearbook collection, maybe they have this elementary school OR you may want to see her high school yearbook.
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I have a
very old velvet jacket; it has a lot of hand sewing. It was
given to me by a friend many years ago. She has since passed
on. I ran across the jacket the other day it has a tag
sewn in that reads Martin Giesen Theatrical Costumer St.
Paul, Minn. It appears to be very old. Do you know of this
person? |
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ANSWER
Giesen
Costume Company
- 1872 to 1970 Martin Giesen was the youngest of four sons to Peter J. and Marie Giesen. Peter was a bookbinder, president of the Volkszeltung Printing and Publishing Company and bound books for the West Publishing Company. Marie was a costume and dress designer with a shop at 37 W 3rd St (Now Kellogg Ave). Both Martin and his mom, Marie, were involved in the Giesen Costume Company while his brothers became an accountant, a bookbinder and a clerk. Peter and Marie’s home, from 1891 to 1907, was/is located at 827 Mound Street, then they moved to 184 Summit Ave. Martin married Olga Hilbert in 1904. Peter died in 1915, the same year Martin’s only daughter was born. Martin and Olga lived with his mother Marie until 1923 when they purchased their own home at 1540 Lincoln Ave. Marie died in 1929. Martin and Olga managed the company from 1904 to when he died in 1943. Olga sold the company in 1960, she died not long after. The new owners only kept it afloat till 1970. Your velvet jacket probably dates after 1905 when the company changed hands from the mom Marie to the son Martin. We have a fascinating article on the Giesen Family and their Costume Company in the Winter 1994 issue of the “Ramsey County History” magazine, which you may consider purchasing for only $8. Just give us a call if you are interested in it.
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Can you tell me anything about St Colomba's School building? |
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ANSWER
St Colomba's
School was built
in 1922 .The building permit estimates the cost as
$100,000. Father Case, a priest, acted as the general
contractor because he believed all the other contractors
bids were too high.
It was designed by
architect John H. Wheeler. Wheeler spent 14 years
in offices of Twin Cities architects, including 7 years
with Clarence Johnston Sir. In 1901-1902 he was in
charge of the Building Inspection Department of the City
of St Paul. He maintained his own architectural office
beginning in 1902. He designed nearly 20 buildings for
the Sisters of St Joseph Carondelet. To name a few: St.
Marks Church Rectory, the Auditorium, Novitiate, power
house, laundry and Whitby Hall at St. Kate's, the main
bldg at Derham Hall. An addition was added to the St.
Columba school in 1931.
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| QUESTION | ANSWER | |
| When did Adolph Bremer die and what was the cause? |
He died
of a heart attack in Seattle,
Washington while on a business trip on
October 9, 1939.
He is buried
at Calvary Cemetery, St Paul.
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| Since we have received so many questions about the Union Depot.... |
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St. Paul’s
Union Depot Troop trains leaving St. Paul’s Union Depot carried young men and women into service during World War II and the Korean War. This w is the city’s second Union Depot. The first was built in 1879 near the site of the St. Paul and Pacific railroad’s little depot on Third between Jackson and Sibley streets at a time at a time when at least twelve separate rail lines threaded in and out of St. Paul. The first Union Depot was a massive Victorian structure that cost $125,000 and remained a city landmark for almost forty years. It opened in 1881, but it was damaged by fire in 1884. By 1889, after it was rebuilt, the depot was handling 8 million passengers a year and up to 268 trains daily. However, in this heyday of the railroad era and of the great rail networks that linked the nation coast-to-coast, the expanding railroad industry began to out-grow the first depot almost as soon as it opened. By the 1880s, plans for a new depot were being coordinated by Great Northern President James J. Hill. Hill died in 1916, the year before construction began on the new Union Depot at Fourth and Sibley streets. World War I. however, delayed construction and the 250,000 square foot terminal was not completed until 1923. In the meantime the old passenger terminal was gutted by fire; passengers made-do with a shed-like remnant. The new depot was designed by Chicago architect, Charles Frost. It was built by Toltz Engineering Company, with Colonel Fred Mears as supervisor and George C. Grant Construction Company of St. Paul. The depot is a simple, rather severe example of Neo-classical style of architecture often used in public buildings during the first half of twentieth century. A colonnade of ten Doric columns separates its identical left and right wings on the exterior. The interior, of Kasota dolostone, pink Tennessee marble, gray Missouri marble and reinforced concrete, was lavishly decorated with travertine murals and reliefs depicting the history of transportation in Minnesota. A long brick concourse extending south spanned seventeen tracks and Kellogg Boulevard. It is perhaps an irony of history that the Union Depot opened ill the wailing years of the railroad age, when automobiles, trucks, buses and, eventually, aircraft would begin to compete for the passenger and freight that had been the life-blood of the railroads. Use of the Union Depot for passenger traffic ended in the early 1970s and the depot remained closed for twelve years. Plans for its reuse came and went. A massive restoration project headed by St. Paul architect, Craig Rafferty, began in 1983.
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I lived a few years at
599 Sims when I was young. Could you help me with any
information about that property, and why the street was
named so. The original house was demolished about 1980.
Or, how about a duplex
that was directly across the street at approx 600 Sims
(don't know the exact address and it has also since been
demolished), I lived in that house for the first 5 years of
my life.
Also, up the street
was a business known as the St. Paul Statuary (did I spell
it right?), any information as to this business and what
happened to it?
Thanks a TON, I am a
total St. Paul history freak, and go into a whole different
world when I read of anything historic related to the area.
Henry Feist
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ANSWER
Some
say Sims Avenue (named in 1872) was named for John Sims, a
Carpenter from Canada who may have invested in this
property.
St. Paul
Statuary Company was
located at 620 Sims. The
company was founded in 1905. In the late 1950's it merged
with the
Brioschi Studios located at 908-910 University Avenue
and Carlquist and Son which was founded in 1902.
Amerigo Brioschi from the Brioshi Studios served as
the president. It was still around in 1977 when it did
repairs to the cathedral. I am not sure if they are still
around.
You
are right both the addresses you are looking for are now
gone. Tax records list housing/condos being built on these
lots in 1994. We found no other reference to these homes.
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We recently purchased
930 Albemarle Street Saint Paul. Records show it was built
in 1888.
Questions:
1. Where does this
house "rank" in some dust covered list in the 25
or 50 oldest houses still standing in Saint Paul?
2.
Was this home built as a Farm house or is there any history
along these lines on it?
Thank
you VERY MUCH!
Georgia Schneller
Saint Paul
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ANSWER
The earliest houses here in St. Paul are from the late
1840s.
Ramsey County tax records have 930 Albermarle being built in 1886.
It is not likely that your home was built as a farm house.
Most homes in this area are close in age to yours, the oldest 3 all being built in 1880 are 940, 944, and 941Albermarle.
948 Albermarle was built in 1884.
929,933, 925, Albermarle were built in 1886.
945 Albermarle was built in 1888.
and 932 Albermarle was built in 1900.
Most of the North End was settled extensively in the 1870's and 1880's. Areas of the North End were annexed by the city of St. Paul when the city limits were changed in 1872, 1873, 1885, and 1887. Rice Street was serviced by a major streetcar line. This line was established as early as 1887.
Visit this link to learn more about your neighborhood.
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Dear Librarian: Can you tell me what years the Robert St. Bridge and Wabasha St. Bridge were first built across the Mississippi River. I've seen old photos from the MN Historical Society archives dated around 1900 and can see the railroad bridge only.Jackie Hilgert
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Click
here for info on the
Robert Street Bridge
The current Wabasha Street bridge was opened for traffic on July 15th 1998. It's predecessor was a 1898 circa cantilevered truss bridge. The original bridge was a toll bridge built around 1859.
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Can
you tell me the name of the newspaper(s) which would have
covered St. Paul around 1898-1900 and where they are
archived?
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ANSWER Around
that timeframe were the St Paul Pioneer Press, The St Paul
Globe
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| QUESTION | ||
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What is the
rather "sizeable" manmade stone structure on Como
Ave, just east of Buelah Lane and across from Como Avenue
MucMurray Field? It has been fenced in, and it looks like the
ruins of a chapel. |
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ANSWER This
large stone fireplace named the Joyce Kilmer Fire
Place, also known as the Como Park "Dutch
Oven" was donated by the Joyce Kilmer Post,
Fourth District of the American Legion in June 1936.
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| QUESTION | ANSWER | |
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I know there's a Selby Avenue in St. Paul.
I'm guessing it was named in honor of a Mr. Selby. Can you
tell me anything about him? Thanks.
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Jerimiah
W. Selby (1812-1855) Came to St. Paul in 1849 and
purchased a $50 forty-acre farm on St. Anthony Hill
where the St. Paul Cathedral now stands. On this land Selby
built a house and made a living raising potatoes and
vegetables. The street was named in 1854.
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| QUESTION | ANSWER | |
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How
did Rice Park get its name and when was it established? Lou Suski
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Rice
Park is one of St. Paul's oldest parks, dating from 1849.
Three public squares were donated to the city of St. Paul for
park purposes in 1849. They were Rice Park, donated by Henry
M. Rice; Smith Park, (now known as Mears) donated by Cornelius
S. Whitney and Robert Smith; and Irvine Park, donated by John
R. Irvine. Henry Mower Rice was a prominent pioneer from Minnesota coming to the area first as a fur trader. He became the territory's delegate to the U.S. congress (1853-1857). Rice was an early developer of St. Paul and became a successful businessman , and promoted both St. Paul and Minnesota. He was appointed a U.S. senator when Minnesota became a state in 1858. Rice County in Minnesota and Rice Street in St. Paul are also named in honor of Henry Mower Rice. He is also said to have built the first residence on Summit Ave. |
| QUESTION |
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Roy
Wilkins Auditorium and who dedicated it - that name? Who
was the Mayor of Saint Paul in 1984? |
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ANSWER The Mayor was George Latimer who served from 1976-1990. The original St. Paul Auditorium construction began in 1903 and was finished in 1907. It was located between 4th and 5th Street and was designed by AH Stem. This building could be converted into one large area or partitioned to smaller needs. In 1932 the auditorium arena was opened, located just west of the original building." Cap" Wigington, the first Black American municipal architect, designed the addition. Conversion and renovation of the original hall began just after the opening on the auditorium arena in 1932. Beginning in 1963 plans & studies were underway on additions and renovations to this site. In 1967 the Civic Center complex was in the making including the original bldgs which would be attached by concourses to a larger structure including a hockey arena. This complex opened in 1972. The original building was closed by the city's bldg department in 1979 and was torn down in November of 1982. The 1932 addition lived on. In 1982 the Roy Wilkins Memorial Task Force was appointed by Mayor George Latimer in response to a request for a memorial to Wilkins made by the St. Paul Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The task force headed by Joanne Englund a Public Works Department employee submitted a final report to the mayor on April 14, 1983, suggesting the auditorium of the St. Paul Civic Center, then under reconstruction, be renamed the Roy Wilkins Auditorium. A City Council resolution to that effect was passed on December 1, 1983. It was publicly renamed Roy Wilkins Auditorium in 1984. Roy Wilkins auditorium was renovated in 1986.
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| QUESTION |
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Any information on St Columba's School? |
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ANSWER
St Columba's School
was built in 1922 .The building permit estimates the
cost as $100,000. Father Casey, a priest, acted as the
general contractor because he believed all the other
contractors bids were too high.
It
was designed by architect John H. Wheeler. Wheeler spent 14
years in offices of Twin Cities architects, including 7
years with Clarence Johnston Sir. In 1901-1902 he was
in charge of the Building Inspection Department of the City
of St Paul. He maintained his own architectural office
beginning in 1902. He designed nearly 20 buildings for the
Sisters of St Joseph Carondelet. To name a few: St.
Marks Church Rectory, the Auditorium, Novitiate, power
house, laundry and Whitby Hall at St. Kate's, the
main bldg at Derham Hall.
An addition
was added to the St Columba school in 1931.
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| QUESTION | ||
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What
is the Engine House #13 at 926 Hampden currently being
used for? |
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ANSWER You can find an article: "Stamina Turns Fire Hall into Artist's Dream" in the St Paul Pioneer Press, March 8, 1981, p. M1,4. This article may be found at the Central Library on their micro-fiche or from the St Paul Pioneer Press web-site (for a fee) www.twincities.com
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| QUESTION | ||
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father worked for Auto Engine Works in 1946, located, I
believe, on Hamline Avenue. What information do you have
regarding this company? Did the business move, or did it go
out of business and when?
Robert Gliske, Nephi, Utah |
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ANSWER A list of their services are as follows: A list of their primary staff members:
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| QUESTION | ANSWER | |
| What is
the correct name for Mechanics?
HMCS ROBERT CLARENCE CRAMER U. S. Navy Retired
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Often called Mechanics or Mechanic Arts or even MAHS was officially known as the George Weitbrecht Mechanic Arts High School. George Weitbrecht was the principal of MAHS 1896 to 1916. | |
| QUESTION | ||
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My great uncle had a meat
market on the corner of Lafond and Arundel streets. Is
it
still there?
Thank you for any help
you can give me.
Marlene Dickrell
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ANSWER
Marlene,
Does
the building your great uncle had a meat market in still
exist...
On
the Northwest corner of Lafond & Arundel is a Rambler
style house built in 1976.
On the Southwest
corner of Lafond & Arundel is a Rambler style
house built in 1976.
On the Northeast
corner of Lafond & Arundel is a empty lot.
Your Great Uncles
shop could have been located on one of these corners and
is now destroyed.
The structure on the
southeast corner of Lafond & Arundel was built in
1890 as a commercial/apartment building.
The original owner
to the building was Charles Plebuch who operated a saloon
in the building and lived above in the apartments.
The
building was designed by George Bergmann and Kohn Fischer.
Major alteration and or additions were made to this
building in 1907 and 1926. The building is now used
exclusively for apartments. There is a chance that
you great uncle's business was in this structure, but
we would need further information to confirm this.
(his name, the address, an actual year)
Merton P. Backlund wrote RCHS to share his memories of the store.
I remember this store. I lived at
401 Lafond in 1947 or so.
Rudy's Grocery store was on the SE corner of Lafond and Arundel and had an extensive butcher shop/meat market in the rear of the store. I believe the store owner was Rudy Mottl. (Spelling may be incorrect) It is listed in the city directory of that time. So yes your uncles store is still standing.
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| QUESTION | ||
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Could
you please tell me when the McDonough Housing Project was
completed and ready for occupancy?
My grandmother moved
in as soon as it was completed and I am trying to determine
when that was. Thanks
for your time and help. |
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ANSWER
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| QUESTION | ||
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I am doing research on Hermann Kretz and his
style. I am especially interested in learning about 'The
Colonial' presently located on 579 Summit Ave. What is the
historical significance of this building? Is it representative of
Kretz' usual architectural finesse or is
this building an aberration? Any other work that comes to
your mind that would be the better examples of
Hermann Kretz' style??
Thank you so very much.
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ANSWER
Herman Kretz was
born in Essen Germany in 1860. He attend school in Germany
before he came to the US in 1882 finally coming to St.
Paul in 1887. He specialized in the design of commercial structures
and apartment buildings. Kretz operated a real estate
business as well as his architectural practice. He owned
and managed several of the buildings he designed. Kretz
designed in many styles.
The apartment
structure at 579 Summit Avenue was built in 1896. Kretz
was was the original owner, the architect and lived in
the building as well.
Here
are just a few of the buildings Kretz designed:
Blair
Flats (Angus Hotel) Selby at Western
1887
The
Elmwood 235-237
Arundel 1894
Commerce
Building 2-16
E 4th St 1911
The
Waldorf 672-676
W Summit Ave 1900
If
you would like to see a full list make an appointment to
visit a library by calling 651-222-0701.
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| QUESTION | ANSWER | |
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Dear Historian: I studied piano and voice with Marguerite Stumpf in the St. Paul Bldg. on 5th St. in the 50's. Can you tell me the history of the building and what it is used for today? Thanks, B. Hicks, Dayton, OH.
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The
Richardsonian Romanesque building was built in 1889 as the
Germania Bank Building. Because of rising anti-German
sentiment, the name of the building was changed to the
"St. Paul Building" at the time of World War I.
It
was designed by J. Walter Stevens then working for Harvey
Ellis.
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| QUESTION |
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On Summit Ave., just a short distance west of
the University Club on the North side of the street (across
from the old Lewellyn house (I think) with the big skylights
is a house that looks like it has a coffin on the roof.
Any idea what's up with that? Richard Bonneville |
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ANSWER The house was designed by Augustus Gauger. Gauger practiced in St Paul from 1878-1929 building many structures including 6 known houses on Summit Ave. What's up with the coffin? No I do not believe it’s a coffin. No I do not believe that some person's remains are there. Next time you pass the house take a look at it from the side you will see that the coffin shape is really quite thin. I believe it is just ornamentation.
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| QUESTION |
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I really need information on the Wabasha street
caves during prohibition. I need to find out about the
g |
