Saloons and Sundays
1905 Robbinsdale pioneer, Alfred Parker passed away on April 7th. Compass Lodge 265 A. F. & A. M. was organized September 6, George Swift, Sr. as first master. The charter was granted in January, 1906. … Read more
Crystal Boyd
Pure Air, Pure Water, Fine Driveways
1893 Thomas H. Girling, born in England in 1865, had considerable impact as a publisher and civic leader in Robbinsdale. He had learned the printing business and in February, 1893, started publishing the weekly “Picturesque … Read more
The Village of Crystal
1887 In 1886 Minneapolis made an effort to annex all bordering townships to secure more taxable property and money for improvements and perhaps to outclass St. Paul in population. At once, the people of Crystal … Read more
The Robbinsdale Depot
1880 The first railroad through the community was called the Minneapolis Branch of the St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Railroad , later the Great Northern Railroad Company. In 1880 a flag station was established, merely … Read more
A Typical Home?
“Typical home-owning is Robbinsdale’s major ‘industry.’ Many beautiful homes such as this one, owned by Reuben Katz, adorn residential avenues.” -Minneapolis Tribune, Sunday Magazine, 1943 Reuben O. Katz built his unique family home on Shoreline … Read more
The Crystal Bath
Floyd E. Nash opened his bath house in 1916. The Crystal Bath opened with 24 lockers, 12 for women and 12 for men. In 1923 a larger building was built. Business boomed and Nash found … Read more
The Robbinsdale Library
The Robbinsdale Library opened on January 4, 1926. The cost of construction was funded with donations from local citizens and the library club. The Hennepin County Library system took over the library in 1972, but … Read more
Parker School
“Robbinsdale has today one of the finest school buildings of its kind in the State. This school is known as Parker School, in honor of Mr. Alfred Parker, an old settler, and a strong supporter … Read more
