1896
The February 22, 1904, issue of the Robbinsdale Park Progress gave tribute to a pioneer, George L. Brimhall, who died on September 17, 1896. In 1876 he purchased a farm of 160 acres on the southeast comer of Crystal Lake. He was largely instrumental in securing the location of Luther Seminary, was the treasurer of the Hubbard Specialty Manufacturing Company, and helped financially with the Robinson Moen Car Company (afterwards the Northern Car Company).
1897
The North Side Street Railway company which operated a “dummy railroad” between Minneapolis and Robbinsdale changed its motor from gasoline to electricity after residents of Robbinsdale had subscribed $2,000 stock in the concern, which allowed the change to be made. A handsome new trolley car was been placed on the track and made half-hour trips each way between Robbinsdale and the intersection of 32nd Avenue North and Penn Avenue.
1898
In 1898, John Bloberger, Sr., (also pictured above with school children in front of the Village Hall) came to Robbinsdale, and was the first Chief of Police. He was also one of the first fire chiefs in the state. Bloberger was a resident of Robbinsdale for 46 years. Many of them were spent in his home at 3850 Noble Avenue. The life of a fireman was not easy in those days—it was often necessary to pull the truck by hand through snow drifts to reach the other side of the tracks. Bloberger’s son John Bloberger, Jr. followed in his father’s footsteps as a constable and a patrolman.
This post is part of a series based on the book Robbinsdale Then and Now by Helen Blodgett.