1962
On February 20, 1962, the citizens of Robbinsdale, along with the rest of the nation, marveled at John Glenn’s rocketing into space and circling the earth three times. We anxiously awaited his “splash down” in the Pacific Ocean.
An area-wide improvement in shopping facilities occurred with the opening of the West Mall at Brookdale with Sears, Super Value and many other shops. However, this did have an increasingly negative effect on the businesses in Robbinsdale. In 1966 Brookdale added the East Mall with Dayton’s, Donaldson’s, Hudson, J. C. Penney Stores and others. West Broadway eventually lost its dime store (Ben Franklin) and many other shops. Many decry the changing direction of the main street (Broadway) in our town but the effort to compete with a regional shopping center is difficult and continuing. A change in direction seems to be occurring.
After three years of arguing, the citizens of Robbinsdale on November 8th, 1962, voted for a filtration plant to remove iron and manganese from our very hard artesian water. This was first voted on and failed in 1959. Then, in 1960 it failed by two votes. It was an interesting three years. Mayor Charles Wallace felt it was a step forward. Two filtration plants were built, one at 41st and Hubbard and the other at Beard and Oakdale. These serve the five wells.
On October 23, voters dutifully voted for another school bond issue. This time it was for a second high school to be opened by 1964 and was named the Edwin J. Cooper Senior High School in honor of School Superintendent Edwin J. Cooper, a Robbinsdale resident. The school bond issues were routinely passed as the voters were routinely producing children. The post-war “baby boom” was easing but the home building boom in the school dis’trict was bringing in many new families.
When the United States Post Office announce plans to relocate to the site of the National Food Store in Robin Center. City officials protested the move. The City Council noted that the Robbinsdale would not gain any assessed valuation. Douglas Rees, president of Robin Center Inc. said he would remodel for the post office and rent the space for $20,000 a year on a 20 year lease.
This post is part of a series loosely based on the book Robbinsdale Then and Now by Helen Blodgett.