Buildings

Our Little Boomtown

1889   Mr. Robbins’ second business in Robbinsdale was a street car factory. It was near the car barn on Hubbard Avenue. The new factory began work on October 15, 1889, and by December 19, … Read more

Haakon and the Village Hall

1888 The late 1880’s were busy ones for this area. Haakon Christensen, born in Oslo, Norway, in 1859, first visited Robbinsdale to attend the laying of the cornerstone of the Seminary. He returned shortly after, … Read more

The Hubbard Marketplace Then and Now

In April of 1949, the new fire and police station was formally dedicated. At 2:00 a whistle blew and the firemen marched with the Robbinsdale and Anoka city bands from their old home in back … Read more

Olivet United Methodist Church

Olivet is the first congregation organized after the 1946 merger of the Evangelical Church and the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. The first worship service for Olivet took place in Robbinsdale at remodeled … Read more

A Swift Postcard

    Born in Boston in 1848, George Swift came to Minnesota with his parents. At the age of 13, Swift enlisted as a drummer boy at Fort Snelling. During the War Between the States … Read more

More Than Just a Barber!

O.T. (Otto) Beaudoin, pictured here with Frank Dillenberg in 1937, was born in Quebec in 1871. He came to Robbinsdale in 1927. Beaudoin operated two barbershops in town and was in business for over thirty … Read more

The Little Old Home Town

Captain Billy reporting: After an extended trip of two months, which led me throughout the North American continent, it was a rare treat to settle down again to routine duties on the Whiz Bang farm. … Read more