People

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

Bob Johnson Made It Bigger

During a career that stretched out over 60 years, Robbinsdale sculptor, Bob Johnson created hundreds of memorable outdoor sculptures. Johnson grew up in Becker, Minnesota, and served in the Navy during World War II. He … 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

Princess, His Bride

A gay young prince of the house of Hapsburg brought a gold leaf console table out of the palace of a swarthy Florentine doge 500 years ago and sent it on the backs of the … 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

Robbinsdale Cab Candids

George Dover was an English immigrant of Jewish decent. He started the Robbinsdale Cab company in the early 1920’s. The business was a family affair. After George retired his son, David took over and  built … Read more

Joseph William Roche

This post contains the pages of a small album donated to the Robbinsdale Historical Society by Mary Ellen Roche Wadden. Click on the images below to obtain a larger view.

A Blacksmith on the Corner

  The late 1880s were busy wins for this area. Haakon Christensen ( Pictured above with his son George) was born in Oslo Norway in 1859. He first visited Robbinsdale to attend the laying of … Read more