Robbinsdale Historical Society
Sharing Your Past To Build Our Future
Father William H. Blum dedicated Sacred Heart’s little wooden church on Christmas Day in 1911. At that time the Robbinsdale parish was made up of 38 families. In 1914 rectory was built and the church … Read more
In the middle of the last century Robbinsdale was the only area suburb with a high school and West Broadway was the only shopping district between Minneapolis and Osseo. In 1961 more than 21,000 were enrolled in the Robbinsdale School District and homecoming was a big event! Mayor Walter J.(Red) Sochacki, who spent many years as the Robbinsdale High School Football and Basketball coach, brought the parade downtown.The tradition held for several decades.
Lee Elementary School on 36th Avenue opened in 1948. Two years later and addition was built. The Adiar Elementary in 1952 alowed the old school on Regent to become a junior high and high school. … Read more
“The will of Andrew B. Robbins made his wife and his daughter, Edith Robbins,
Joint executrices of his estate. This action was in recognition of the long-time
cooperation of his life partner, and the active participation for many years in
his real estate and allied interests, of his eldest daughter, Edith Robbins,
whose work in carrying forward plans for developing the beautiful suburb which
bears her father’s name, along lines he approved, has fully justified his faith.
She is helping the children of her father’s customers of the early ’90s to build
substantial homes in the shade of his trees, which she has cared for and guarded
through all the intervening years.
In 1951, when the Terrace opened on a small hill above Crystal Lake, the building was one of the most dramatic and elegant theaters ever built in the Twin Cities. The International-style exterior was made up of a series of rectangles and a towering marquee, topped by the theater’s name. Inside the front doors, beyond the lobby, the Terrace was equipped with sweeping foyers overlooking a rolling lawn and enormous parking lot.
Robbinsdale was almost a college town. The Luther Theological Seminary of the Norwegian Lutheran Church was built on 10 acres donated by Andrew Robbins, George Brimhall, and Alfred Parker in 1889.The grand opening audience of … Read more
In 1935 the federal government added $135,000 to the $124,000 voted on by tax payers for the construction of a new high school. Ground was broken at Regent and 42nd in March of 1936. The … Read more
Generations of athletes grew up playing on Mielke Field. Located across the street from Robbinsdale High School, the athletic field named for former Robbinsdale principal, Milo Mielke, was actually in the City of Crystal. Mielke … Read more
Robbinsdale’s first school bus hit the road in 1924. Howard Hommes drove the kids in from as far away as Crystal, Brooklyn Center and New Hope. Early school buses usually had a wooden body attached … Read more