Dr. Donald G. Colp was one of Robbinsdale’s prominent citizens. He vas born in Nova Scotia. He graduated from then Fargo, North Dakota College and Yale Divinity School in 1897. He served churches in New Haven, Connecticut and Fargo, North Dakota, coming to. Robbinsdale to be the minister of the Congregational Church, serving from 1902 to 1908, while pursuing his medical studies at the University of Minnesota. On July 19, 1904 a reception was held at Tom Girling’s for Mr. Colp. He was presented with a medicine case that cost $13.25 and a purse of $28.00. Retiring from the ministry he practiced medicine in Robbinsdale. In 1915 he bought 15 acres of land on West Broadway and 38th Avenue and built his large home from which he practiced.
This was the show place of Robbinsdaie, patients came from all over the countryside see him, they all left with about the same kind of pills. Mrs. Colp was a charter member of the Library Club and served as its president. She, died in 1929. They had two sons, Edward, who became a doctor and Donald. One daughter, Elizabeth moved to Boston. In 1931 the doctor married a Barvarian Countess which caused much excitement and talk an. over town. The house was made into a nursing home later an addition was added. It was finally demolished and the Crystal Lake Nursing Home built on the sight.
This material was gathered from the North Hennepin Post and the diaries of Ellen M. Bisbee, (sister of J. P. Shumway and Nathan F. Russ J. P. Shumway). It was compiled and edited by Evelyn and Esther Shumway for a Robbinsdale Historiocal Society slide show in 1980.