For more than a century, the Girling and Ambrose families have been woven into the history of Robbinsdale. Thomas Herbert Girling was born in Nottingham, England, in 1865. He arrived in Minnesota in the late nineteenth century and eventually became one of Robbinsdale’s most prominent early boosters. He served as village president and was involved in publishing, transportation, real estate, and politics. His 1917 home, built on the shore of Crystal Lake, is still in the family and remains filled with original furniture, papers, and family artifacts that offer a remarkable connection to the area’s early years.
The Girling family’s history is filled with stories that reflect both the changing community and the personalities of the people who lived there. Girling operated an early bus company, helped improve roads leading into Robbinsdale, and was involved in the town’s sometimes-contentious saloon debate.
Though Crystal Lake’s shore has receded over the years, family members recall seeing all kinds of wildlife along the shoreline and witnessing boating accidents. In fact Girling himself saved two fishermen whose boat had overturned. Other memories include working on political campaigns and later discovering a mysterious tunnel beneath the house.
After Thomas Girling died in an automobile crash in 1924, his wife Mary Girling kept the furniture, paintings, congressional records, and campaign materials, making the house a kind of memorial to him for the rest of her life.
The Ambrose family put down equally deep roots in Robbinsdale, building their West Broadway home in 1923. William Robert Ambrose, was an alderman during the transition from village to city and was active in civic organizations and community events. His son, Leo Ambrose, served in World War II and later became Minnesota’s state weighmaster, a state-appointed official responsible for overseeing public weights and measures.
Family letters, photographs, and other records preserve Ambrose connections to wartime Robbinsdale, Sacred Heart Church, local government, and everyday life. Together, the Girling and Ambrose stories illustrate something larger about Robbinsdale: its history is not only found in prominent buildings or official records, but also in the families who remained in their homes for generations and carried the memories of the community with them.
Listen to the rest of the story with Thomas Girling’s granddaughter!