Lars Nasett came from Wisconsin in 1887 with an uncle, I. J. Nasett, who was drawing the plans for the Lutheran Seminary. His wife and family came a year later. Lars worked with his uncle as a carpenter. He bought land from A. B. Robbins in July 1888 and immediately erected a store which opened for business on September 21, 1888. The family lived in the rooms over the store for 40 years. There were four children, Anna and Ella – John and Lawrence. The store sold general merchandise, hardware, tinware, paints and supplies. It stood on 42nd Avenue and Rockford Road – just in back of where the Standard Oil Station is today. This store became a new trading point for near by farmers, in the old days “trading” was really trading. Farmers exchanged butter, eggs, cord wood and other country products for store goods. These in turn were used by the store owner or sold to other customers. Mr. Nasett was much involved in early Robbinsdale. He was a trustee on the council for two terms — served as Village Assessor for 22 years off and on – as well as Village Health Officer. Mr. Nasctt was the first postmaster of what was then Crystal Village – he cancelled his first letter in 1888. Until then the only post office in the township was at Camden. He alternated being postmaster with George Swift – When the Democrats were in office he was the postmaster, when the Republicans got in Mr. Swift had the job. In 1910 the job of postmaster was offered to Mr. Nasett again – he was then Station Agent for the Great Northern Railway, so he sent his two sons to take the test. John was appointed. During World War One, when his sons were in service he was assistant postmaster. Lawrence became postmaster after the war, a job he held until 1934. Mr. Nasett died April 13, 1931 at that time he was still serving as Village Assessor. A granddaughter lives in California.
There was a pump and well in front of the store – people came for miles around for water from here. Mr. Nasett had the water tested at the University and it was found to be some of the best in the state. The pump and well often needed repairs because of its hard use — getting tired of paying the bills — he asked the Village to pay for the upkeep – getting ‘”NO” for an answer he finally buried the pump under the sidewalk where it is today.
-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.
