1910 Census 765 (a 4% increase since 1900) The decade of the “teens” showed continued growth of our small village. Another church, a new bank, a P.T.A., concerts, a new band stand, a bath house, … Read more
1909 Perly Malbon was a mail carrier for many years. As the train slowed down, mail bags were tossed off, piled into a cart and pushed a block to the post office for sorting. … Read more
1904 The idea for a library for Robbinsdale took its first concrete step at a meeting April 6th, at the home of W. S. Sayre. Dr. D. G. Colp was elected president and Maude Stillman … Read more
Shortly after Andrew B. Robbins moved his family to Robbinsdale, he gathered a group of investors and built the Hubbard Specialty Manufacturing plant. The firm made chairs, wheelbarrows, camp furniture, grocery boxes, and wooden washing … Read more
The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s library is “Robbinsdale” by local author Pete Richie. The pictorial history book, released on July 7th, 2014, uses black and white photographs to showcase Robbinsdale’s compelling history.
While serving in the state legislature, Andrew B. Robbins visited the lakes, woods and rolling hills just north of Minneapolis. Inspired by the landscape and potential for development, he purchased 90 acres and created the Robbinsdale Park subdivision in 1887. Robbins worked tirelessly to bring schools, industry and a streetcar line to the area. In 1893 Robbinsdale incorporated as a village bearing his name.
Images of America: Robbinsdale provides readers with a complete history of what started out as a lake-side village. It includes several photos of the 16-room mansion Robbins built in his estate and other notable houses. This book includes rare images from this early suburb and captures memorable days of dancing, boating and entertaining.
“The American Suburbs Company is using every honorable means of inducing investors and prospective home builders to become new citizens” An Ad in July 8th, 1908 Robbinsdale Tellit (Tell-it!) Newspaper This postcard from 1911 looks … Read more
The relationship between Robbinsdale and the sparkling lake in the center of town has never been an easy one. In the 1880s, Crystal Lake Avenue (West Broadway) was used by farmers to bring produce into Minneapolis. The steep hill on the west side of the lake caused teams and carts to line up in caravans twenty deep.In 1893, a couple months after Robbinsdale was incorporated at a village, the council decided to use to use $1000 from the “Saloon Fund” to cut down the hill. The fill from the project was used to shrink the lake. William Randall and George “Don” Johnson started Robbinsdale Ice and Fuel Co. and began cutting ice on Crystal Lake in the 1890’s. A couple years later the Crystal Ice Company the Cedar Lake Ice Company began staking out territory on Crystal Lake. In 1903 Thomas Girling’s Picturesque Robbinsdale newspaper reported that the number of parties cutting ice on Crystal Lake was due to the “extreme clearness and purity, this ice is considered the best that can be had around Minneapolis.” Andrew B. Robbins believed Crystal and Twin would one day rival the popular chain of lakes in Minneapolis. Enthusiastic about the possibilities of Robbinsdale’s lakes, He claimed that “Crystal Lake in size would compare with the better known Lake Harriet of Minneapolis, while Twin Lake is twice that size. Its mate, upper Twin Lake connects with a chain of several lakes.” A canal between Crystal and Twin Lakes was proposed on a number of occasions.
In 1921 Amy Robbins earned this entry in “American Biography: A New Cyclopedia, Vol. 9”, by William Richard Cutter. The book was published by The American Historical Society, Inc of New York.
WARE, Amy (Robbins),
Author, Red Cross Worker in France.
Amy (Robbins) Ware, of Robbinsdale, Minnesota, daughter of Andrew Bonney and Adelaide Julia (Walker) Robbins, is of Colonial ancestry. She is a lineal descendant of the “Mayflower Pilgrim,” John Howland, through Captain Abraham Shaw (American Revolution), Captain Shaw’s daughter being Mary (Shaw) Robbins, mother of Andrew Bonney Robbins.
It was in Minneapolis, Minnesota, under the hospitable roof of her mother’s brother, Thomas Barlow Walker, that Amy Robbins was born, September 7, 1877.
Much of the active interest in art which has motivated the life of Amy Robbins originated in the hours spent from earliest childhood among the art treasures of the T. B. Walker Collection. From the age of eight she was a devotee of the violin, studying and later teaching that instrument. She graduated from East Minneapolis High School, 1896, specializing in architecture, which profession she practiced until 1898. She was graduated from the University of Minnesota, Bachelor of Science, 1901. She studied applied-design, woodcarving, leather and jewelry, in summer schools of Minneapolis Handicraft Guild, 1905-06. She received the degree of Master of Arts, University of Minnesota, 1907; major in dramaturgy, historic-design, archaeology.
She married J. R. Ware, August 14, 1907. Residence, “The Orchard,” Robbinsdale. She established “Orchard Crafts Guild,” 1908. She traveled on the continent, 1913-14.
Coming of a family who for generations have “served with the colors,” it was inevitable that Amy (Robbins) Ware should take part in the World War as soon as her own country became involved, and devote herself to the cause. April 6, 1917, (the day the United States declared war), Mrs. Ware entered the American School of Telegraphy, studying Morse and Radio Telegraphy, remaining until July, 1917. She conducted the Radio Department, Women’s Naval Service Inc. Training School, teaching both day and night classes from September, 1917, to March, 1918. She was accepted as a canteen worker, American Red Cross, and sailed for France on “La Touraine,” March 14, 1918.
“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.
