Robbinsdale Historical Society
Sharing Your Past To Build Our Future
1893 Thomas H. Girling, born in England in 1865, had considerable impact as a publisher and civic leader in Robbinsdale. He had learned the printing business and in February, 1893, started publishing the weekly “Picturesque … Read more
1891 Mr. Robbins was interested in attracting people to the village and in order to make it more convenient for those who might live here and continue to carry on business in the city, he … Read more
Trumps, Parker School, a 23-room Hotel, and Bustling Businesses The year 1890 was a busy one for the Robbinsdale area. John A. Trump built a general merchandise store where the Twin City Federal Savings and … Read more
1888 The late 1880’s were busy ones for this area. Haakon Christensen, born in Oslo, Norway, in 1859, first visited Robbinsdale to attend the laying of the cornerstone of the Seminary. He returned shortly after, … Read more
1880 The first railroad through the community was called the Minneapolis Branch of the St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Railroad , later the Great Northern Railroad Company. In 1880 a flag station was established, merely … Read more
1870 The population of Crystal Lake township was 718. Besides farming, a few industries developed. The first was a shingle mill at Shingle Creek, built in 1852 (everyone needed shingles!) and then a flour mill … Read more
1865 After the Civil War ended and the military reservation was reduced, the settlement of Minneapolis, Crystal Lake, and other towns developed rapidly. The first school for District No. 24 was built in 1865 was … Read more
1863 In all pioneer communities there comes a time when people decide to bury their loved ones in an official cemetery — rather than under a favorite tree on the home farm. On November 20, … Read more
1860 In 1857 a State Constitution was ratified by the people and on May 11, 1858, Minnesota was admitted into the Union by an Act of Congress”, the 32nd State. The population in 1857 was … Read more