The Fabulous Fifities
1950 Census: 11,289 (an 87.6% increase since 1940) The decade of the 1950’s was busy. World War II was over. School activities were fun for all the new parents. In April, the City Council reapportioned … Read more
West Broadway
A New Library
1926 The original library building proved wholly inadequate and with donations from local citizens and the county library fund, a new library was built for $8,000-$9,000 and opened January 4, 1926, absolutely debt free, on … Read more
Fire, Water and Wind
1925 On February 25, in a bitter sub-zero gale, a disastrous fire burned down one half of a block of the business district. Flames started in the rear of R. L. Schuller’s two-story farm implement, … Read more
Robbins Answers the Final Summons
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
The Century Turns
1900 Census 520 The first decade of the Twentieth Century was a busy one for our “small town.” A library club was formed. An official volunteer fire department was organized. There was an active Commercial … Read more
During the Dakota War
1862 Following a cold spring in 1861, hard times came along. The Dakota War of ’62 did not affect the settlers here except to make them nervous. Horartio Stillman bundled his family into his wagon … Read more
A Swift Postcard
Born in Boston in 1848, George Swift came to Minnesota with his parents. At the age of 13, Swift enlisted as a drummer boy at Fort Snelling. During the War Between the States … Read more
More Than Just a Barber!
O.T. (Otto) Beaudoin, pictured here with Frank Dillenberg in 1937, was born in Quebec in 1871. He came to Robbinsdale in 1927. Beaudoin operated two barbershops in town and was in business for over thirty … Read more
Princess, His Bride
A gay young prince of the house of Hapsburg brought a gold leaf console table out of the palace of a swarthy Florentine doge 500 years ago and sent it on the backs of the … Read more