On This Date in Minnesota History: March 22

March 22, 2007 – “Lillian Colton, better known as the Seed Lady for her extensive collection of seed portraits, [died on this date]. She was 95. Colton's seed art was regularly displayed at the Minnesota State Fair, and was on exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in 2004.”

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/03/22/seedladyobit/

Colton's seed art displayed at the Minn. State Fair
Photo taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain  March 22, 2014,
as long as acknowledgement included.  

On This Date in Minnesota History: March 21

March 21, 1904 – Forrest Mars, Sr., the driving force of the Mars candy empire, was born in Wadena, Minn., on this date. He is best known for inventing M&M's and the Mars bar, as well as orchestrating the launch of Uncle Ben's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Mars,_Sr.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Plain-M%26Ms-Pile.jpg

On This Date in Minnesota History: March 20

March 20, 1826 - A deep snow fell at Ft. Snelling that drifted in heaps from six to fifteen feet.

http://history.rays-place.com/mn/mn-early-ev.htm

http://www3.iath.virginia.edu/minnesota/snelling.html

On This Date in Minnesota History: March 19

March 19, 1962 – Minnesota-native “Bob Dylan's self-titled debut LP hit shelves on [this date]. The album failed to crack the Billboard charts and sold about 5,000 copies that year. In July of 1962, he returned to Columbia Studio A with a new song called ‘Blowin' In The Wind.’ It had been a part of his live show for months, and by the next summer, it would completely transform his life.”

http://entertainment.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/19/10762860-50-years-ago-today-bob-dylan-released-debut-album

Bob Dylan

http://www.google.com/search?q=public+domain+images+of+Bob+Dylan&hl=en&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=zovKT7b1JsSe2gWry_XaCw&sqi=2&ved=0CHMQsAQ&biw=1166&bih=565

On This Date in Minnesota History: March 18

March 18, 1898 – John Mushik – the last man to be [legally] hanged in Minnesota – was declared dead 14 minutes after being hung in Minneapolis City Hall on this date.¹  “His crime: murdering [John Lemke] for a measly $14.”² The murder took place on October 21, 1897, two days after Mushik was released from Stillwater prison for stealing. His execution took place in the large vacant space on the jail floor between the hospital and the insane wards on the 5^th Street side of the building.³

“The [Chapel] Courtroom where he was convicted, the place where he was hanged and the mayor’s office are all said to be haunted by an angry Moshik. The dead man rearranges photos at his most harmless, and makes judges and attorneys to fall deathly ill at his worst. He has appeared before workers and other inmates, dressed only in his boxers.”<sup>2

1</sup>Grand Forks Herald; “Hanged This Morning, John Moshik, The Murderer of John Lemke, Pays the Price”; Grand Forks, ND; March 18, 1898; p.8.

²http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2010/10/minnesotas_most.php

³Minneapolis Journal; “Where Mushik Hangs, The Gallows will Stand on the Jail Floor”; February 7, 1898; p. 6.

Minneapolis City Hall
Photo taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain July 16, 2013,
as long as acknowledgement included.

Other Haunted Places in Minnesota:

Thayer’s Hotel, Annandale, Minn.; see August 24, 2012 blog

The Jackson Hotel, now Billy’s Bar & Grill, Anoka, Minn.; see December 8, 2012 blog

Forepaugh’s Restaurant in S.t Paul; see July 8, 2013 blog

LeDuc House, Hastings, Minn.; see October 30, 2013 blog

The Palmer House Hotel in Sauk Centre, Minn.; see Feb. 11, 2014 blog

Kohler Hotel, Rochester, Minn.; see February 17, 2014 blog

On This Date in Minnesota History: March 17

March 17, 1866 – Born on this date in Pine Bend (now Rosemount), Dakota County, Minn., Pierce Butler was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1923 until his death in 1939.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce_Butler_(justice)

Pierce Butler
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce_Butler_(justice)

On This Date in Minnesota History: March 16

March 16, 1974 – “In his second season as coach, Herb Brooks led the Minnesota Gophers hockey team to its first NCAA championship. The Gophers won the crown with a 4-2 victory over Michigan Tech on [this date]. Minnesota would go on to win two more NCAA titles under Brooks in 1976 and 1979.”

http://mn70s.tumblr.com/page/3

Herb Brooks
http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/large_lightbox/hash/c6/ed/c6ed704294c9e16c18375d83f87bc2e3.jpg