On This Date in Minnesota History: March 19

March 19, 1921 – Dr. Flora Aldrich, the first woman doctor in Anoka, died on this date. She and her husband Dr. Alanson Aldrich came to Anoka from New York State to visit some friends in the 1880s, and fell in love with the town and decided to stay.¹

In 1904 the Aldriches built a combined home and doctors’ office on 3rd Ave. S., which was designed after homes in upstate New York, where they were from.¹ Known as Colonial Hall, the doctors’ office was considered top of the line and built to be as sanitary as possible. For example, its operating room had a “sanitary cuspidor for the use of patients suffering with any disease where sputum [was] liable to contain microorganisms, and so arranged that all are carried away by a stream of water flowing continuously.”²

Colonial Hall was acquired by the Masonic Lodge after Flora died in 1921. In Aug. 1971, the Anoka Historical Society began to lease the building. On Dec. 31, 1979, Colonial Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and today is occupied by a tenant, the Anoka Artique.

Anoka Union; “Housing the history of Anoka County, As Colonial Hall celebrates its 90^th birthday”; Anoka, Minn.; Nov. 7, 1994.

 Colonial Hall history submitted to Anoka County Historical Society May 5, 1977 by Leslie Guillund.

Photos taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain March 19, 2015, 

as long as acknowledgement included.  

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If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching  genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including: census records,  birth records,  death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records.  I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MHS records.  Both short searches and family history reports.

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