On This Date in Minnesota History: January 17

January 17, 1999 — “Gary Anderson, who had connected on 44 successive field goals, misses a 38-yard field goal attempt that would have clinched victory for the record-setting Minnesota Vikings over the Atlanta Falcons. But following his miss, the Falcons tie the game in the last two minutes of regulation and win in overtime.”

http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2008/07/part-3-150-minnesota-moments-wed-just-soon-forget

http://schultzstake.blogspot.com/2011/08/touchdown-how-vikings-are-buying.html

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 16

January 16, 1963 – “A half-million-dollar fire swept through the center of downtown Princeton [on this date], destroying seven businesses, damaging several others and forcing 30 people to flee for their lives.

The blaze started about 1:45 p.m. from a short-circuited wire in the basement of the Skogmo Department Store on Princeton’s main street.”

Minneapolis Morning Tribune; “Fire Destroys 7 Businesses in Princeton”; January 17, 1963, p. 1.

Photos taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain Jan. 16, 2015,
as long as acknowledgement included

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 15

January 15, 1889 - James Holmes, indicted for assault with a deadly weapon; J. A. Nelson, indicted for giving and passing checks on the National Bank in Detroit, Minn., where he had no funds on deposit, and John Anderson, indicted for biting off O. H. Ulen’s nose, broke jail in Detroit this evening, going through the heating register in the floor. They left a note to the sheriff, suggesting that he should look after the locks on the cells, and bidding him an affectionate farewell. Considerable snow fell tonight, and the sheriff has been unable to track or get any word on the fugitives.

St. Paul Daily Globe; “Tired of Jail, Three Toughs Escape From the Rickety County Coop at Detroit.”; January 16, 1889; p. 1.

As a result of continuous postal mix-ups between Detroit, Minn. and the better-known Detroit, Mich., the city's name was changed to Detroit Lakes in 1926.   

http://www.visitdetroitlakes.com/relocation/history

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/41115679.jpg

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 14

January 14, 1901 - Alice Smith, a waitress on her way to work early this morning, was the victim of an attempted abduction. At Hennepin Ave. and Fifth Street, Smith was picked up and carried bodily by an unknown man for two blocks. She was so frightened and surprised, that at first she was unable to cry out. Once she regained her presence of mind, she began to scream loudly and her abductor hastily placed her on the ground and ran away.

Smith says that the man came up behind her. She did not hear him approach, nor did she see the man before he grabbed her. The first thing that she was aware of was when she was suddenly taken off her feet by two strong arms and carried down the avenue. The young lady is very slight and her abductor had no difficulty in carrying her.

As they were reaching Third Street, a man approaching from the opposite direction heard Miss Smith’s screams, realized that something was wrong and hurried towards them. The abductor did not notice the approaching man at first.

However, once he saw him, he dropped Miss Smith and fled south on Third Street with such haste that she was unable to catch but a fleeting glimpse, and later was unable to give an accurate description of the man.

Miss Smith’s parents and older brother live in the country, and she is fearful that when they find out about this incident, they will be terrified and at once call her home from the wicked city.

Aside from her fright, the young lady was in no way injured.


The Minneapolis Journal; “Picked Her Up Bodily. A sensational Abduction Attempted on Hennepin. Big Man Grabs a Girl. And Carries Her Two Blocks in His Arms. Alarm Given And He Escapes. Alice Smith, the Victim, Can Give but Little Description of Him.”; January 14, 1901; p. 1. 

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 13

January 13, 1915 – Mrs. Emma Arneson, 37, wife of Ole Arneson of Buzzle Township, Beltrami County, Minn., and the mother of six children, was taken to the Fergus Falls insane asylum this afternoon, having been judged insane by Judge D. H. Fisk, court commissioner.

The unfortunate woman has been failing for three years and while never violent, her mental powers have been in an unbalanced condition, continually growing worse. She was taken to the asylum by George Denley, deputy sheriff.  Mr. Arneson accompanied the officer on the trip.¹

Today, postpartum depression might be a viable consideration for her illness. But in the late 1800s to the early 1900s, some of the reasons patients were sent to insane asylums were due to symptoms we would look at as somewhat normal behavior now.

Below is a list of reasons patients were sent to insane asylums in West Virginia from 1864 to 1889.²

Novel reading? 

Politics (fill in joke here)? 

Ill treatment by husband? Wouldn’t it be more logical to lock the husband up rather than his wife?

List of reasons for admission to an insane asylum from the late 1800s 




¹The Bemidji Daily Pioneer; “Taken to Asylum. Buzzle Woman Adjudged Insane Yesterday by Judge D. H. Fisk.”; January 14, 1915; p. 1.

²Sources: Appalachian History, Grateful Web, West Virginia State Archives, West Virgina Encyclopedia, Steampunk

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 12

January 12, 2001 – “Target Corp. [announced] that it will convert all of its department stores to the Marshall Field's name to increase the company's brand and strengthen its competitive position.”

http://brainerddispatch.com/stories/011301/bus_0113010041.shtml

http://annyas.com/handlettered-logos-department-stores/

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 11

January 11, 1980 – Hotel Duluth’s 45-day close-out sale of all of its furnishings opened for business this morning. One of the first things to go was the famed black bear from the hotel’s Black Bear Lounge. It was purchased by Andy Borg, vice-president of Grandma’s Saloon and Deli, for $325, and immediately went on display on the deli case at Grandma’s in Canal Park.

The 14-story, 400-room hotel will be converted to senior citizen apartments, except for the bottom three floors which will be retained for commercial use.

Duluth Herald; “Black bear of Hotel Duluth given home at Grandma’s”; January 11, 1980; p. 4A.

http://zenithcity.com/zenith-city-history-archives/myths-notorious-tales/bear-and-drunk-square-off-at-the-hotel-duluth/


Visit my Aug. 18, 2012 blog for the story of the black bear in the Hotel Duluth.