Saturday, January 21, 2017

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 21

January 21, 1912 – The “Grizzly Bear” dance, which is said to have invaded Minneapolis Greek letter societies at the Pan-Hellenic Ball given by 10 fraternities and sororities at the Masonic Temple Friday night, was criticized tonight by Rev. L. A. Crandall of Trinity Baptist Church.

The “Grizzly Bear Dance¹

“Although I have never seen either the so-called ‘Grizzly Bear’ dance or the ‘Turkey Trot,’” said Dr. Crandall, “I can tell from their names and the articles in the papers concerning them what they are like, and I do not approve of them. It is no more right for people to hug to music than to hug on a street car or any other public place. I do not think that dancing in itself is wrong, but evil effects may grow out of it. In fact, I can state many cases that I know of, personally, where young people’s lives have been ruined indirectly through dancing. Dancing, years ago, was one form of religious rite. Even now it is used by North American Indians to express their religious emotions, and I have known civilized sects of our own time to use it for that purpose. It has degenerated, however, until some forms of it are unfit for decent people to indulge in.”

The “Turkey Trot” Dance²

Dr. Crandall went on to say that the “Grizzly Bear” dance and the “Turkey Trot” should be stopped, especially at dances that were attended by respectable people, and that hugging dances of all kinds should be abandoned.

The Minneapolis Morning Tribune; “’Grizzly Bear’ Dance Criticized By Pastor. Dr. L. A. Crandall Believes People Have No Right to ‘Hug to Music.’ Major Point in Discussion Declared to Be matter of Supervision. Banishments From Community Termed Impossible Task.”; Jan. 22, 1912; p. 1.

¹http://www.jeredmorin.com/animal-dances-blues-swing-start/the-grizzly-bear/

²https://padavisblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/turkey-trot-02.jpg

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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 MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.

Website: TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

Contact me at: pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com

Friday, January 20, 2017

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 20

January 20, 1920 – Minnesota-born Gov. Frank Lowden of Illinois returned to his native soil today to address a convention of 2,000 members of the Northwest Lumberman’s Association in Minneapolis.

The governor was born in Sunrise, Minn., and moved to Iowa by boat when he was eight years old, and he reviewed pioneer days in the northwest in his address.

Lowden declared the work of Americanism “is the greatest before our people today,” and he made a strong appeal against internationalism, and held up American institutions as the greatest of all material possessions.
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A few months later, on March 2, Lowden returned to Sunrise, Minn., where he was born on Jan. 26, 1861, to announce his candidacy for President of the United States. Lowden was still the Governor of Ill. at the time. “At the Republican Convention in Chicago, a deadlock occurred with General Leonard Wood. A compromise candidate was chosen and Warren G. Harding [became] the 29th President of the United States.”

The Bemidji Daily Pioneer; “Illinois Governor Revisits Native State”; Jan. 20, 1920; p. 1.

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMF1CT_Frank_O_Lowden_Almost_a_President

This historical marker is located in front of the Sunrise, Minn. town hall where Frank Orren Lowden attended school.

Frank O. Lowden "Almost A President"!

Born January 26, 1861, just a mile southwest of here, Frank Lowden attended school at this site, until the age of 7. His Dad, Lorenzo, helped build the school at the beginning of the Civil War. His brother Eugene, and sister Caroline are buried in the Sunrise Cemetery. In 1868, the Lowdens moved to Iowa. From 1917-1921, Frank served as Governor of Illinois. On March 2, 1920, he returned to Sunrise and announced his candidacy for President! At the Republican Convention in Chicago, a deadlock occurred with General Leonard Wood. A compromise candidate was chosen and Warren G. Harding would become the 29th President of the United States.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 19

January 19, 1960 – Radio personality, television host and actress Eleanor Mondale, “the only daughter of Joan Mondale and former Vice President Walter Mondale,” was born in Minneapolis on this date.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Mondale

Eleanor Mondale campaigning for her father on October 29, 1984.

http://nicholasstixuncensored.blogspot.com/2011/09/lots-of-sex-and-rocknroll-but-no-drugs.html

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 18

January 18, 1883 – The Key City block at Moorhead, Minn., burned this evening. The fire was discovered at 11:30 p.m. and was out at 12:30 a.m. Burned to the ground, the Key City block was built about a year ago and cost $40,000.

The Grand Pacific Hotel was badly scorched on the east side, but was saved by the combined efforts of the Fargo and Moorhead fire companies. The loss for the other occupants of the block was about $50,000. A high wind from the Northwest was prevailing at the time. No lives were lost. The refugees were sheltered at the Jay Cooke and other houses.

Daily Minnesota Tribune; “Big Fire at Moorhead. The Key City Block Burned—Loss $90,000—The Grand Pacific Hotel Scorched.”; Jan. 19, 1883; p. 1.

The Grand Pacific Hotel

http://lib-mdl-dev.oit.umn.edu/catalog/clc:73

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 17

January 17, 1994 – Allan Odell died on this date of “old age”¹ at his home in Edina, Minn.; he was 90 years old. Odell and his younger brother Leonard wrote some 7,000 Burma Shave poems beginning in 1925 in rural Minn. The poems were put on “a series of small wooden signs spaced 100 feet apart, each carrying one line of a rhyme. The rhymes were by turns genial, flippant, cynical or absurd and loaded with puns, and each pointed toward a snappy payoff line that ended with the name of the product.”¹ The company, Burma Vita Inc., which produced Burma Shave, was run by their father.

Burma Shave Signs²

“The first signs were erected in Minnesota along U.S. 61 near Red Wing and U.S. 65 near Albert Lea. Mr. Odell's wife, Grace, [said] that "within a year, repeat orders were coming in for Burma Shave from druggists serving people who traveled those roads.

“Drivers tooling along at 35 miles an hour on the narrow black-top roads of the 1930's and 40's were delighted with the Burma Shave signs, and the advertising campaign quickly became a commercial success. At the peak of the campaign, in the early 1950's, there were 7,000 sets of signs in 45 states.”¹

¹http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/22/obituaries/allan-g-odell-90-burma-shave-executive-linked-beards-to-bards.html

http://www.timelines.ws/days/01_17.HTML

²http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BurmaShaveSigns_Route66.jpg

Monday, January 16, 2017

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 16

January 16, 2014 – Minnesota-native Ruth Robinson Duccini, the last surviving female Munchkin from the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz,” died on this date of natural causes in a Las Vegas hospice. Born in Rush City, Minn., four-foot-tall Ducci traveled to California with a troupe of little people to be cast in the film. She is survived by her son Fred and daughter Margaret.

http://www.today.com/entertainment/last-female-munchkin-wizard-oz-dies-95-2D11943978

http://www.bringmethenews.com/2014/01/17/minnesota-born-munchkin-from-the-wizard-of-oz-dies/

Ruth Robinson Duccini

http://www.bringmethenews.com/2014/01/17/minnesota-born-munchkin-from-the-wizard-of-oz-dies/

Sunday, January 15, 2017

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 15

January 15, 1911 – With the theater in darkness and while the audience at the Gayety Theater in downtown Minneapolis this afternoon was watching “The Girl and Eagle“ act, in which a huge white eagle on wires carried one of the chorus girls in its claws far above their heads, a break in the mechanism occurred and the girl was pitched headlong into the pit of the house.

Gayety Theater Downtown Minneapolis¹

A gasp of awe went up from the crowd, the lights were instantly turned on and the girl, Alta Phipps, in a half fainting condition, was picked up. It was found that a scalp wound had been inflicted from which the blood flowed freely, although in a few moments she was herself again. On the stage, members of the company stood anxiously at the footlights to learn the extent of the accident, and at a call from the management, the finale was given with the smiles lacking.

Phipps says it is the first time an accident has happened and she continued the act undaunted at the evening performance. A breaking of one of the rods on the crane is blamed for the trouble. Several members of the audience received slight bruises from the claws of the eagle, which dropped heavily with the girl.

Gayety Theater Ad²

The Minneapolis Morning Tribune; “Chorus Girl Falls From Wire. Break in mechanism Precipitates Alta Phipps Into the Pit.”; Jan. 16, 1911; p. 2.

¹http://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/102554/1402621505/large.jpg?1402621505

²The Minneapolis Morning Tribune; Jan. 16, 1911; p. 5.