On This Date in Minnesota History: December 25

*December 25, 1993 - Shot entirely in Minnesota, the movie Grumpy Old Men was released on this date.¹ While the protagonists played by Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in the movie live in Wabasha, Minn., only a few outdoor scenes were really shot there; “most location shots were actually filmed in other Minnesota communities.”² For example, Jon Gustafson (Jack Lemmon), Max Goldman (Walter Matthau) and Arriel Truax’s (Ann-Margret) houses are actually located in St. Paul near Lake Phalen.<sup>3

1</sup>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumpy_Old_Men_(film)
²http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha,_Minnesota
³http://www.johnweeks.com/tour/gom/index.html

Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon's houses in Grumpy Old Men

Ann-Margret's house
Photos taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain 12-25-2012,
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 MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.

                                                    

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On This Date in Minnesota History: December 24

December 24, 1909 – Defective electric wiring is believed to have been the cause of a fire that practically destroyed Millard Hall, the medical building at the University of Minnesota, this evening. The loss will be in the neighborhood of $75,000.

The building had been occupied by the dental department for the last few months and was filled with valuable apparatus and instruments. It is the third time that the same building has been on fire, but only slight damage was done on the former occasions.

Millard Hall¹

According to the firemen, it was the lack of a sufficient water supply that caused the blaze to be so disastrous.

All of the students left a week ago for their homes to spend the Christmas holidays. Dr. C. F. Dight, one of the instructors, was the only man in the building when the fire broke out. It started between the walls on the top floor and soon shot out through the roof. He opened a window and shouted a warning to the watchman, who immediately turned in an alarm.

When the firemen arrived, the fire had gained such a headway that little could be done, as there was not enough water to drown out the flames. A new valve had been installed in one of the other buildings during the day, which was the cause of turning off the water.

The building was built in 1893 at a cost of $56,000, but several improvements have been made since. It was known as Millard Hall and more familiarly as the old medical building. Only the upper floor was used by the medical department, however, while the rest of the hall was occupied by the school of dentistry.

Among the valuable contents destroyed was the medical library destroyed was the medical library consisting of about 5,000 volumes of rare books. Instruments belonging to 200 students valued at from $50 to $300 each, teaching material and the contents of the laboratories. It is said that the dental department had a stock valued at approximately $50,000, but much of it will be salvage.

Nearly all the students had their instruments insured and their personal loss will be small. There was also insurance on the property of the state amounting to 75 percent of the valuation.

Dr. E. D. Brown is one of the heavy losers, although it is difficult to figure his loss in dollars and cents. It is believed that all of his records of original research work were destroyed.

One of the senior students, A. I. Moore, lost 150 casts, which he considered of great value.

The fire was spectacular and attracted an immense crowd, but the police kept excellent order and the firemen were not hampered in their work.

An examination of the building will be made by the fire marshal tomorrow to determine the cause of the fire. At present, no other cause than defective wiring is being considered.

A conference of the board of regents will be held tomorrow to determine how to continue the work of the dental college without interruption.

The Minneapolis Morning Tribune; “Millard Hall at ‘U’ Destroyed by Fire. Defective Wiring Given as the Cause of $75,000 Loss to State. Dental Department Is the Chief Loser—Insurance Fairly Large. Inadequate Water Supply Blamed for Seriousness of the Fire.”; Dec. 25, 1909; p. 1.

¹http://editions.lib.umn.edu/ahcarchives/2012/06/19/the-millard-halls/

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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.

                                                        

Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.

Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

Contact me at: pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 23

December 23, 1902 – “Smallpox is becoming too common and there seems to be a deal of carelessness in handling it,” said Secretary Bracken of the state board of health today. “I have received letters and complaints from Brandon, Holdingsford, Cokato, Kingston and Elbow Lake that the county health boards and officials are not looking after the disease as they should.

“The residents in several sections where the disease is reported are avoiding quarantine by not calling in physicians and consequently the disease is not diagnosed. One man with the disease reached Minneapolis Monday from Lillbridge’s lumber camp near Cass Lake. Walker & Ackley’s camp at Ten Strike also sent another patient to Minneapolis.

“Eight men arrived at Atkin Monday from Posten’s camp in Cass County. Three of the men had the disease and the other five had been exposed to it. All of the men had traveled on railroad trains and this accounts for the spread of the disease. Steps will be taken by the state board to investigate and if possible punish those who are responsible.”

The Saint Paul Globe; “Smallpox is Rife in Lumber Camps. State Board Secretary Threatens to Make Trouble for Someone.”; Dec. 24, 1902; p. 2.

smallpox

http://www.amnh.org/explore/science-topics/disease-and-eradication/
countdown-to-zero/smallpox

           __________________________________________________________

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.

                                                         

Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.

Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

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On This Date in Minnesota History: December 22

December 22, 1869 - William Watts Folwell was inaugurated as the first president of the University of Minnesota on this date.  

http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/history-mission/index.html

William Watts Folwell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:William_Watts_Folwell.jpg

           __________________________________________________________

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.

                                                         

Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.

Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

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On This Date in Minnesota History: December 21

December 21, 1922 – Minnesota jurist Pierce Butler was confirmed as an Associate Justice to the United States Supreme Court on this date by a wide margin of 61 to 8. He is notable for being the first Justice from Minnesota, and for being a Democrat appointed by a Republican president.

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

Pierce Butler

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

           __________________________________________________________

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.

                                                         

Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.

Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

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On This Date in Minnesota History: December 20

December 20, 1902 – Clearwater County, Minn., was established on this date. “It was named after the Clearwater river and lake, which lie partly in its area.”

Upham, Warren; Minnesota Geographic Names, Their Origin and Historic Significance; Minnesota Historical Society (St. Paul, Minn., 1969); p. 121.

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/u/us-mn-cl.gif

           __________________________________________________________

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.

                                                         

Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.

Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

Contact me at: pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 19

December 19, 1957 – “Governor Orville L. Freeman appointed L. Howard Bennett to a municipal judgeship in Minneapolis, making him the first African American judge appointed in Minnesota.”

http://www.thehistorypeople.com/data/docs/timeline-part2.pdf

After his campus appearance in 1959, Martin Luther King Jr. was interviewed by L. Howard Bennett, a local civil rights leader and the first African American judge in Minnesota, for local educational television. The video may be seen through MN Video Vault, a project of Twin Cities Public Television.

http://www.minnesotaalumni.org/s/1118/content.aspx?sid=1118&gid=1&pgid=3147&cid=5180&ecid=5180&ciid=24984&crid=0

           __________________________________________________________

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.

                                                         

Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.

Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

Contact me at: pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com