This issue: Contents
Tuesday, May 19th, 2015
Editor’s NoteThanks for checking out this week’s issue of the Historical Messenger! And I have to send another ‘thank you’ to everyone who attended our “Interesting Inmates of the Stillwater Prison” presentation on Sunday! We had a good crowd and I always love sharing stories from inside the limestone walls of Stillwater’s Silent City. We’ve actually got a few more fun events planned for May – check out our News Stories to learn more information about the Hay Lake Speaker Series and the 2015 Vintage Base Ball season! Another round of “What Is This Thing?!” is halfway down the page – challenging all you history-buffs! In our Old News section you’ll learn a bit of interesting – yet truly and utterly trivial – piece of Stillwater history. Finally, in today’s Featured Article you’ll read about a former staple of the Stillwater skyline that unfortunately failed to survive the passage of time. If you’re interested in Mahtomedi history – former WCHS intern Parker Foss and the Wildwood Library has organized a free trolley tour of the city on June 9th! Check out their website for more information. Want to learn more about the history of Washington County? “Like” WCHS on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! Sean Pallas Historical Messenger editor and Warden’s House Site Manager WCHS NewsA Dazzle of Dragonflies
Minnesota is home to more than 100 species of dragonflies, and almost 50 species of their cousins the damselflies. Late May and early June is the best time to see the largest numbers, and species, of these beautiful creatures cruising over our lakes and meadows. Come and enjoy a close up encounter with these fascinating creatures at the Hay Lake School on Sunday, May 31st with Ron Lawrenz, Director of the Lee and Rose Warner Nature Center. The day will begin with a short presentation about the biology of the butterfly, including some beautiful photographs and fun facts that are sure to make you the hit of your next party. The presentation will be followed by a demonstration on how to capture and handle dragonflies, and then we’ll venture out on the grounds to see what we find. Aerial nets and field guides for catching and identifying dragonflies will be provided, but bring your own if you have them. This is the perfect family outing for this beautiful time of the year. Please contact Dustyn Dubuque at dustyn.dubuque@hotmail.com or (651) 433-4014. More: Events WCHS NewsVintage Base Ball Season Begins!Oh yes, professional baseball players are very impressive…but the game gets really exciting once you up the ante by removing their gloves (…and by adding a space in-between “base” and “ball”)! The St. Croix Base Ball Club starts their 18th season of 1860 vintage base ball by crossing bats with the dreaded Afton Red Socks on Sunday, May 31st at Pettitt Park, Lake St. Croix Beach at 2:00 PM. Come out and watch how the game was meant to be played! For more information, contact Brent Peterson at brent.peterson@wchsmn.org or 651-439-5956. What is This Thing?!What Is This Thing?! (Round 8) Last issue’s What Is This Thing?! certainly was a head-scratcher…or…at least I thought it was going to be! Not even an hour after sending out the e-newsletter, I received an email correctly identifying the object as an antique check writer. Our model is known as a “Protectograph” from the G.W. Todd & Company. This particular machine is probably from the late 1910s or the early 1920s. It was first patented in the UK in 1896 with American patents from 1905-1913. The check would be rolled through the machine by placing it on the side platform and turning the handle. You would move the index pointer along the gauge (picture in the close-up photo) to select the amount of money printed on the check. Onto the next item! Clearly this is some type of mallet…but can you explain the raised ring on the face of the hammer? Can you identify the WCHS artifact photographed above? If you’d care to venture an answer, you can send an email to me at spallas.wchs@gmail.com, tweet @WCHS2, or post your guess on our Facebook page. Good luck! Full Image & Another Angle With Measurements Old NewsTallying Wagging TailsSometimes I’ll come across a bit of historical trivia that is…interesting…but all and all is not terribly historically significant. This brief article definitely falls square in that category. But hey, they thought it was important to get a head-count of Stillwater’s canine population – so, 127 years later, you can see their results! Stillwater Messenger – May 19, 1888 Exactly 585 Stillwater dogs is the summary of officer Geo. Walters’ census completed this week. Unless some of the animals got away the present dog population is much smaller than it was last spring. Featured ArticleA Millionaire’s Missing Mansionby Brent Peterson One of the most dynamic things about the City of Stillwater is the number of beautiful mansions built in the years when lumber was king. Many were constructed by those in ownership of lumber companies or mills and we have to be thankful that they still exist today. However there have been a number lost to the expansion of the city or just because they were too large and expensive to maintain. One such mansion, probably the largest of them all, belonged to Isaac Staples. The property in which Staples was to construct his home was on a hill overlooking the sawmill that he had purchased in 1866. In early 1871, Staples contracted with St. Paul architect A.M. Radcliffe and the early plans consisted of a stone structure with a mansard roof. The estimated cost, according to the Stillwater Messenger of March 24, 1871 was at $30,000. Just a month later, the Messenger had the full description of Staples new house on “Government Hill.” The newspaper said, “The main body of the residence will be fifty feet square, two stories in height, with a mansard roof of a new and tasteful pattern, that will give an additional story. Back of this will be an ell some 30 feet. The basement or cellar walls will be of solid stone, sold stone walls being also built across the cellar to correspond with the partition walls in the rooms above, making the whole building solid and substantial.” “Above the basement the outer walls are to be of the choicest selected Minneapolis brick, with the corners, trimmings, door and window and other cappings and facings, either of terra cotta stone or the new artificial stone, making the most attractive and beautiful exterior.” The newspapers of the summer of 1871 continued to report to the public the progress of the house on the hill. Things such as the enclosure of the “commodious stable” and the placement of sidewalks in front of the ever-growing residence, found it’s way into the columns of the newspapers. When the interior was to be worked on, it was reported that the plasterwork on the home was let out to a local man named Arthur Stevens. Stevens was an “experienced and skillful workman, and we shall expect to see one of the neatest jobs in the city when the work is finished,” said the Weekly Gazette of August 8, 1871. The painting of the home was let out to the local Webster Brothers. The pace of work must have pushed the contractors to finish before the winter. A painter, working for the Webster Brothers, fell one October day and died from his injuries the next day. The home was finally completed and the Staples family occupied the home for nearly 30 years. It was the center of social gatherings in Stillwater for the next three decades. When Isaac Staples died in 1898, no one knew what to do with such a large mansion. In an article, undated, in the collections of the Washington County Historical Society, the story is told of the home being torn down. That at one time it was thought that the Staples house could be used by the Warden of the State Prison, which was just down the hill. It was also suggested in this article that it could be used as a hospital. But probable the cost of the structure and the “enormous expense of maintaining the place” caused any one interested in purchasing the property, including Staples heirs, spelled doom for the residence. After the demolition of the home, the vacant property was sold off. This property was given back to the City of Stillwater in the 1930s and the property was once again made beautiful. This time it was for the purposes of a city park. That park still exists today and is named for all the pioneers of the St. Croix Valley. |
Events
More information: WCHS Events >>> Preserve the Past, Share in the Future!Become a member of the Washington County Historical Society! Membership is one way that you can help support the Washington County Historical Society. Your membership helps us collect, preserve, and disseminate the history of Washington County for county residents and visitors in the belief that a historical perspective enhances our understanding of community and sense of place. Benefits of membership:
The Washington County Historical Society has depended on membership ever since it was formed in 1934. Please show your support for the organization by becoming a member today. More: WCHS Membership >>> Washington County Historical SocietyWashington County Historical Society collects, preserves, and disseminates the history of the county and state of Minnesota.
|
|||||||
Month: May 2015
This issue: Contents
Tuesday, May 5th, 2015
Editor’s NoteBoth of our museums are now officially open for the season! And a huge thank you to everyone who came out to the Warden’s House Open House! We had over 200 people swing by the museum to see the new exhibits, sample treats, and, of course, to learn about the paranormal investigation raffle. Feel free to browse through a few photos of the event in case you missed the fun! And that’s just the beginning of our event line-up! Check out the first News Story to learn about our first presentation of the year featuring…me! (Oh no, that’s okay, please hold your applause. You’re all too kind!) A complete list of 2015 events can be found here. In the second News Story, we’ll take a look at events and projects other Washington County historical organizations have on their calendars. I’ll reveal the identity of last week’s mystery item and offer a new challenge in today’s “What Is This Thing?!” This week’s Old News features musings on one of the most amazing technological advancements of the modern age. And in today’s Featured Article, we’ll examine a perhaps scandalous, but important, element of our community’s history. When the St. Croix Valley’s lumberjacks found themselves in Stillwater during the off-season with pockets bursting with cash…and no girlfriends or wives – well, I think you can see where this is headed… Want to learn more about the history of Washington County? “Like” WCHS on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! Sean Pallas Historical Messenger editor and Warden’s House Site Manager WCHS News“Inside With Interesting Inmates” Presentation
Join Warden’s House Site Manager Sean Pallas on Sunday, May 17th, 2015 at 2:00 PM at the Warden’s House Museum for a discussion of the lives and misfortunes of a few interesting convicts of the Old Stillwater Prison. The Minnesota Territorial and later State Prison was operated from 1853 until 1914 just north of downtown Stillwater. Throughout six decades, the Prison served as a “melting-pot” for Minnesota’s worst of the worst. Behind every inmate was a crime and behind every crime a story. The tale of a spurned lover resorting to murder, a vicious conspiracy against a prison guard, and other harrowing but mostly forgotten prison tales will be shared at this free and open to the public presentation hosted by the Washington County Historical Society. More: Events WCHS NewsWashington County History NetworkYesterday, the Warden’s House hosted a meeting of the Washington County History Network which saw representatives of the Washington County Historical Society, South Washington County Historical Society, Historic Courthouse, Woodbury Heritage Society, Cottage Grove Historic Preservation Committee, Gammelgården Museum, Afton Historical Society, and even the Minnesota Historical Society come together and discuss the shared goal of preserving and sharing Washington County history. Cottage Grove Historical Preservation Committee – The Cottage Grove Historical Preservation Committee is honoring Herb Reckinger for his historical preservation work in 2014. The Committee will have booths at both the Strawberry Festival (June 20th) and the Cottage Grove Farmer’s Market (June 11th). The Sunnyhill Park is now officially opened and dedicated. It is named for the rural school district which used to exist at the location. Gammelgården Museum – Gammelgården’s special exhibit this year is: “Hemslöjden (Swedish Handwork) Needle, Hook & Shuttle”. On June 12th, the museum will host Scandia’s Farmer’s Market which runs 4-7 PM. Their annual Midsommar Dag celebration falls on June 20th this year. One more event to look forward to is a traditional crayfish dinner on July 18th! Minnesota Historical Society – MNHS is putting on an educational workshop on properly preserving and utilizing archaeological artifacts entitled, “More Than Stones & Bones” in White Bear Lake on May 22nd. Space is limited so interested parties should make their reservation ASAP. South Washington County Historical Society – On May 9th, the South Washington County Historical Society will be hosting Ed Claussen for a presentation on the history of the Caterpillar company. On June 13th, interested parties are invited to meet at 9:30 AM in St. Paul Park to carpool to the James J. Hill Farm in North Oaks for a tour of the site. Washington County Historic Courthouse – During Stillwater’s Log Jam Days, the Courthouse will once again host their annual Ice Cream Social in July. Due to the popularity of their Victorian Teas – the Courthouse is currently exploring the possibility of adding a second sitting of the event! Keep an eye out for their popular Nooks & Crannies tour as well! Woodbury Heritage Society – The Woodbury Heritage Society is continuing to raise funds to preserve the Miller Barn located at the corner of Valley Creek Road and Settler’s Ridge. The structure is the last remaining barn in Woodbury that was built without the use of nails. The Heritage Society hopes to repair the roof and siding of the barn and utilize the inside space for exhibits and for special event rentals. What is This Thing?!What Is This Thing?! (Round 7) During last issue’s What Is This Thing?! most folks correctly identified that the photo did indeed feature some type of brush. A few guessed it was for horses, a couple supposed it was for floors – but this small hand-sized brush is actually known as a “silent butler” or “crumb butler” and was used for collecting crumbs and cigarette/cigar ash off tablecloths in between courses at formal dining settings. Congratulations to everyone who knew both this item’s name and use! …but I’ve had a few of you throw down the gauntlet and ask that I increase the difficulty of my little challenges! And I say, “Very well!” Today’s item features an item that our museum guests frequently point out and ask the guides to identify. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever encountered anyone who knew what this item was used for until I told them. …Will one of you readers be the first? Can you identify the WCHS artifact photographed above? If you’d care to venture an answer, you can send an email to me at spallas.wchs@gmail.com, tweet @WCHS2, or post your guess on our Facebook page. Good luck! Old NewsThe Amazing Modern WorldA hundred years can seem like an awful long time ago. It’s easy to forget that many of the trappings of modern life originate from those first few years of the 20th century. But on the front page of the May 6th, 1906 Stillwater Messenger, before the following pages full of advertisements for farming equipment and horse-riding gear, an article on the miracle of human flight can be found directly above a report on the “Benefits of Food Adulteration” via chemical means. It must have been a truly remarkable time to live through these dramatic advancements in technology. Their optimism towards the future is perfectly exhibited in the final line of this article. Man May Now Fly At Will – Stillwater Messenger – May 5, 1906 “The problem of human flight is solved,” writes E.B. Grimes in Technical World Magazine for June. “One hundred and sixty times have the motor driven flying machines invented by Orville and Wilbur Wright of Dayton, Ohio, carried a man safely through the high air. The Wright flyer weighs about 925 pounds, including the operator. It is a true flying machine – not a dirigible balloon – and owes nothing to the lifting power of any gas. It seems to be completely under the control of the operator, who can send it up or down, ahead or to either side at will. Driven by a gasoline engine, said to be of twenty-four horse power, it flew on its last trip a distance of 24 1/5 miles without a stop. The speed during this flight averaged a trifle over 38 miles an hour. Few inventions have had such tremdnous possibilities. Consider, for instance, what the exclusive possession of such a practical flyer, capable of lifting heavy weight, would mean to a nation at war. From a secure height, every movement of its enemy over a vast territory could be constantly watched; a whole army might be wiped out or at least thrown into confusion by bombs hurled from the sky; great cities might be easily terrorized – war it would almost seem, would be abolished by the common consent of mankind. Featured ArticleLumberjack “Entertainment”by Brent Peterson As today, people in Stillwater a hundred years ago worked very hard to make a living. Those people working in the lumber industry such as the undercutters, sawyers, cooks and river pigs took pride in their work. The lawyers, business owners and even the clerks worked hard for every dollar that they made. All sorts of professions were practiced in the booming lumber town of Stillwater…including the “oldest profession”. When the lumberjacks would come into town after the spring drive, there were places that the men would go to buy new clothes, get a hot bath, a shave, a haircut, and then possibly visit a social gathering spot to find a new “friend.” Many of the lumberjacks coming out of the woods during the spring would head over to St. Paul’s Hill Street District. There one could find many of the Capitol city’s “Palace’s of Sin” which was only an hours ride on the train from Stillwater. Many of the famous Madams in that area were “Mother Mary Robinson,” “Lottie Leighton,” “Frenchy Mable LaSarge,” and the one and only “Nina Clifford.” This is not to say that Stillwater did not have adequit facilities for the lumberjack. Just across the river into Houlton, Wis., according to historian Carol Maki, there were “sporting houses” conducted by such people as “Perry the Pimp,” “Mack Fortune,” and Larry Mandeville. The best known Madame in Stillwater was the wife of Larry Mandeville. Her name was Nellie and around the area, she was known as “Red Nell.” Red Nell became infamous, if for only appearing on the Police Register as regular as the sun setting. Over a 12 month period, from August 1882 through July 1883, Nell was arrested ten times. She was listed as having an occupation as a “Whore” and was arrested for running a “house of ill fame.” She was always arrested with another man named Mike Keogh, and he two was arrested for the same crime. Over this 12 month period, Red Nell paid $847 in fines, but never spent one day in jail. Tom Curtis, the late local historian, once stated that the brothels were permitted to operate by paying the city a yearly fine. Other “ladies of the evening”, such as Delia Inbbuld, Flora Wood and Marti Childs, were arrested during this same time. Some either received a light fine, or maybe a day or two in jail, but some were “sent out of town” for their indiscretions. Stillwater was not the only place that had the ladies working. In an article written for the St. Louis County Historical Society titled “The Lumberjack Queens“, J.C. “Buzz” Ryan stated that he “knew a lumberjack by the name of Charles Baker who was born and raised in Stillwater who told me that the first job he had in Stillwater as a boy was hauling water with a horse and wagon from Stillwater to the Whorehouse at Bayport.” In the Hudson Star-Times of 16 June 1882, an editorial ripped into the “city fathers” for permitting “Madame Cooper to again pitch her befouled tent in our midst and ply her hellish vocation in the face of decency, order and law.” Continuing, the editor said “Already her cargo of unclean birds has begun despoiling our youths; and is this people to look on in silence while such a base outrage is being enacted? Nor is Dame Cooper’s den the only hole of iniquity that need purging. There are other only wanting occasion to become even a greater stench in the public nostrils than hers and unless respectable society rises heroically and scoops these caves of iniquity from our midst, they may look for murders and debauches and felonies which will make those of the past seem mild in caparison. Away with these dives of pollution. Hudson can not afford to harbor them longer.” Nellie “Red Nell” Mandeville, Stillwater’s most infamous Madame, died suddenly on July 22, 1888 at the age of 39. In her obituary in the Stillwater Messenger of July 28, the paper said that “the best that can be said of her life is that in public she always behaved decorously and is reported to have been faithful to her husband.” Nell was buried in Calvary Cemetery in St. Paul near where her mother and daughter lived. The end of Red Nell was not the end of Stillwater’s oldest profession. As long as there were lumberjacks, or any businessman that wanted to participate in such crime, Stillwater would always hold business opportunities for the likes of Nellie Mandeville. |
Upcoming Events
More information: WCHS Events >>> Membership Preserve the Past, Share in the Future!Become a member of the Washington County Historical Society! Membership is one way that you can help support the Washington County Historical Society. Your membership helps us collect, preserve, and disseminate the history of Washington County for county residents and visitors in the belief that a historical perspective enhances our understanding of community and sense of place. Benefits of membership:
The Washington County Historical Society has depended on membership ever since it was formed in 1934. Please show your support for the organization by becoming a member today. More: WCHS Membership >>> Mission StatementWashington County Historical Society collects, preserves, and disseminates the history of the county and state of Minnesota.
|
|||||||