PODCAST · history
Robbinsdale Revisited
by robbinsdalehistoricalsociety
Welcome to Robbinsdale Revisited, a new podcast connecting you with local history all the way back to the 1850s. Here you’ll find the stories that tell the tale of our city. These episodes explore neighborhoods, schools, organizations, businesses, and a colorful cast of characters from the past.
Episodes
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Wirth It!
Episode 52: Take a hike through the parklands and green spaces where Robbinsdale, Minneapolis, and Golden Valley all come together! This episode uncovers everything from garbage dumps, artificial waterfalls, and dance-hall breweries to clothing-optional beaches, epic ski-jumping, and the...
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A Salute to Schaper
Episode 51: Explore the history of the iconic "Cootie" toy and its inventor, William Herbert "Herb" Schaper, who launched his toy empire from his Robbinsdale home. Created in the late 1940s after Schaper whittled a wooden fishing lure into a bug-like creature, The Game of Cootie grew from a...
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Fifty Nifty Memories
Episode50: This collection of memories captures the tight-knit, small-town charm of growing up in Robbinsdale, highlighting iconic local landmarks like the Terrace Theater, Merwin Drug, and the Meat Market. Residents fondly recall simple childhood pleasures, including ice skating at local parks,...
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Talking Shop
Episode 49: Pete and Crystal play 20 questions and discuss how they became involved in preserving local history through the stories, artifacts, photographs, and people that shaped their communities. They explore the histories of Robbinsdale and Golden Valley, including Andrew B. Robbins, early...
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Easy to Shop! Easy to Park!
Episode 48: Let's turn back the clock and go shopping in Robbinsdale. Our city spent the late 20th century tossing retail concepts at the wall. We paved over our best swamp for strip mall, attempted to put a little "Dale" in Robbinsdale with the indoor Terrace Mall and dropped Town Center right...
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Along the Lilac Way
Episode 47: Take a Sunday drive through the history of Highway 100, originally constructed in the late 1930s as "Lilac Way," Minnesota’s first regional beltway bypass. It details how WPA workers, under the direction of engineer Carl F. Graeser and landscape architect Arthur R. Nichols, built...
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A Victory Lap on the Drive
Episode 46: Buckle up for a ride down Victory Memorial Drive, a striking piece of Twin Cities history parked along our border with the big city! Born after WWI as Theodore Wirth’s grand vision for a "living memorial," the parkway originally featured 568 regimental elms—funded by park patriarch...
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Triple Twin Lake
Episode 45:The Tale of Twin Lake! On this episode of Robbinsdale Revisited, we dive into the colorful history of one of the community’s most iconic landmarks—from Andrew B. Robbins’s magnificent lakeside mansion to the Trump family (No! They are not related!), who became a fixture of Robbinsdale...
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Robbinsdale High School Revisited
Episode 44: We dive into the rich history of 3730 Toledo Avenue North and explore how the former Robbinsdale High School weathered the post-war baby boom and produced an incredible roster of pop-culture legends. They recount famous alumni, from garage rock pioneers, The Trashmen to an…
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The Age of Adelaide
Episode 43: Let's look into the life of Adelaide Robbins Gillette—daughter of Robbinsdale founder Andrew B. Robbins—and her family's prominent standing in Minnesota's Gilded Age society. The show traces her life from an elite high school romance and academic achievements at the University of...
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Fly Robin Fly!
Episode 42: Crystal and Pete take us back to the early 1920s when a simple grass field served as a bustling hub for daredevil pilots and home-built kit planes. They spotlight the fearless aviatrixes who stole the show—like Gene Du Rand jumping from a frigid 19,000 feet—proving these high-flying...
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Drippings from the Fawcett
Episode 41: Crystal and Pete take a read through Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang, a wildly popular 1920s humor magazine created by Robbinsdale veteran Wilford Hamilton Fawcett. Despite its humble beginnings on a family-operated hand press in 1919, the pocket-sized joke book grew to sell hundreds of...
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Roberta's Robbinsdale
Episode 40: Crystal Boyd presents Roberta Lee Scoville’s 1976 history of Robbinsdale tracing the community's growth from Dakota homeland and early farming settlement through the arrival of the railroad, Andrew B. Robbins, the streetcar, and the village's incorporation. Along the way, it…
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Saloons, Sundays and Someplace Else
Episode 39: In the early 1900s, strict Sunday closing laws in Minneapolis transformed Robbinsdale into a rowdy, saloon-packed haven for thirsty crowds until political crackdowns forced the community to vote itself dry. The return of alcohol after prohibition brought a lucrative municipal liquor...
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Splish Splash Nash
Episode 38:The Nash family helped shape Robbinsdale for nearly a century, leaving their mark on farming, business, politics, public service, and recreation. Civil War veteran J. Elijah Nash became a dairy farmer, hardware merchant, and two-time Socialist candidate for governor. His son George…
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Robbinsdale Schools on Regent
Episode 37: The remarkable history Robbinsdale schools along Regent Avenue. This ten-acre site served as the educational heart of Robbinsdale for more than a century. Beginning with the ambitious 1889 construction of the Lutheran Theological Seminary, this special extended episode follows the...
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From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Esther Robbins Scott
Episode 36: Follow the life of Esther Robbins Scott, the adventurous youngest daughter of Robbinsdale founder Andrew B. Robbins. Through a remarkable collection of family papers discovered in a Plymouth townhouse, we meet a gifted writer, athlete, dog lover, and keeper of history. From her…
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To Whiz Bang and Beyond!
Episode 35: Here's the extraordinary life of Wilford Hamilton Fawcett, the Canadian-born soldier, journalist, and publisher who transformed Robbinsdale into the unlikely birthplace of a national publishing empire. Pete and Crystal explore how Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang exploded from a tiny West...
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A Watershed in History
Episode 34: Explore the history, ecology, and cultural significance of Bassett Creek, blending personal childhood memories with a deeper look at its role in the western Minneapolis area. Crystal and Pete discuss the creek’s Dakota name, Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ (“Falls Creek”), its glacial origins, and its...
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Gone to the Movies, Part 2
Episode 33: We trace the rise and fall of the Historic Terrace Theater, the lavish million-dollar movie palace that became a symbol of suburban luxury and innovation in the 1950s. The episode explores how the ambitious Volk brothers transformed movie going with elegant design, personal customer...
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Gone to the Movies, Part 1
Episode 32: We explore the history of movie theaters in Robbinsdale and the greater Twin Cities, focusing on the Volk brothers and their chain of “luxury” neighborhood cinemas. This episode traces the evolution from the small 1926 Robin Theater to major mid-century landmarks like the Riverview…
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Accolades for Adelaide
Episode 31: Adelaide Walker Robbins helped shape Minnesota from its frontier days through the early twentieth century, serving first as a teenage Civil War nurse before becoming a teacher, writer, church leader, and civic builder the communities of Willmar and Robbinsdale. Married to our town's...
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Amazing Amy
Episode 30: We trace the life of Amy Robbins Ware, a fiercely independent Robbinsdale woman whose work carried her from art studios and library clubs to the battlefields of World War I France. Through her letters and personal writings, we discover a woman driven by duty, creativity, and a…
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How it Was
Episode 29: Did you ever say “My, how I’d like to have lived in the good old days.”? No cares or worries, no electric lights, no gas or oil to heat with, no vacuum cleaner, no automatic washer or dryer, no electric refrigerator or deep freeze, no radio or T.V. and but few telephones, no…
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Lost Malls, Lost Schools, Lasting Spirit
In the 1980s, Robbinsdale faced population decline and an aging community, even as it held tightly to its identity and traditions like its Tree City pride. The decade brought major changes, including failing retail ventures like Ward’s Terrace Mall, the loss of beloved landmarks, and a shifting...
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Exemplary Edith
Episode 27: We follow Edith Robbins, her family, and their historic home, from a large, active household to a quieter, dispersed legacy. After Andrew B. Robbins’ death, his daughter Edith becomes the central figure, managing the family estate, running businesses, and serving for decades on the...
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Edith Robbins Daniel: Education and Enterprise
Episode 26: We explore the early life of Edith Robbins Daniel, the eldest daughter of Robbinsdale founder Andrew B. Robbins, and a remarkable figure in her own right. Raised in a pioneering family that helped shape early Minnesota communities, Edith grew into a teacher, writer, and civic leader...
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Five Daughters
Episode 25: We draw on the work and research of Robert B. Porter to tell the story of the five daughters of Andrew B. Robbins—Edith, Amy, Adelaide, Ruth, and Esther. Each woman helped shape early Robbinsdale through her talent, education, and determination. All five attended the University of...
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The Mayors of Robbinsdale, Part 2
Episode 24: In this episode of The Mayors of Robbinsdale, Part 2, we explore the leaders who guided the city through decades of growth, change, and transformation. Beginning with Robert A. Merwin’s razor-thin election victory in 1954, the episode highlights key moments like proposed city mergers,...
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The Mayors of Robbinsdale, Part 1
Episode 23: They were founders, and they were firebrands. In Part One, we’ll meet the characters who guided Robbinsdale through its earliest decades: immigrants, entrepreneurs, Civil War veterans, and hometown originals. Their stories are colorful, sometimes contentious, and always revealing—not...
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Building Boundaries: Racial Covenants in Robbinsdale
Episode 22: Join us and explore how racial covenants shaped the development of neighborhoods in Robbinsdale during the early 20th century. We discuss how these discriminatory clauses appeared in property deeds, how developers used them when marketing new subdivisions, and how projects like…
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Loving Our Library
Episode 21: Founded by a determined group of women in 1907, the Robbinsdale Library began as donated books in borrowed storefronts and grew into a beautiful Tudor-revival building in 1926. Under librarians like Frances Pollard, the library became a bright, neighborly hub for reading, events, and...
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Glenwood Hills
Episode 20: Crystal traces the rise and fall of Golden Valley's Glenwood Hills Hospital, from its beginnings as a pioneering psychiatric facility to its expansion into a full-service hospital and eventual closure. Nestled in the woods between secluded lakes and parkland, the hospital felt more…
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Whiz Bang Boyhoods
Episode 19: Pete swaps stories with Ron Johnson, Adam Fesenmaier, and Jimmy Swan as they revisit the chaotic fun of growing up in Robbinsdale in the 1970s and ’80s. Climb aboard and let these guys give you a buck through the years of box hockey, Brookdale, and basement kegs. Their memories…
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Lou Looks Back
Episode 18: In this episode, we're heading back to Sacred Heart, where Lou Ambrose remembers the overwhelming presence of the legendary Father Nolan. We walk through 1960s Robbinsdale, recalling creaky wooden floors at the Ben Franklin. Getting a dress and a guitar from Monkey Wards. Terrace…
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Girling Gets Things Going
Episode 17: Lou Ambrose lives in her grandfather Thomas Herbert Girling’s 1917 home on Crystal Lake. In this episode, she shares stories of his life. Born in Nottingham, England, in 1865, Girling got things going in the early days of Robbinsdale. Through Lou’s memories, we explore shifting...
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Revisiting Robbinsdale with Kathryn Leigh Scott, Part 2
Episode 16: In this second part, multi-faceted storyteller Kathryn Leigh Scott discusses her pivotal role in restoring the legacy of Coya Knutson, Minnesota’s first congresswoman, through biography and historic reunions. Beyond her acting and publishing career, Scott reflects on her own roots in...
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Revisiting Robbinsdale with Kathryn Leigh Scott, Part 1
Episode 15: Kathryn Leigh Scott grew up on a farm in Robbinsdale when the city still felt rural, shaped by Norwegian immigrant parents, strong community values, and an early encouragement of creativity. At Robbinsdale High School, her talents in writing and performance stood out, setting the…
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Wrestling Their Way Out of Robbinsdale
Episode 14: Before Robbinsdale knew it was a wrestling town, it was a town of kids reenacting wrestling in backyards and playgrounds, where someone was always the villain, someone always won the belt, and wrestling somehow already mattered. That sense of toughness was forged at Robbinsdale High...
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Parking Ramps and Playgrounds
Episode 13 The 1970s brought both loss and renewal to Robbinsdale, as beloved institutions closed while new civic investments strengthened the community. Growth and change were reflected in the demolition of the historic Parker School and the expansion of Robbinsdale Junior High. The decade also...
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Breaking Ground
Episode 12: Milo M. Mielke, who retires as principal of Robbinsdale High School after 39 years, arriving in 1929 when enrollment stood at 900 and retiring in 1968 as it surpassed 20,000. The era saw heated debates over school curriculum alongside voter approval of an $11.5 million bond issue....
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Soaring into the 60s
The 1960s were a time of rock and roll, rebellion and sweeping change all over the country and right here in Robbinsdale. The school district kept building out to provide for the baby boom and Robbinsdale reached peak population.
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Filling in Fabulous!
Episode 10: In 1956, enrollment in our schools soared and 1400 kindergartners made triple shifts necessary. A new Robbinsdale Senior High School opened at Toledo and 37th Avenues. The old high school on Regent became Robbinsdale Junior High, and our School District 24 was changed to School…
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Robbinsdale or Riverdale?
Episode 9: Nestled into the rolling hills north and west of Minneapolis, the City of Robbinsdale slept soundly through the first half of the twentieth century. In the years following World War II, residents of the little bedroom community woke up to a building boom. During the 1940s and 50s,...
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The Call of the Cootie
Episode 8: In this episode, we dive in with the Gause brothers, fly high with the Robbinsdale Civil Air Patrol, and tell the remarkable tale of Herb Schaper, the game of Cootie, and Schaper Manufacturing.
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The Blizzard and the Beltline
Episode 7: The Armistice Day Blizzard brought over 16 inches of snow to downtown Robbinsdale and crippled transportation throughout the region. The decade of the “forties” will never be forgotten because of World War II. Local events included the opening of a hospital in Robbinsdale, municipal...
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During the Depression
Episode 6: This decade will be remembered for the Great Depression; the WPA (Works Progress Administration); the PWA (Public Works Administration); highway construction; the development of our own wells for water; and a strong spirit of “helpfulness to others.” On November 7, 1938, the vote to...
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Here Comes the High School
Episode 5: Our dream of a high school in Robbinsdale came true in 1935, when the federal government’s Public Works Administration (PWA) program added $135,000 to the $124,000 approved by taxpayers for construction. Ground was broken in March 1936, and the building was dedicated with impressive...
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Roaring Robbinsdale
Episode 4: Robbinsdale had an unprecedented building boom in the 1920s. The population of the little village swelled to just under 5,000 souls. Robbinsdale got a public water supply. Gas stoves were replacing the old iron wood stoves. and gas furnaces began replacing coal furnaces. Times were...
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Bring On the Whiz Bang
Episode 3: The 1920s brought big changes to Robbinsdale. Women bobbed their hair and shortened their skirts. Whiz Bang magazine was started by Captain Billy shortly after he got out of the army. It was full of jokes for sailors and soldiers. It made no pretenses at being ‘literary’, but it tried...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Robbinsdale Revisited, a new podcast connecting you with local history all the way back to the 1850s. Here you’ll find the stories that tell the tale of our city. These episodes explore neighborhoods, schools, organizations, businesses, and a colorful cast of characters from the past.
HOSTED BY
robbinsdalehistoricalsociety
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Robbinsdale Revisited have?
Robbinsdale Revisited currently has 52 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Robbinsdale Revisited about?
Welcome to Robbinsdale Revisited, a new podcast connecting you with local history all the way back to the 1850s. Here you’ll find the stories that tell the tale of our city. These episodes explore neighborhoods, schools, organizations, businesses, and a colorful cast of characters from the past.
How often does Robbinsdale Revisited release new episodes?
Robbinsdale Revisited has 52 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Robbinsdale Revisited?
You can listen to Robbinsdale Revisited on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Robbinsdale Revisited?
Robbinsdale Revisited is created and hosted by robbinsdalehistoricalsociety.
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