Home movie taken by Nordeen Torgerson. 1937 Ice Carnival probably in St. Paul, Minnesota. Parade includes floats from 3M, Brown and Bigelo, Ford dealers; 6:10 Circus Days featuring the Cole Brothers Circus most likely at the fairgrounds in Austin, Minnesota; 12:30 Clyde Beatty Circus most likely at the fairground in Austin, Minnesota. Nordeen Torgerson (1880-1965) was a lifelong Adams, Minnesota resident and home movie enthusiast. He made films of local events and travelled beyond Adams to film parades and other celebrations.
Audio file of an interview with Esther Sirott and Ethel Levy conducted by Steve Foldes and Shirley Milgren. Esther Sirott was born in Lithuania and settled with her father and brothers on lower West Side of St. Paul. Ethel Levy was born in Iowa and lived briefly on the West Side of St Paul before moving with her family to a dairy farm where her father hired out as a tenant farmer. In the interview, the women discuss life on the West Side of St Paul, including employment opportunities for Jews, Jewish Socialists, keeping kosher, Jewish neighborhoods and social strata and the meaning of Yiddishkite. The interview is part of the United Jewish Fund and Council Oral History Project, Phase 1. The location of the interview is unknown: the interviewers are Steve Foldes (SF) and Shirley Milgram (SM).A PDF version of the transcript available at http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm4/pdf-assets/jhs-sirott-levy.pdf
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Leibman's account of his journey to the United states and experiences entering the country, traveling by train to St Paul to join his brother, his first home on the Lower West Side and a detailed description of the neighborhood. A PDF version of the transcript available at http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm4/pdf-assets/jhs-leibman.pdf
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Audio file of an interview with Lena Senensky conducted by Lois Devitt. The interview includes: family history in Russia and immigration to the United States; daily life on St Paul's Lower West Side; creation and early years of the Jewish Home for the Aged.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Audio file of an interview with Irwin Epstein conducted by Laia Berstein. The interview includes: Epstein's experiences growing up in St. Paul; schooling; religious education; and medical school.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Audio file of an interview with Sylvia Peilen conducted by Ann Greenberg. The interview includes: Peilen family history, including growing up on the East side and moving to the West side of St. Paul; Jewish-gentile relations; Sylvia Peilen's schooling and early employment history. Peilen also recalls her work with several different community service organizations, including Sholom Home, Youth Allyah, United Jewish Fund, the St Paul Jewish Community Center and Temple of Aaron.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
In an oral history conducted by David H. Overy on March 13, 1991, Stuart A. Lindman discussed his experiences both in training and combat as a field-medic in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Born and raised in Minnesota, Lindman enlisted in the Army Reserve Corps in 1943. In this interview, Lindman was assigned to the Pacific Theater where he served on Leyte Island in the Philippines and Okinawa, Japan. He discussed his basic training and the antics some of the soldiers prior to being shipped out to the Philippines. Lindman's primary responsibility was as a litter-bearer who would carry soldiers, sometimes for miles, away from the frontlines to aid stations. On numerous occasions, Lindman discussed his survival of his time in Japan as being credited to luck, narrowly avoiding deadly situations by chance. Lastly, Lindman detailed being hit by a Japanese airplane attack and sent home from the wounds suffered. He concluded with a brief mention of how he and his fellow soldiers coped with combat and some effects he had of post-traumatic stress disorder. After being discharged from the service due to wounds suffered in combat, Lindman returned to earn his college degree in broadcasting and psychology from the University of Minnesota. Lindman then received a job working for what is now television channel KARE 11, retiring in 1987. Lindman was born on August 11, 1922, and passed away on January 12, 2010.
The book highlights the service of the men and women from Ramsey County, Minnesota, during World War I. Individuals who served are included with a portrait and briefly summarizes the personal history and service to the country during WWI. In general, each entry includes an image, where and when born, parents, current address, branch, unit, and where trained. The entry also includes where and when they served and, sadly, if the person was wounded or where, when, and how they died. In addition, the book also highlights 151st Field Artillery unit (timeline), the 135th Ambulance Co. (identified image), and the Instructors Ignition Repair Department, Aviation Training Mechanical School in St. Paul (identified image).
Matt Kremer was the ball turret gunner on a B-17 plane during World War II. He was drafted into the army and trained in several camps around the United States. Throughout the interview Kremer described camp life including morale, food, discipline, and personal pastimes. Kremer participated in five bombing missions before being part of the second Schweinfurt Raid in 1943 over Germany, which cost the 8th Air Force over 60 planes and 600 casualties. Wounded by enemy fire, Mr. Kremer bailed out of his plane after it was shot down. Doctors amputated his leg and Kremer spent the next year in a German prison hospital recovering from his wounds. Kremer described his interactions with other prisoners and his doctors throughout the interview. He returned to the United States as part of a repatriation of wounded prisoners and sailed on a neutral Swedish vessel. Kremer described his efforts to readjust to civilian life after the war and the impact his wounds had upon his post-war life.
Cantata for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra created for the Norse-American Centennial with text by B.J. Rothnem and Music by F. Melius Christiansen.
Commemoration of the first arrival in New York of Norwegian immigrants in 1825 and program of the Norse-American Centennial held on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in June 1925.
Remember Rondo Days program with a list of events, historic overview, and photographs. Highlights include: a memoriam of Glover David Goff, proclamation by Mayor Jim Schiebel, a short history of Rondo written by Dr. David V. Taylor, and photos of prominent Rondolites.
Book commemorating the 3rd Annual "Every Brick Counts" Ceremony that was held in September 2021 at the Rondo Commemorative Plaza. Highlights include the event program, brick locator map, and photos of community members.
A photo booklet that captures the diversity of the people, places, and memories of old Rondo. This photo booklet was distributed on July 16 at the annual Rondo Days Senior Dinner to try to put names, dates, places, and other labels to photos.
Booklet commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the Rondo Days Festival. Contents include the schedule of events, Minnesota Governor's certificate, the St. Paul Mayor's Proclamation, and a look at Rondo's small businesses, newspapers, black churches, baseball, and the Red Caps.
Book including the "Trees of Rondo" and Juneteenth program from 2021. Program includes music from Walker West jazz, opening prayer, purpose, a story about Uncle Jim Mitchell and the Honeysuckle Tree, remarks by Arborist Chad Giblin, and photos of the plaza's history panels and the Rondo Community Garden.
The second edition of the Remember Rondo photograph album. The photographs in this album represent the second phase of a project to record photographs of the Rondo neighborhood and include community events and Rondolites. Highlights include: an introduction by Rondo visual historian Early McGee and editor Marvin R. Anderson, and a list of Rondo Avenue Inc. officers.
Twentieth Anniversary Souvenir Booklet for Opening Reception and Dance held at the Grand Ballroom of the Saint Paul Hotel. Highlights include: proclamation by Mayor George Latimer, greetings from RAI co-founders Floyd Smaller, Jr. and Marvin R. Anderson, brief history of Rondo Days Festival, and poems about Rondo.
Program for the twenty-third annual Rondo Days celebration. Highlights include: poetry about and memories of Rondo, proclamation by Mayor Christopher B. Coleman, and articles about Black Minnesotans, Rondolites and social issues.
Program for the Rondo Healing Ceremony on July 17, 2015. The day included: a song, greetings, a prayer led by Dr. Charles Gill, a statement of purpose, a remembrance, reconciliation statement, restoration, dedication, a map of Central St. Paul, and a benediction.
A program that details the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Rondo Commemorative Plaza on October 14th, 2016. Sections include: Acknowledgements, Sponsors, Special Appreciation, a Letter from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, and Dignatory Remarks by Governor Mark Dayton, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, a State Representative, a County Commissioner, a City Council Member, and the Saint Paul Mayor. The project manager was Marvin R. Anderson, the architect was 4RM+ULA, the landscape architect was Ten X Ten, and the artists were Seitu Jones and Roger Cummings.