In this interview, Maxine Goldenberg gives an account of some of the Jewish community initiatives taking place in the mid-20th century. She explains that she was on the board of the United Jewish Fund (St. Paul) in the 1950s and also the campaign chairman. Goldenberg mentions additionally that she served in several organizations in Duluth, which are covered in some detail during the interview. She also discusses the needs of St. Paul Jews at the time and how the National Jewish Fund was addressing them, such as Talmud Torahs and the Sholom Residence on Randolph Ave. They conclude by discussing the National Jewish Fund in greater detail, along with the role of women in the community at that time. This interview was conducted by Linda Schloff as a part of the United Jewish Fund and Council Oral History Project focusing on the West Side Flats/Lower West Side Jewish community in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Rabbi Yosi Gordon (1944 - ) worked as Associate and Acting Principal of the Los Angeles Hebrew High School. In 1978 he came to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he directed the Talmud Torah for 12 years and helped open the Talmud Torah Day School, where he taught for many years. He taught courses in Jewish studies and literature at the University of Minnesota, St. Olaf College and Hamline University. In this interview, Rabbi Gordon discusses the recent history of Jewish education initiatives in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. This interview was conducted by Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest volunteer Harriet Kohen in effort to document the stories of Jewish immigration to and community leaders in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Marion Herman (1912 - ), native Russian and immigrant to St. Paul, Minnesota, begins this interview with a description of St. Paul Jewish neighborhoods and synagogues during the Depression years. The focus turns to Herman's involvement in various community organizations and fundraising initiatives, with discussion relating to the Capitol Fund Drive, Parent Teacher Association, Talmud Torah schools, area Hebrew schools and synagogues. This interview was conducted by Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest volunteer Harriet Kohen for the United Jewish Fund and Council Oral History Project.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Ada Rubenstein (1917 - ) was born in St. Paul, Minnesota; became involved with Jewish organizations at an early age and later took on several leadership positions. In this interview, the women discuss Rubenstein's career in community service and the community's needs at the time, with detailed discussion about various organizations such as Hadassah, the Council of Jewish Women, Sholom Residence, and the United Jewish Fund. This interview was conducted by Dr. Linda Mack Schloff, former director of the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest, in effort to document the stories of Jewish immigration to and community leaders in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Banker Art Johnson discussing Miltona area resort business. Missouri Club, Chicago Club, Ideal Beach, Tip Top Cove. Tip Top Cove was started by L.M. Picha, from Omaha, MO. Also discusses first buildings/stores in Alexandria, Minnesota.
Interview with Alpha Navratil. Alpha was the grandmother of Ola Peterson and lived on farm by East Moe Church, near Garfield, Minnesota. Her parents farmed near Red Lake, Minnesota. At the age of 16, she went to Crookston, Minnesota to work. She operated a boarding house (rooming house) at 213 Kenwood Avenue in Alexandria, Minnesota.
Interview with Robert and Ruth Hunter Hultman. The Hultmans were wwners of the Viking Trail Resort. They purchased Camp Preston in the mid 1950s. Robert continued to work at newspaper while Ruth ran the resort.
Alice Baldwin, interviewed by Florence Ferrier, talks about her father homesteading, businesses in Baudette, Minnesota, and her life in Baudette, Minnesota.
Oral history of Ted Klegstead, interviewed by Tom Imes. Ted talks about being born and raised in Baudette, Minnesota and describes a number of businesses in the downtown area in the first part of the 20th century.
Margaret Brasgalla is interviewed by Florence Ferrier about her life in Wabanica, Minnesota. She discusses her experience of the 1910 Fire as a child, her family life, and various jobs she held throughout her life.
Oral history of Ole Olson interviewed by Florence Ferrier. Ole's wife Alice is also part of the interview but the majority of the interview focuses on Ole's life. Ole talks about his life being born in Sweden and moving to Lake of the Woods County with a focus on the areas of Peppermint Creek and Carp. Ole discusses farming, various jobs he held around the county, and his family.
In this interview, Kokie Goldenberg (Kalmen Goldenberg) gives a short account of his life as a Jewish Minnesotan and discusses related subjects. He was born in 1912 in Chisholm, Minnesota to Jacob E. and Esther Rosenfield, who immigrated from Russia. He discusses how Jacob was a Zionist and describes his many associations. Goldenberg then moves on to describe how the family moved to Duluth and did business as tobacco and candy wholesalers there and on the Iron Range. They moved to St. Paul in 1941. This interview covers Zionism, anti-Semitism, the United Palestine Appeal, the United Jewish Fund, B'nai B'rith, merging Talmud Torahs and Jewish education, the assimilation of Jews into American society, and a great deal about fundraising and charity. This interview was conducted by Andy Gellman as a part of the United Jewish Fund and Council Oral History Project focusing on the West Side Flats/Lower West Side Jewish community in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Interview with Mr. and Mrs. Walter Neumann. Together they discuss resort in Minnesota duirng the 1940s. Resorts discussed include: Bayview, Tip Top, and Interlachen.
Mary Malloy Wilder interviews John Gillie about his life in Williams, Minnesota during the 20th century, his career as a mechanic, his business with his brother, businesses in Williams, and recreation.
Interview with Miriam Cordes. Miriam was born in 1893. She recounts her memories of the Hudson Cheese Factory. Miriam attended District 6 school in Union Lake.
Florence Ferrier interviewed Emmy Tangreen about her life, moving from Sweden and settling in Baudette, Minnesota in 1910, and living in Lake of the Woods County and Koochiching County the remainder of her life. Emmy describes her memories of the 1910 Fire, her teaching career, her husband's logging career, physicians and medicine.
Interview with Guy and Carrie Preston, the former owners of Camp Preston on Lake Darling. Camp Preston was started by Samuel and Susie A Preston sometime after 1911. Customers came on the train to Alexandria, Minnesota. Many early customers came from Kansas City, Missouri Discusses life running a fishing resort, including fishing, bookkeeping, and cleaning cabins
Interview with Bertha Black. She was "101 and counting" at the time of the interview. She was intervieweed for the Heritage column. She was born on June 9, 1882 in Iowa; and she settled in Hudson Township on a farm. Bertha became a teacher in Spruce Hill; and worked as cook at Shellfish restaurant.
Interview with Mary Anderson. Mary Anderson was born on Burntside Lake. Her mother was an Objiwe (sometimes called Chippewa) who was born on the Indian Reservation near Tower, Minnesota, the Bois Forte Indian Reservation. Her father, who was French and Irish, was born in Norway, Michigan. When her father was 14 his family moved to Tower. Mary said her parents each had to learn the other's language. Mary explained about how her father's family never accepted his Native American wife.
Interview with Lee Brownell. Lee Brownell was born in Wisconsin. His mother was from Wisconsin. His father was from Michigan. Lee's father came to Tower in 1886, and later arrived in Ely in 1888. His father was a supervisor for the Forest Service in Ely until 1919 and then transferred to Colorado. When he came back from Colorado he quit the Forest Service and opened a meat market. Lee discusses his work as a miner, including the Pioneer Mine in Ely.
Interview with Frank Muvich. Frank's parents were born in Yugoslavia, but they met in Michigan where his father worked as a stevedore on the boats. He had a cousin in Michigan. His mother came to this country because others were immigrating and life was so hard there that she felt it had to be better in the United States. They arrived in Ely in the late 1880s where he worked at the Chandler Mine and later the Pioneer Mine. Conditions were terrible as the only tools used were the pick, shovel, and dynamite. There were nine children in the family with Frank being the eighth child. His younger sister died. Frank started working at 19 and was given his father position when he retired after 35 years. He was glad to have the position as it was 1936 and during the Great Depression. He became a contract miner but the Pioneer Mine didn't play fair with the contracts and cut the price if they felt the miners were earning too much. He joined the union on day 1. They met at Pink Hall where the company would position people to write down the names of the men attending the meetings. The company tried to organize their own union for their favorites but as it was illegal they had to disband. Frank talks about mine accidents, acid rain in the mine, and of his relief when the Pioneer Mine closed for good. He liked the crew, but he hated the work. Happy and relieved, Frank went to work for the EPA and felt he had been let out of prison.
Interview with Ben Richards. Ben Richards was born in Dodgeville, Wisconsin and moved to Ely in 1916 when he was 21. He worked for the Todd Stanbow Mining Company and then in the Xenith Mine in 1928 as a superintendent. He would go underground three days a week to inspect the work. He had mostly Finnish and Slovak workers and was responsible for more than 400 men. He attended the Presbyterian church. The population of Ely was around 6,000, so there were many students attending school. The mines provided 90% of the funding for the schools. He loved working in the underground mine. The draft during World War II took most of the younger men so they had to hire men in their late 50s early 60s. He worked in the mines from 1916 to 1959. Ben noted that he didn't see much of a future for Ely without mining.
Interview with Senja Maki. Senja Maki was born in Finland in 1888 and immigrated to the United States when she was 4. She moved to Ely when she was 16. Her parents divorced because her father was an alcoholic and her mother remarried. Senja moved to Ely where she worked waiting tables at a hotel. The hotel burned and she looked for a new job where she worked until she broke her knee. In 1907 she married Gust Maki who owned "Maki Clothing." They had five children and her husband died in 1964. Senja marched for women's right to vote and was part of the Delphin Society. The Delphin Society was a study group for women to learn about art, music, and literature. She has lived in the same house for 77 years. Her philosophy of life is to learn to live the proper way and always do what is right.
Interview with Urho Hokkanen. Urho was born in Finland in 1909. His family immigrated to America in 1913. His father first arrived in America in 1905, but returned to Finland in 1908, and left again in 1910 for America. They traveled from Helsinki to Copenhagen and on to Hull, England and then caught a White Star ship in Liverpool arriving in Quebec, Canada before making his way to northern Minnesota. His father worked in the lumber camps and occasionally in the Section 30 or Zenith Mine. Urho Hokkanen attended the Winton, Minnesota school through the 8th grade and then graduated high school in Ely. He traveled around a while after high school, but came back to Winton because his mother was so lonely for him. He spent one winter in a lumber camp on the North Shore of Lake Superior and then was hired at the Pioneer Mine in Ely. Urho talks about working in the underground mine, cave-ins and mud slides, the Great Depression and its affect on the area, unionization of the mines, and what he did after the Pioneer Mine closed in 1967.
