Robbinsdale Historical Society

08/27/2026

In 1890, three years before Robbinsdale became a village, a new grade school was built. The citizens of the area believed the new building would be large enough to serve their needs indefinitely. The School Board—consisting of L.A. Taylor, Chairman; H.R. Stillman, Clerk; and Jarius Russ, Treasurer—authorized the raising of $10,000 in taxes, enabling District 24 to secure one of the finest school buildings in the state. The school was named Parker School in honor of long-time resident Alfred Parker…

In 1890, three years before Robbinsdale became a village, a new grade school was built. The citizens of the area believed the new building would be large enough to serve their needs indefinitely. T…

08/26/2026

Victory Hospital under construction in 1939 (Courtesy of Sunny Worel)

08/26/2026

You got a license for those two wheels?

08/26/2026

While the traditions that the Hapsburg princess brings with her are as royal and romantic as those of the table she sent, Dr. Colp to seal their betrothal, Utta Larisch is a modern princess with a score of interests. One part of Dr. Colp’s red brick house to Robbinsdale is a beautifully furnished home another is a scrupulously antiseptic office and waiting rooms. The large lawn, the house is set back from the road, is full of blue spruce trees. In the stiff and formal reception room leading to the doctors private rooms there are the magazines, straight back chairs and the efficient uniform nurse of every medical man’s office. On the frosted glass door the office hours are marked from 9 AM to 5 PM “But the princes knows that I am a practicing physician.” Dr. Colp said, “She knows that I am extremely busy and that half of my house has the air of the doctors office, but the princess likes that.”

A gay young prince of the house of Hapsburg brought a gold leaf console table out of the palace of a swarthy Florentine doge 500 years ago and sent it on the backs of the servants across the mounta…

08/26/2026

The west side of West Broadway at 41 1/2 in 1925

08/26/2026

The Parker School at Regent and 41st in the 1890s

08/26/2026

Crystal Lake Dredging Project-1948 (Courtesy of Hennepin County Library)

08/25/2026

This week, construction is beginning on the Sanborn Park Tennis and Pickleball Court project, which will include two new tennis courts and two pickleball courts! 🎾 The City of Robbinsdale received a $70,000 grant from USTA to help fund this project.

Estimated Construction Timeline (weather dependent):
~ 1 week for removal of tennis court, horseshoe pit, trees, and path
~ 1 week for grading of construction site
~ 1 week for base prep of courts
~ 3 weeks for installation of courts, fencing, rain garden, and path

Please note: The walking path adjacent to Drew Ave will be CLOSED between Shoreline Drive up to the playground, as it is being replaced during construction. Additionally, due to the re-grading of the park and the location of the courts, some trees will be removed during construction.

View full project plans and learn more at www.robbinsdalemn.gov/parkprojects.

08/25/2026

Taking a Victory Lap

Conceived in the aftermath of World War I, Victory Memorial Drive emerged from Superintendent Theodore Wirth’s vision for a living monument. Designed as the northwest segment of the Grand Rounds parkway system, the corridor was engineered around parallel rows of 568 Moline elms, each paired with a bronze marker honoring a individual fallen serviceman or nurse from Hennepin County. Charles M....

Conceived in the aftermath of World War I, Victory Memorial Drive emerged from Superintendent Theodore Wirth’s vision for a living monument. Designed as the northwest segment of the Grand Rounds pa…