Gale Family Library at the Minnesota Historical Society

10/13/2026

Applebaum’s, Byerly’s (merged with Lunds in 1997), Cub, Kowalski’s, Lunds (merged with Byerly’s in 1997), Lunds & Byerly’s, Rainbow Foods, and Red Owl, are just a few Minnesota-based grocery store chains. Do you know of any others?

Some of these grocery stores have been around for decades – you may even visit one of them on a weekly basis. Some of these grocery stories no longer exist, but are kept alive by those who remember frequenting them decades ago.

Stop in the library to see our display case on Minnesota-based grocery store chains. To continue researching photographs of Minnesota-based grocery store chains or other Minnesota-based businesses, head to our Collections Online database (https://mnhs.info/4ihiOck). For further information on how to conduct historic business research, check out our Historic Business Research Guide (https://mnhs.info/3VKmc6P).

To learn more about our collections, visit us in-person (https://mnhs.info/4yKdWCv) or research remotely through our many online resources available through our website (https://mnhs.info/4yEVcEk).

Images:

The Best of Byerly’s : A recipe collection from the test kitchen of Byerly’s home economists. MNHS locator number: Gale Family Library Stacks TX715 .B47529 1985

Applebaum’s Food Market 80 N. Snelling St. Paul, MN November 1, 1960. MNHS locator number: MR2.9 SP3.1A p80

Exterior view of the Red Owl store at the Southdale Mall, Edina. MNHS locator number: I404.1

Coffee display at the Red Owl store. Southdale Mall, Edina. MNHS locator number: I.404.128

10/10/2026

As Home Movie Month continues, we present this clip of the Minnesota State Fair midway & attendees back in the 1940s!

The camera operator here was Harold Holmgren, and we hold four of his works in our archive that also feature a Swedish picnic, the Duluth harbor, and winter scenes around Minneapolis. All of these films can be viewed through our online catalog: https://mnhs.info/4dsgVa1

Many home movies are currently rotting away in poor conditions - hidden in closets, attics, or basements and never played out of fear that the films are too fragile. Even if they were transferred to VHS or DVD, the medium of film can actually outlast these other formats if properly taken care of. For more information on how to preserve your own home movies, check out the Center for Home Movies at https://mnhs.info/4hz6kfV

(Clip taken from MNHS film locator G-16)

10/08/2026

This week marks the 130th anniversary of the famous biker bank robbery in Sherburn, MN. Two brothers made off with cash on bicycles in 1896 after killing two people at the Bank of Sherburn, making it one of the first and deadliest bank robberies in Martin County's history. This evocative KSTP Minnesota Memories reenactment from 1976 tells the story, though it was actually shot at the Chippewa City Pioneer Village in Montevideo, MN.

For more information on Sherburn and the bank robbery, check out this article from the Martin County Historical Society: https://mnhs.info/4zgje8E

10/07/2026

Are you interested in learning more about Japanese American communities in Minnesota?

In addition to a number of archival records, photographs, and other materials which can be accessed through the library, we would like to share an in-person event hosted by the MNHS Community Engagement Team! Please register here if you are planning to attend: https://mnhs.info/4dPmQ9i

Celebrating Century - A Look Back with Bud Nakasone, former professor and WWII Veteran

Location: Lincoln Mall East Campus 3300 Century Avenue North White Bear Lake, MN 55110
OCTOBER 8, 2026, 4–7pm
4 pm- 5 pm WWII displays, organization tabling, and registration
5 pm-5:45 program
6 pm-7 pm dinner and community fellowship

Join us for a special evening honoring Edwin “Bud” Nakasone’s service during World War II, his lasting contributions to Century College, and his lifelong commitment to education and community.

The program will feature reflections from students, colleagues, community members, and family, followed by dinner, fellowship, and opportunities to visit displays and partner tables.

Born and raised in Wahiawa, Hawaii, Edwin Nakasone witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor, Wheeler Army Airfield and Schofield Barracks on Dec. 7, 1941. He is a retired colonel of the U.S. Army and an historian who has authored books and produced videos on World War II. Graduating from the University of Minnesota, Nakasone became a long-time member of the history faculty of Century College, White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

Featured Speaker Paul M. Nakasone: Son of Bud Nakasone
Emcee: Kimmy Tanaka: Senior Director of Inclusion, Outreach, and Community Engagement, Minnesota Historical Society; Chair of the Twin Cities Japanese American Citizens League Education Committee

Sponsored by Century College, Minnesota Historical Society, White Bear Lake Area Historical Society, and Twin Cities Japanese American Citizens League Century College is a member of Minnesota State.

Unable to attend the event or interested in learning more about what we have in our library and archives collection? Please check out the attached brochure and visit our Military Intelligence Service Language School at Fort Snelling (https://mnhs.info/4y80kjp) and Military Service Records Research: World War II Records (https://mnhs.info/4zlM7jT) research guides.

10/06/2026

Over 200 films in our Sound & Visual collection are now available to watch in the MNHS online catalog! These range from home movies to amateur works to educational & industrial films. MNHS media archivists Joe Larsen & April Rodriguez digitized this material over the last number of years and catalogers Dave Ehasz & Rowan Wildberg made them accessible online.

Links & descriptions can be found in this month’s What’s New in Collection Finding Aid post under 'New and Updated Catalog Records' (linked below), and our team continues to strive to make even more of these accessible.

https://mnhs.info/4z9n03I

Happy Watching!

New finding aids added to the library, manuscripts, sound and visual, and archival collections .

10/03/2026

October is Home Movie Month here at the library, celebrating our vast collection of amateur films that hold significance as historical and cultural documents of Minnesota! We will be showcasing snippets of our collections throughout the month.

This particular clip from 1960 shows a community gathering in Mankato, MN centered around a motorbike hill climbing contest (the music is our own addition). To see what other home movies exist in our collections, you can search "amateur films" in our catalog, with many of the entries viewable online. https://mnhs.info/4hXqMqX

Many home movies are currently rotting away in poor conditions - hidden in closets, attics, or basements and never played out of fear that the films are too fragile. Even if they were transferred to VHS or DVD, the medium of film can actually outlast these other formats if properly taken care of. For more information on how to preserve your own home movies, check out the Center for Home Movies at https://mnhs.info/4xU7l7a

(Clip taken from MNHS film locator: C-47)

10/02/2026

Good luck to all the runners in the 2026 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon this weekend! Downtown will be busy, so plan ahead and prepare for delays if you are headed to any of our St. Paul sites.

10/02/2026

October 2-4 is Twin Cities Marathon Weekend!

Plan ahead if you are headed to downtown St. Paul this weekend! Saturday is expected to be busy, especially around the Minnesota State Capitol and the Minnesota History Center. Please prepare for delays if you are visiting the Library!

Enjoy some posts from our own social media archives, celebrating past Twin Cities Marathons in Gale Family Library style!

https://mnhs.info/3Vr0EvR

https://mnhs.info/4dhafLW

10/01/2026

Did you know that today is National Homemade Cookie Day?

Sadly, the Gale Family Library Staff are too busy to bake cookies this year, so we thought we would enjoy some posts featuring cookie recipes which we have shared on social media throughout the years.

Enjoy!

Images:
"Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies." The Atwater Herald, 7 September 1945, p. 2 (https://mnhs.info/4ydTHfz)

Gingersnaps. Pillsbury’s Best Butter Cookie Cookbook, MNHS call number TX772 .B87 1960.

"Cookie cook book : tested recipes from women of the Tracy Municipal Hospital Auxiliary" / compiled by Walnut Grove Unit No. 7, MNHS call number: TX772 .C64 1900z

Old-Time "Spiced Gyngerbrede" without ginger (George Washington's mother's recipe!) Washburn Crosby recipe card. 3D Objects. MNHS Accession Number: 2001.147.18

09/29/2026

Happy National Coffee Day! To celebrate, here's a historical reenactment of the Willmar Saucer Drinking Society from KSTP-TV's MN Memories in 1975.

This group met each morning starting in 1935 to enjoy their favorite beverage in the Scandinavian style of drinking from a saucer, and this video even features original member Oscar Auguston at the original location of Willmar, MN's Lakeland Hotel. The Society later started Kaffe Fest in 1946, which transformed into Willmar Fests in the 1980s and is still running strong today!