Woodbury Heritage Society

06/19/2026

The real events of the Hinckley Fires Presentation in Woodbury is coming up on 28th July - 2-4pm at Central Park. This is a free event.
Have you reserve your seat yet?

FB friend and longtime Woodbury resident, Kay Myhrman-Toso writes about the Hinckley Fires of 1894...
"Deep sighs… my grandmother’s brother died in this firestorm. His wife was pregnant with their first child. His body was never identified".

The Great Hinckley Fire of 1894, which destroyed the town of Hinckley and surrounding communities on September 1, 1894.

Driven by extreme drought, high winds, and dense logging debris, the fire did become a fast-moving firestorm that killed hundreds of people—estimates commonly place the death toll around 400–500.

A fantastic presentation is on the horizon that will be facilitated by Historian Dr. Bill Schrankler.

Schrankler will delve into the catastrophic 1894 firestorm that burned hundreds of square miles and claimed over 400 lives and more as well as our local response from Washington County.
So, call today or asap to secure your seat at Central Park.

Details:

Central Park Prairie Room B
This is a FREE event

Tuesday, July 28th at 2-4 p.m.

Please RSVP to Jennifer Anderson
at 651-714-3586 or [email protected]
She would love to hear from you to reserve your seat!

Either give her this reference number: #552020-03, or let her know that you would like to attend the Presentation for the Woodbury Heritage Society on July 28th - 2-4pm

Here is the City of Woodbury's Parks and Recreation Summer Newsletter with lots of stuff to attend.
https://www.woodburymn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4393/Summer-2026-Senior-Newsletter-PDF?fbclid=IwY2xjawSiLglleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEehwyPquG6XtH5RH_BrE-2njGCAPakxR52WiwaVrnxp2hnPIVTvnHYP94yKU4_aem_die3JfFS-dcM7hmUE3KDQw

06/19/2026

Fire! How did Woodbury manage Fires in the early days?

Fire struck terror in the hearts of our early settlers.

Storms were dreaded then as now. Usually as soon as the worst of the storm was over, the family went from window to window scanning the sky for the red glow which meant someone’s building had been hit.

It was noon in the early 1900s when Wes Thees was cultivating his fields…
A black & thunderous storm came swiftly out of the northwest. He & his horses raced to the nearby neighbor’s home & waited there for the storm to pass.

He was aghast as he looked to the north & saw huge billows of smoke. Everyone piled into a sulky. After reaching the road, they realized that the fire was somewhere over the hill.

Going at break-neck speed, they discovered it was Henry Strate’s Barn, stacked with hay, which burned completely to the ground.

However, the house, which was quite close, was saved that day. The pump & pails were busy again!

In 1934, the August Urtel house caught fire from a spark coming out of the chimney. This was around 6 o’clock in the evening & the men were in the barn milking.

Neighbors helped neighbors when there was a fire - It was to be a few years yet before the fire department would be available.

06/19/2026

J.C. Munson / Elof Nelson’s Farm where 108 years ago - A Tornado hit Woodbury.

Update on this story...This post includes maps of location of Elof Nelson's Barn, formally J.C. Muson's farmstead on the corner of Valley Creek Road and Manning Avenue. It was destroyed by a tornado on May 18th, 1918.

While the family and friends were merrymaking and hitting the floor for a Barn Dance with live music, a Tornado hit Nelson's Barn in the middle of it all, on Valley Creek Road in 1918.

The band was playing, and the dancers were on the floor enjoying the gathering at the Elof Nelson’s farm in the Barn on May 18th, 1918, when a tornado swooped down.

It was so sudden, according to the book, Woodbury: A Past to Remember, that the first realization of what happened was when the raindrops fell onto the dancers’ heads.

Weather is always of importance to farmers.

Some of the known hailstorms are noted in St. John’s Lutheran Church records…In August 1905, a severe hailstorm swept through the area, in 1940 and in 1965 severe hailstorms ripped through Woodbury. This always meant heavy damage to crops.

Many in Woodbury remembered November 11th, 1941…with storms so strong that milk trucks and cars stalled.
Picture is of the Eloff Nelson Barn after the 1918 tornado.

06/18/2026

Soap and Clams

Didn't you want to talk about Soap. Of course we want to talk about Soap. Especially when it's Soap from the Howard Johnson Motor Hotel and Restaurant in Woodbury that brought life, jobs, and where we met exciting travelling folks. It housed folks moving for 3M jobs and training; not to mention 28 flavors of Ice Cream they served in the Restaurant. Who could resist All You Can Eat, Fish and Clams on Wednesdays and Fridays. See photos.
It had it all!

Kathy Brochman Merchant, a great FB Friend, shared a few Bars of Soap she still has!

A few more comments to share...thank you all!

Val Hill wrote to say that she worked as a waitress from 1970-1973. 28 flavors of ice cream. 3M training center. Made $1.10 an hour. Blue Teal checked uniform with apron. Lots of fond memories.

Deb Hurrle said that she was a maid there in high school!

And, Joe Buckwheat's stepmother was the manager of hojos back in the day.

Remember the pool? Elizabeth Anger Mahle reminded us, "We used to go there for birthday dinners. They always seemed to have coconut cakes. Went with Brownies for a pool party as well. It had such a great pool area."

Valerie Morris Spahr on transferring to 3M and living at HoJo's...
Valerie writes, "Love all the history of our home town and to be a part of it.
When 3M transferred us to MN we lived at HoJo’s til our furniture arrived. That pool is unforgettable
We are a proud family who took part in watching and participating in this ever growing community til this day."

Check out two last posts on history and fun stories and comments about the Howard Johnson in Woodbury.

06/18/2026

Truly the dawn of a new era in hospitality had arrived with the opening in 1965 of the Howard Johnson's complex.

And, FB friend and live long Woodbury resident, Denise Edgett confirms it in an AMAZING detailed account of her work there. You must read how she folded TURKISH!

Every time you write Denise, we learn sooooo much. Thank you.

Here is Denise...

My first job was as a maid at HoJo's. I was a sophomore in high school working weekends and during summer breaks until I graduated.

I learned how to make beds with military precision (mitered corners were required as there were no fitted sheets), clean like a fiend and fold linens fresh from the mangle.

Each morning started with changing into a freshly laundered uniform, getting your assignment and heading to one of the storerooms for your cleaning cart. You then proceeded to knock on room doors without do not disturb signs, to strip all the linens so that the young men who doubled as handymen could start the mountains of laundry that needed to be done every day. After thoroughly cleaning several rooms (making beds, restocking towels, toiletries and sanitized paper wrapped drinking glasses, emptying trash, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning windows, balcony furniture and scrubbing the bathrooms top to bottom- don't forget the paper "freshly sanitized" collar for the toilet) it was time for your assigned coffee break.

At the end of each break, it was time to fold Turkish, still warm from the dryer, pillowcases and sheets that were often finger burning hot from the mangle.

Once caught up on folding, it was back to room cleaning, then lunch, more laundry folding, more room cleaning, another break, more laundry folding, and room cleaning until your assignment was completed.

It was an excellent day if all your rooms passed supervisor inspection without issue or a guest actually left a tip.

There were other tasks that were routinely done, such as restocking your cart, the storerooms, running the dishwashers, packaging the clean drinking glasses, etc.

I always remember to tip the hard-working housekeeping staff when staying at a hotel or RB&B because of my experiences working as a HoJo's maid.

See previous post about Brian Dellis information, history and what he is up to - another Woodbury Great! History and maps of this historical location in that post too.

06/18/2026

Back In The Day Vibe - the Howard Johnson and the Wooddale Center

"Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge, where everything is Ultra-Modern...Except for our Old-fashioned desire to PLEASE!"

Brian Dellis is the son of one of Woodbury's Fire Chief's (Mike Dellis), and he is a documentarian. The following photos are from his archives; he will be producing a new YouTube show, "Roadtrip Maniac" on the Howard Johnsons.

Brian writes, "Growing up on Hudson Road and Woodbury for about six decades, we were fairly close to the brand-new Howard Johnson’s. When it opened in 1965 it was a BIG DEAL for everyone.

The following photos were in a supplement of the St Paul Sunday Pioneer Press from September 12th, 1965. This was announcing the opening of this new Howard Johnson’s near Minnesota Mining (3M). This was the first major business to come to Woodbury".

In 1964, Woodbury was still a township. Lifelong friend and former neighbor of the Dellis family on Hudson Road, Kathy Heckman (Mulcahy) shared a box of memorabilia from the HoJos with Brian. Kathy worked at HoJos Restaurant for years.

See great photo of Wooddale Center. It reads, "Industrial Park, '90 strategically-located acres...in the heart of a favorable tax climate"...

Thanks so much Brian Dellis!!!

Prior to this, the land was where two Woodbury brothers in 1934, Oliver & Melvin Garbe, started a filling station at the corner of Century Avenue & Hudson Road. The brothers operated this station and automotive mechanic work until 1941 when they both entered the service of their country during World War 11.

And before this...see pictures of the sprawling Barn and magnificent homestead on Henry Garbe's Farm on Tanner's Lake as well. The present site of the Green Mill Restaurant in Woodbury...

See maps of locations in this post too.

06/17/2026

⚾ This is G R E A T News!

A brand-new shade structure has officially opened at the Woodbury Rotary Miracle Field! (Woodbury Rotary Miracle Field at the Jeff Hanson Memorial Ballpark is located at M Health Fairview Sports Center.)

This heartwarming story was beautifully covered by Woodbury News Net (WNN), and it is the perfect example of what makes our community so special.

The fantastic new upgrades include:
A large, overhead shade structure
New picnic tables and umbrellas
A protective shade screen covering the first-base dugout

The Woodbury Rotary Club funded these excellent improvements through a dedicated fundraising campaign.

What a wonderful partnership between the AMAZING non-profit Woodbury Rotary Club and the City of Woodbury!

There is always a lot of love on that field, and these additions will make game days so much more comfortable for the players, families, and fans.

❤️ CONGRATULATIONS and thank you to everyone involved in making this happen!

This wonderful story was written by WNN Theo Franz; and, one year ago WNN Manali Shah wrote "Gateway To Miracles" when the fundraising for this very worthy cause was in earnest. Bill Reinhardt would be soooo proud.

Follow link to full story.

https://woodburynewsnet.org/7163/life/new-shade-structure-opens-at-woodbury-rotary-miracle-field/

And, this article too is chock full of great highlights and desires - met one year later. Amazing folks - all of them.

https://woodburynewsnet.org/2921/life/gateway-to-miracles/

Before the ribbon-cutting ceremony even began, children and adults were already gathered underneath the new shade structure at Woodbury Rotary Miracle Field, escaping the late-afternoon sun and putting the newest addition to the adaptive baseball complex to use. The structure, installed at Miracle F...

06/17/2026

Century Ponds, Valley Creek Road and Century Avenue.
The City of Maplewood provide informative updates.

06/17/2026

The Century Ponds Evolution: Good, Bad, & Historical Good

The Good: An incredible 52,000 of you tuned in to our last update on the 'Century Ponds' land development at Valley Creek Road and Century Avenue (overlooking the Valley Creek Apartments). It is wonderful to see so many neighbors keeping an eye on our changing landscape! It will now be a modern development for many families.

Tip: The City of Maplewood regularly shares excellent, short video updates on the construction progress—I’ll make sure to link those in our very next post.

A Familiar Sound: When the heavy machinery pauses its grading and path-clearing, a familiar local backdrop returns—the steady echo of the St. Paul Police Department’s outdoor gun range in practice mode. It's a soundtrack this area has shared for 70 years.

The Bad: The rolling landscape is officially being flattened out—nearly "flat as a pancake" now, which we know is tough to see for many who loved the old views. The heavy grading has also kicked up a massive amount of dust across the vicinity.

The good news? This heavy-dirt portion of the project should be wrapping up in a week or so.

The Historical Good: Long before it was a golf course this exact soil was broken by Farmer Schlattman back in the 1800s. Right next door was Farmer Aloise Calderbert, whose land eventually became the Park Hills Development (the second-ever housing development in Woodbury).

For the moment, we can still look out and enjoy the mature trees that nature, the Indigenous peoples, and the first settlers planted. May they remain standing.

See the Evolution
Check out the historical maps below to trace the location and land ownership over the last two centuries, detailing exactly how the property's boundaries have shifted over the decades!

06/17/2026

108 years ago - The Tornado in Woodbury.

While we were merrymaking and hitting the floor for a Barn Dance with live music, a Tornado hit Nelson's Barn in the middle of it all, on Valley Creek Road in 1918.

Elof Nelson's Barn, on the corner of Valley Creek Road and Manning Avenue was destroyed by a tornado on May 18th, 1918.

The band was playing, and the dancers were on the floor enjoying the gathering at the Elof Nelson’s farm in the Barn on May 18th, 1918, when a tornado swooped down.

It was so sudden, according to the book, Woodbury: A Past to Remember, that the first realization of what happened was when the raindrops fell onto the dancers’ heads.

Weather is always of importance to farmers.

Some of the known hailstorms are noted in St. John’s Lutheran Church records…In August 1905, a severe hailstorm swept through the area, in 1940 and in 1965 severe hailstorms ripped through Woodbury. This always meant heavy damage to crops.

Many in Woodbury remembered November 11th, 1941…with storms so strong that milk trucks and cars stalled.

Picture is of the Eloff Nelson Barn after the 1918 tornado.