Website of Joe Landsberger

 

Is not wisdom based on being well informed?
Plato, 429 – 347 BCE
Greek philosopher
 

origin story: west seventh street, saint paul, mn“Origin Story of

Fort Road/West Seventh Street,
the Township/City of Saint Paul,
the Territory/State of Minnesota,
Glacial Age Forward”

It was the old days, the old ways.

(Send email request for more information.)

Table of Contents

Foreward: Method 1
Eras of the West End 2
Dakota Era 4
European Extractive Colonialism 20
American Expansionism 24
A Transitional Time 30
From Claims to Plats 38
Minnesota Identity 46
Minnesota Survey 48
Marginalization 56
Red River Carts 60
Reserve Township 64
Rural Migration 64
Urban Migration 66
Upper Landing/River Flats/The Levee 70
Limestone, Brick, Tunnels 80
Irvine Park 94
Westtown, Downtown 104
Dakota Conflict 112
Seven Corners, West Seventh 116
Pleasant Avenue 130
German Settlement 134
“Bohemian” Settlement 164
Little Bohemia 196
Uppertown, Uppertown Triangle 208
Italian Settlement 216
Irish Immigration 228


 Peasant Valley 232
Dairies of the West End 246
Widening West Seventh/Infrastructure 248
Seven Corners West 258
James to Victoria 258
Benevolent Societies 270
Schools/Community Centers 288
Taverns (and Brothels) 296
Minnesota’s Waterways 302
Railroad Transportation 310
City Railway/Metro Transit 314
West End Car Culture 318
Smith Avenue High Bridge 320
Shepard Road Freeway 326
West End Arts and Entertainment 348
West End Arts 352
Community Reporter 372
West Seventh/Fort Road Federation 376
Affiliations 396
Bibliography 397
Endnotes 401
About the Author 412
Postscript and Postimage 415

 

This history has been built with locally-sourced contributors

  1. Cover design by Teresa Pojar based on Loughridge illustration
  2. Illustrations by Stuart Loughridge
  3. Photography by Craig Johnson
  4. Illustrations/photography by Joe Landsberger
  5. Photos and consultation by Jerry Mathiason
  6. 85% of 1058 images vintage, including Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS), Ramsey County History Center (RCHS), Library of Congress, Czech and Slovak Sokol Minnesota.
  7. Cartography by Nat Case, incasellc.com with Dr. Roderick Squires
  8. Editing by Jane McClure, Becky Yust and Joan Sedlacek
  9. Reviews by neighbors in selected content areas
  10. Assistance by RCHS Research Associate Rich Arpi particularly building permits from 1880 and West Seventh/Fort Road Federation archives.
  11. Gale Family Library Research Services
  12. Noted contributions by Greg Brick (subterranean connections), Justin Tweet (geology), Scott Olson (brickworks), particularly Betty Moran (1943-2024, RIP)
  13. Book layout consultation by Paul Nylander, Illustrada
  14. Printing and publication services by Michelle Hovde Bastian, InstyPrint West Seventh
  15. Hardcover marbling by Caron Moore
  16. Hardcover binding by Jeff Dahlin, E & L Bindery
  17. Research and authorship by Joe Landsberger documented with 258 endnotes.

 

For more information, email Joe Landsberger