Carl Richard Jacobi was an author and Minneapolis resident throughout his entire life. Considered phenomenal by contemporaries such as H.P. Lovecraft, Jacobi’s writing spanned from pulp fiction to journalism to horror. His personality showed in his work and his attire, demonstrated by his collection of bow ties which he donated to Hennepin History Museum’s collection in 1989. Jacobi wrote stories at every […]| Hennepin History Museum Blog
This Leeann Chin duffel bag from Hennepin History Museum’s collection is a memento of restaurateur Leeann Chin’s legacy. Leeann Chin was a seamstress, the founder of a successful restaurant chain, and an active member of our local community. She was born the daughter of a grocer in Guangzhou, China. In her youth, she worked as […]| Hennepin History Museum Blog
Hennepin History Museum’s archive collection of Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) materials offers a glimpse into the world of highway construction planning. The materials in the collection are mainly impartial data collected for right of way surveys done in the 1950s through the 1970s. This small snapshot into the workings of MnDOT documents an early stage in the process of planning for roadway […]| Hennepin History Museum Blog
This blue velvet crown and robe from Hennepin History Museum’s collection are examples of regalia worn for ceremonies of the Order of the Eastern Star. The Order was developed in 1850 by Dr. Rob Morris as a more inclusive off shoot of Freemasonry. Dr. Morris believed that Masonry shouldn’t be confined to men, and developed Order of the Eastern […]| Hennepin History Museum Blog
Alice Elizabeth Putnam wore this graduation cap and gown at her college commencement ceremony in 1908. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota’s College Of Science, Literature And The Arts. Alice was born and raised in Minneapolis. Her father, Frank Putnam, grew up in Massachusetts and moved to Minnesota in the early […]| Hennepin History Museum Blog
Throughout the years, the area around the present-day Hennepin County Medical Center in the Elliot Park Neighborhood was home to seven different medical organizations, and one of those was the St. Barnabas Hospital and School of Nursing. Founded by Reverend D.B. Knickerbacker of the Gethsemane Parish of the Episcopal Church in 1871, the Cottage Hospital was the first […]| Hennepin History Museum Blog
This wooden souvenir jewelry box dates to 1980. While the object itself may seem mundane, there is an interesting story to tell about what can be seen here. The image on the lid of the box is of downtown Minneapolis, with the IDS Tower at the center. The IDS is certainly easy to make out, given […]| Hennepin History Museum Blog
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Thomas K. Baker invented a product that allowed anyone to make coffee just as well as an experienced barista. The Baker Coffee Maker was patented on September 30, 1902. The inventor had already established Baker & Company, later named Baker Importing Company, in downtown Minneapolis. Baker used his expertise in roasting coffee […]| Hennepin History Museum Blog
This tin is filled with recipes that call for Gold Medal Flour. Today, Gold Medal is the most popular brand in the market and is produced by General Mills. That company traces its roots to the Washburn-Crosby Company which was formed in 1877 and whose logo can be seen on this tin. However, even before […]| Hennepin History Museum Blog
This small wood crate in the collection at Hennepin History Museum once held two pounds of American cheese made by Old Home Creameries Inc. of Minneapolis. This local company consistently made high…| Hennepin History Museum Blog
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Above: this rocking chair, in the Hennepin History Museum Collection, was allegedly removed from the rooms of Harry Hayward after he was arrested for Kitty Ging’s murder On the site of the new U.S.…| Hennepin History Museum Blog