How it Was

Robbinsdale Schools on Regent

Episode 37:  The remarkable history Robbinsdale schools along Regent Avenue. This ten-acre site served as the educational heart of Robbinsdale for more than a century. Beginning with the ambitious 1889 construction of the Lutheran Theological Seminary, this special extended episode follows the evolution of the property through the Parker School, Robbinsdale Public School, Robbinsdale High School, and eventually Robbinsdale Junior High and TLC. Along the way, listeners hear colorful firsthand accounts from early Parker School students, stories of rapid community growth, legendary figures like Vern Gagne, and the dramatic expansion of District 281 during the postwar baby boom. The episode also explores how changing demographics, modernization projects, and declining enrollment ultimately led to the closure and demolition of the historic campus.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Esther Robbins Scott

Episode 36: Follow the life of Esther Robbins Scott, the adventurous youngest daughter of Robbinsdale founder Andrew B. Robbins. Through a remarkable collection of family papers discovered in a Plymouth townhouse, we meet a gifted writer, athlete, dog lover, and keeper of history. From her humorous childhood stories and University of Minnesota days to her courtship, marriage, and passion for breeding dogs, Esther lived life on her own terms.  She became the guardian of her family's memories, preserving letters, photographs, and documents that might otherwise have vanished. Much of what we know about the Robbins family and early Robbinsdale survives because Esther saved it.

To Whiz Bang and Beyond!

Episode 35: Here's the extraordinary life of Wilford Hamilton Fawcett, the Canadian-born soldier, journalist, and publisher who transformed Robbinsdale into the unlikely birthplace of a national publishing empire. Pete and Crystal explore how Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang exploded from a tiny West Broadway office into a multimedia powerhouse that launched pulp magazines, celebrity culture, comic book legends like Captain Marvel, and the famous Breezy Point Resort resort. Along the way, the episode dives into Prohibition-era speakeasies, Hollywood guests, aviation stunts, family drama, and the lasting legacy of the Fawcett family’s influence on Minnesota and American pop culture.

A Watershed in History

Episode 34: Explore the history, ecology, and cultural significance of Bassett Creek, blending personal childhood memories with a deeper look at its role in the western Minneapolis area. Crystal and Pete discuss the creek’s Dakota name, Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ (“Falls Creek”), its glacial origins, and its importance to Indigenous communities. They also trace how urban development transformed it from a natural waterway into an industrialized and polluted creek that was eventually tunneled underground in parts of Minneapolis. The episode further examines the legacy of Joel Bean Bassett, the creek’s namesake, while highlighting modern restoration efforts and community projects reconnecting people with the watershed and its history.

Gone to the Movies, Part 2

Episode 33: We trace the rise and fall of the Historic Terrace Theater, the lavish million-dollar movie palace that became a symbol of suburban luxury and innovation in the 1950s. The episode explores how the ambitious Volk brothers transformed movie going with elegant design, personal customer service, and nonstop reinvention as the theater adapted to changing audiences, Hollywood trends, and the decline of neighborhood cinemas. We remember the magic of the Terrace and its lasting place in the history and identity of Robbinsdale.