Hats off to youth
On April 8 I attended the 4th Ward caucus night at Camden High School. When I walked into the auditorium I noticed a couple of things. First was that the place …
Forgotten lakes and ponds
Growing up in the lowest part of the Northside, I only knew of three local bodies of water other than the Mississippi River. There was Glenwood Lake (now named …
Celebrating 100 years of great community service
On April 11, 2025 the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center will host a gala to celebrate its centennial. Originally called the Phyllis Wheatley Settlement House, …
Women shaping history
Being that March is Women’s History Month, I thought I’d write a bit about a few women from Minneapolis history that you may not have heard of before. …
Figuring out Presidents’ Day
I seem to remember as a kid going to elementary school in North Minneapolis in the 1950s, that some years we got a day off for President George Washington’s …
Decades of the local florist business
With the sudden passing away of my friend Phil Murphy, the last owner of the florist business and greenhouses on Humboldt and Dowling, I thought I’d write …
Holiday trees from the past
It’s that time of year when many folks are thinking about getting a Christmas tree, myself included. When I was growing up, mostly people had real trees and …
Remembering a day to honor veterans
November 11 is Veterans Day but it hasn’t always been called that and it was even on a different date for a few years. In the fall of 1918 the United States …
Battle of the badges
Saturday, September 7 saw the return of the Battle of the Badges BBQ at North Commons Park. The Minneapolis Police, Minneapolis Fire, Minneapolis Park Police …
Saving Northside history
I recently found out that Barbara Meyer Bistodeau, who was the original writer of this monthly history column in the Camden Community News, had passed away. I …