1891
Mr. Robbins was interested in attracting people to the village and in order to make it more convenient for those who might live here and continue to carry on business in the city, he tried to secure better transportation facilities. He was unable to convince the Minneapolis Street Railway Company of the desirability of extending their lines to Robbinsdale, so he organized the North Side Street Railway Company (Mr. Robbins was the president), and in early 1891, built a road from the city limits to Robbinsdale Park, using the same weight of rails and the same gauge as that used for Minneapolis streetcars. On June 1, 1891, the line opened for business, operated by horsecars for some time. By 1893 a gasoline motor replaced the horses. It connected with the Minneapolis line at Penn and 32nd Avenue (Lowry) and came out as far as Johnson Road (36th Avenue North). Later it was extended via Hubbard Avenue to 42nd Avenue North and later via West Broadway to 42nd. Turntables were installed at 42nd Avenue and West Broadway and at Penn Avenue and a barn was built for shelter. The cars carried 20 people. In the winter a stove was put in the center of the car for warmth. By 1893 there was a separate engine car and a trailer car for the passengers. On January 14, 1897, the car barns and equipment were destroyed by fire. At the next election, February 13, 1897, voters approved an electric line by a unanimous vote and new cars started running on April 18.
Gus Urban, an employee of J. J. Coulter Meat Market, joined with Ed Bodem to purchase the meat market. In 1882 Urban became sole owner until 1922 when Kurt Hoffman bought it. In 1938 prices listed in ads were pork loin roasts, 20 cents a pound; pork chops, end cut, 18 cents a pound; sugar cured picnics, 18 cents a pound. In 1960 Herbert, Harold, and Reinhart Hackenmueller bought the meat market from Kurt Hoffman’s son, Kurt, and changed the name to Hackenmueller Meats (4159 West Broadway). They ran the meat market for twenty years, selling to Gordon Lindenfelsor in 1980. The meat market is by far the oldest continuing business in Robbinsdale in the same spot.
This post is part of a series based on the book Robbinsdale Then and Now by Helen Blodgett. Thanks to Jeff Vick for the old map of the church at the top of the post.