Exploring History and Brickmaking in Minnesota
Christian Albrecht was born May 22, 1861, in Burlington, Racine County, Wisconsin. Christian was married to Theresa Catherine Becker Albrecht (1865-1952) and their children were: Dorothea, Margaret, Leo. M., Christian L., Florence Catherine, Walter Francis, and Harold Anthony. Belle Plaine … Continued
Multiple sources say that the first bricks in Minnesota were made in 1849 in St. Paul, by Daniel F. Brawley. So what about Minneapolis? I have a source that says there was a brickyard in St. Anthony in 1854, and … Continued
I can usually track down some information on most of the old brickyards in Minnesota. Do you know what is the hardest thing to figure out? Where the old brickyards were actually located. If they were only open for a … Continued
Lately, I have spent some time tracking down more information on the first brick manufacturer in Minnesota, Daniel F. Brawley. Many sources from the St. Paul area state that Daniel F. Brawley made the first bricks in the State in … Continued
Recently, I finished a new YouTube video about the Minneapolis Stone Arch Bridge. As its name implies, the bridge was built of stone. However, I recently researched the histories of both the Minneapolis and St. Paul Union depots. These two … Continued
Several months ago, I added an audio history segment to my website. I used a computer generated voice to read interesting Minnesota historical segments, including maps and some pictures. Words and pictures can almost take you back to what is … Continued
I learned a significant amount of information this month about early Minnesota institutions. The most famous one is the Minnesota capitol building, which recently underwent a renovation. Before this facelift was completed, the crew doing the renovation contacted me to … Continued
I have to put in a plug for a new talking history section that’s been added to my website. Click on the “Talking History” button in the sidebar, which brings you to an “Early Minnesota Railroads (Audio)” section in Brickipedia. As … Continued
If you sit down and think about it, what kinds of old brick buildings are still most common across Minnesota? My first thought is churches, and then maybe courthouses. When I visit a new area of the state, those are … Continued
I am definitely a visual person by nature. When I research history, I like to find photographs that will accompany the story. For that reason, I watch online auctions for old pictures that I know can help tell my stories. … Continued