Construction of the Lake Zumbro Hydroelectric Power Plant dam began in this area of the Zumbro River in 1917. The structure was designed by noted hydroelectric engineer, Hugh Lincoln Cooper. The dam, completed in 1919, is owned by Rochester Public Utilities.
After several days of drenching rains along the Zumbro River basin, the river overflowed its banks in Rochester early on the morning of early on June 26, 1908. The river rose at a rapid rate (four feet in 20 minutes) and did extensive damage to the business and residential sections of the city. This photo was taken from the Third Street mill overlooking Mayo Park. The little round bandstand is visible in the trees in the center of the photo. The Center Street bridge is in the left rear.
The Zumbro Flour Mill was owned by John M. Cole. This mechanical drawing provides a cross section of the mill and includes details on the water wheel, separator, cockle machine, bran duster, purifier, wheat bins, stock hopper, flour bins, grading wheels and receiving elevator and other machinery.
A group of local sight seers and souvenir hunters are gathered around the wreckage of the Pleiades, the gondola used by Dr. Jean Piccard during his flight. The gondola quickly burned after a fire was caused by burning excelsior ignited by the TNT used to blast away his upper cluster of balloons. The flight ended when Dr. Piccard landed near the Mississippi River bluff near Lansing, Iowa on July 18, 1935 approximately seventy-five miles from Rochester. Dr. Jean Piccard was a University of Minnesota physicist and aeronautical engineer who believed it was possible to ascend into the stratosphere using many small cluster balloons rather than one large balloon. The experimental flight was sponsored by the Rochester Kiwanis Club and supported by local residents and students.
One thousand wounded soldiers were received at the Base Hospital 26 in Allerey, France during one day in July, 1918. Some patients await treatment on stretchers on the floor while other patients lie on stretchers stacked four high on wooden racks.
Harold H. Crawford designed this house for William W. Lawler (919 Eighth Street SW) The architectural drawing shows the elevations and details of the house.
Harold H. Crawford designed this service station for A. J. Watten in Zumbrota, Minnesota. The architectural drawing shows elevations and details of the gas station and the second floor apartment.
Harold H. Crawford designed this building for Waseca County Hospital. The architectural rendering shows elevations and details of the hospital building.
Harold H. Crawford designed this building for Waseca County Hospital. The architectural rendering shows elevations and details of the hospital building.
Harold H. Crawford designed this building for the Eyota School. The architectural rendering shows exterior details, elevation of the cupola, and other details.
Harold H. Crawford designed this building for the Rochester Public Library. The architectural drawing shows details of the building. Architect Peter Bross was an associate on this project, dealing primarily with mechanical engineering aspects. The building is now owned by the Mayo Clinic and functions as a student center for the Mayo Medical School.
Harold H. Crawford designed this building for the Rochester Public Library. The architectural drawing shows details of the building. Architect Peter Bross was an associate on this project, dealing primarily with mechanical engineering aspects. The building is now owned by the Mayo Clinic and functions as a student center for the Mayo Medical School.
Harold H. Crawford designed this building for the Rochester Public Library. The architectural drawing shows elevations of the building. Architect Peter Bross was an associate on this project, dealing primarily with mechanical engineering aspects. The building is now owned by the Mayo clinic and functions as a student center for the Mayo Medical School.
Harold H. Crawford designed this building for Mr. Berdie Reid, a local businessman, who leased the building to J. C. Penney. The architectural drawing shows elevations for the store.
Harold H. Crawford designed this house for Jay C. Hormel in Austin, Minnesota. The architectural rendering shows elevations of the building. Two years after completion of the main house, Harold H. Crawford designed this smaller house adjacent to the main residence. The project also included a small service building and a garage for the estate.
Harold H. Crawford designed this house for Jay C. Hormel in Austin, Minnesota. The architectural rendering shows elevations of the building. Two years after completion of the main house, Harold H. Crawford designed this smaller house adjacent to the main residence. The project also included a small service building and a garage for the estate.
Harold H. Crawford designed this building for Folwell School in Rochester, Minnesota. The architectural drawing shows the elevations and details of the school building.
This architectural drawing illustrates the elevations and details of the athletic storage and dressing room building at Soldiers Field Park. This building was funded by Dr. E. Starr Judd to provide dressing facilities for the Rochester High School football team. It was later integrated with two other buildings next to the municipal swimming pool in 1936.
Harold H. Crawford designed these buildings for the Faribault State Hospital. The architectural rendering shows elevations of the residential housing buildings.
Harold H. Crawford designed these buildings for the Faribault State Hospital. The architectural rendering shows elevations of the residential housing buildings.
Harold H. Crawford designed this building for the Elba Dairy Cooperative. The architectural drawing shows elevation, section and detail for the creamery.
Harold H. Crawford designed this house for Dr. Edward H. Rynearson. The architectural drawing shows elevations for the home. The residence is also known as ""Sunny Slopes"".
Harold H. Crawford designed this house for Dr. Edward H. Rynearson. The architectural drawing shows elevations for the home. The residence is also known as ""Sunny Slopes"".
Harold H. Crawford designed this house for Dr. Edward H. Rynearson. The architectural drawing shows elevations and details for the home. The residence is also known as ""Sunny Slopes"".
Harold H. Crawford designed this building for the Lanesboro Community Building. The architectural drawing shows elevations and details of community building.
Harold H. Crawford designed this chandelier for his residence. The architectural drawing shows plans, secrtions and details for wrought iron chandelier.
Harold H. Crawford designed this structure for a band shell in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. The architectural drawing shows elevations and plans for the building. The band shell stands in John Burch Park near the center of the Cannon Falls, Minnesota.
Two men are posed by a balloon with passenger basket at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds. The event was sponsored by the American Legion as a welfare benefit show.
This winter scene shows a man, riding in a sleigh pulled by a horse, on the street in front of the W. H. . Dodge lumber yard. The business was started in 1869 by W. H. Dodge. His son, Elam Dodge, joined the firm in 1907 and the name was changed to Dodge Lumber and Fuel.
The Winona & Western Railway depot was located on the south side of College Street (now 4th Street SW) by the Zumbro River. The photo was taken on the west bank of the Zumbro River, looking east. The Chicago Great Western Railroad bought the Winona & Western Railway in 1901. In January of 1903, the depot was cut in two and moved across the river.
The Winona and Southwestern Railway train is pictured moving over a trestle bridge on it's way from Spring Valley to Winona. In 1890, tracks were laid from Winona through St. Charles, Dover, Eyota, Simpson and Stewartville to Spring Valley and Osage. The railroad became the Winona & Western in 1894. A spur was built in 1900 from Simpson to Rochester. In 1901, the Winona & Western line was sold to the Chicago Great Western Railroad.
A man is leaning against a wall of the Weber's residence. Another wall lies flat on the ground and the roof is missing. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
The Northrop School was leveled by the 1883 tornado. This school served students of the Third Ward. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
The Zumbro River flooded a residential section of the city in this photo taken from the brewery. The area in the background would later become Soldiers Field Park. After several days of drenching rains along the Zumbro River basin, the river overflowed its banks in Rochester early on the morning of early on June 26, 1908. The river rose at a rapid rate (four feet in 20 minutes) and did extensive damage to the business and residential sections of the city.
The Chicago & North Western Railroad yards received severe damage from the 1883 tornado. Box cars, buildings and stock pens were destroyed. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
The T. P. Hall Buggy Works lost part of the roof and the side of the building in the 1883 tornado. Carriages and wagons are visible as well as the remains of an freight elevator structure. The business was located on the corner of College Street and Main Street. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
The tin from the roof of the Heaney Block was rolled up and dropped on the street by the force of the tornado. Just to the left (south) is the Cook House, built in 1869. The Heaney Block was built by Daniel Heaney in 1866. It was in this building, on the 3rd floor, where Dr. William W. Mayo set up temporary hospital for the care of those injured in the tornado. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
The object in the foreground is a roll of tin that was torn off the Heaney Building by the 1883 tornado. The Heaney Block is on the right, with the Cook House across the street (to the left of Heaney Block). On the 3rd floor of Heaney Hall, Dr. William Worrall Mayo set up a temporary hospital for the care of those injured in the tornado. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
This view of North Rochester shows the most heavily settled section of the city. Very few houses are still standing after the 1883 tornado. This photo was taken from Cole's Mill. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
This photo was taken from Cole's Mill and shows the extensive property damage from the 1883 tornado. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
The mill race is filled with debris and an overturned railroad car. The damaged Cole's Mill is in the background. A horse and buggy stand near the mill. John M. Cole, the proprietor of the mill was found dead in the street between the mill and his residence. He had apparently left the mill to go home when he was killed by the storm. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
The railroad tracks leading up to Cole's Mill are blocked by an overturned railroad car. John M. Cole, the proprietor of the mill was found dead in the street between the mill and his residence. He had apparently left the mill to go home when he was killed by the storm. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
Cole's Mill is viewed from the mill race showing six overturned railroad cars and another railroad car at the end of the race. The mill was extensively damaged by the 1883 tornado. John M. Cole, the proprietor of the mill was found dead in the street between the mill and his residence. He had apparently left the mill to go home when he was killed by the storm. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
One building in this scene of a section of Broadway is still standing. All other buildings have been destroyed by the 1883 tornado. The wooden walkway is also damaged in several sections. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
Most of the houses have been destroyed in this view of a street in Rochester after the tornado of 1883. The buildings left standing are all heavily damaged. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
Spectators are seen watching the flood waters from the College (4th Street) Street bridge. The Riverside Livery is visible on the right. After several days of drenching rains along the Zumbro River basin, the river overflowed its banks in Rochester early on the morning of early on June 26, 1908. The river rose at a rapid rate (four feet in 20 minutes) and did extensive damage to the business and residential sections of the city.
Only a few houses remain standing after the 1883 tornado. This is the view from Cole's Mill showing the residential section of Rochester. The tornado struck Rochester in the early evening of Aug. 21, 1883.
Luggage is piled on the roof of the first bus to regularly travel between Rochester and the Twin Cities. The bus line was operated by Leon Van Tassel and later became the Rochester Bus Line.
This is an original plat of Olmsted County with many handwritten notes and drawings showing early Minnesota settlers, farmers and other town landscape features. This map is the earliest documentation we have found in our collection of the farms, towns, and topography of Olmsted County, Minnesota.
A group of spectators at the entrance to the Zumbro Hotel watch four men in a car at the curb. A jug, spare tire and sign reading ""New York to Rochester"" hang on the side of the car.
A Fifteen horse International gas engine runs a separator on the old Bierbaum homestead. The equipment had to be hauled from farm to farm with horses. The man sitting on the side of the engine with his feet on the basket is Claus Dubbels of Viola Township who lived to be 103 years old. H. H. Bierbaum is on the threshing machine. The elderly man in back of the engine is Herman Stickford.
Members of a threshing crew are posed in front of and on a steam tractor and thresher. The tractor and thresher have large metal wheels. There is a large pile of chaff in the background.
Several people are posed on a tractor and thresher with other people driving teams pulling wagons. A barn and a large pile of chaff are in the background.
The 4th of July parade is shown moving west on Third Street SW, in front of the Rochester City Hall (left) and Rochester Fire Department (center). Horse drawn wagons and buggies were decorated for the celebration.
The Cook Block was built by John Ramsey Cook in 1877. Because of the confusion with the Cook Hotel building, which he built in 1869, he renamed the Cook Block the Ramsey Block (for his mother). This building was located at 20 Second Street SW (formerly Zumbro Street). C. F. Massey Company later moved to this location. In 1883, Dr. William Worrall Mayo rented the first floor for his offices, consulting and operating room. The laboratories were on the second floor. Dr. W. W. Mayo and his two sons, Dr. William J. Mayo and Dr. Charles H. Mayo, operated their medical practice in this building until 1901. This building is the earliest location of what would later become the Mayo Clinic.
The office of the Rochester Telephone Company (organized in 1895) was located over Farm's Grocery Store on Zumbro Street West (now 2nd Street SW). ; The first telephone service for general use had 75 subscribers. This interior view shows women telephone operators working at the manual switch board (left to right): Lydia Witteau, Katherine Casey, Frances Lund, Carrie Hanson, Ophelia Delaney, Susie Arndt, Mabel Bascomb, Hilda Hanson.