History 21 The Podcast - 2.22 Forgotten Star Brew Co.

Andy Risvold from Forgotten Star Brew Co. in Fridley shares the history (new & old) about the brewery. Located in the last remaining building from Northern Pump where over 10,000 employees made weapons during WWII, the brewery honors that legacy with a new life.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director

Framed Print of Northern Pump Company by B.McVeigh. Picture is drawn in pen and ink dated May 22, 1942. The two smoke stacks in current Forgotten Star Brew Co. building can be seen at the right of the complex next to the train tracks.

The brewery on a sunny day April 23, 2022 with the smoke stacks complete with “E” and stars visible. Photo Credit: Forgotten Star Brew Co.

Northern Pump - Forgotten Star Brew Co., Fridley

In 1928, John B. Hawley Jr. exchanged one of his inventions for a controlling interest in the Northern Fire Apparatus company. The next year, he merged with the Pagel Pump Company to form Northern Pump Company in Minneapolis.

Starting in October 1940, construction began on a new, 180,000 square foot facility in Fridley. Just 60 days later they moved in and began manufacturing in January 1941. The plant exploded from just 200 employees in 1938 to 12,000 in 1944. The company produced naval gun mounts, pumps and ordnance.

Northern Pump wanted to attract and keep skilled machinists. Plant employees were paid slightly above average wages and could work as much overtime as they wanted. The plant provided free coffee round-the-clock, and affordable, good, hot food such as 10-cent ham sandwiches.

Other perks included attendants who checked and repaired employee tires while they worked, and assistance from the personnel department with drivers licenses, plates, and speeding tickets.

Forgotten Star Brew Co.

'We had pride in our work' Former employees hold reunion at site of historic Fridley plant

Author: Charmaine Nero (KARE 11)

KARE 11 Article

Northern Pump “E” Award Ceremony, Oct. 27, 1942. Photo credit: MNHS E448.19 p29

Northern Pump Company "E" Celebration program. The "E" stood for Excellence and was awarded by the Navy for meeting certain goals. This program took place Tuesday, October 27, 1942.

Minneapolis Sunday Tribune and Star Journal, June 7, 1942 announcing Northern Pumps second “E award”from the Navy. The newspaper ran a full two-page spread highlighting different areas and people at the factory.

Anoka County Library Minute

Ancient Brews: Rediscovered and Re-created by Patrick E. McGovern (641.873 MCG). Interweaving archaeology and science, Patrick E. McGovern tells the enthralling story of the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages and the cultures that created them. Use this volume to explore homebrews based on history.

The Brewer's Tale: A History of the World According to Beer by William Bostwick (663.42 BOS). A beer-filled journey, William Bostwick’s rollicking quest for the drink’s origins takes him into the redwood forests of Sonoma County, to bullet-riddled South Boston brewpubs, and across the Atlantic, from Mesopotamian sands to medieval monasteries to British brewing factories.

Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota by Doug Hoverson (641.23). Starting with the first brewery in 1849, Hoverson tells the story of the state’s beer industry from the small-town breweries that gave way to larger companies with regional and national prominence, including Hamm’s, Grain Belt, and Schell’s. The vibrant beer culture of today is led by a new wave of breweries such as Summit, Like Superior Brewing Co., and Surly, and brewpubs like Town Hall Brewery, Fitger’s, and Granite City Brewpub, and sustained by microbreweries and home brewers, and beer aficionados.

Brewing Elements series of books. This four volume series thoroughly explains the science behind the four basic elements of a good brew.

Water: A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers by John J. Palmer (663.42 PAL).

Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation by Chris White (641.873 WHI).

Malt: A Practical Guide from Field to Brewhouse by John Mallett (663.1 MAL).

For the Love of Hops: The Practical Guide to Aroma, Bitterness, and the Culture of Hops by Stan Hieronymus (633.82 HIE).

The Everyday Guide to Beer by Charles W. Bamforth (DVD663.42 EVE and streaming on Kanopy). This Great Course, led by Professor Charles W. Bamforth University of California, Davis, consists of twelve 30-minute lessons. Bamforth covers the history of beer, the different styles of beer, how to best enjoy beer, buying and storing beer as well as beer as it relates to human health.

Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine (Magazine). For brewing and drinking enthusiasts.

Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol by Mallory O’Meara (394.13 OME). This book provides a tour through the feminist history of women drinking, revealing the untold female distillers, drinkers, and brewers that played vital roles in potent potable history, from ancient Sumerian beer goddess Ninkasi to 1920s bartender Ada Coleman.

Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal (FICTION STR). Minnesotan Stradal was frustrated by the oversimplified caricatures he often saw of midwestern women in literature, so he wrote this story of a hardworking, pie-baking, Minnesota grandma who is estranged from her go-getter, beer-brewing younger sister. The novel follows different generations of the same family, as the women each take on the world in their own way. You’ll fight the urge to crack open a beer every time you crack open the book.

Quench Your Own Thirst: Business Lessons Learned over a Beer or Two by Jim Koch (658 KOC). Koch, founder of the Boston Beer company, brewer of Samuel Adams Boston Lager, and a key catalyst of the American craft beer revolution, offers his perspective on business, beer, and turning your passion into a successful company or career.

The Big Book of Leadership Games: Quick, Fun Activities to Improve Communication, increase productivity, and bring out the best in your employees by Vadudha Kathleen Deming (302.14 DEM). A strong team and effective teamwork are essential for any business to thrive. Forgotten Star Brewing has a great team. Learn some activities that bring teams together.

When They Win, You Win: Being a Great Manager is Simpler Than You Think by Russ Laraway (658.409 LAR). Happy, engaged teams are effective teams. Learn Laraway's 3 key elements to employee engagement: clear direction-setting, frequent coaching, and active engagement with employees on their long-term career goals.

Follow Me: The Life of John B. Hawley by Carol Pine (Q921 HAW PIN). John B. Hawley was the president of Northern Pump Company in Fridley MN. Northern Pump Company was the original tenant of the building now occupied by Forgotten Star Brewery. See photos and read about the man who brought a multimillion-dollar naval contract to Anoka County during World War II.

A Woman's War, Too: Women at Work During World War II by Virginia M. Wright-Peterson (941.531 WRI). This Minnesota Historical Society Press publication is filled with stories about the Minnesota women who contributed to the war effort. Women from Minnesota enlisted in all branches of the military, were cryptologists, nurses, factory and shipyard workers, and spies. These women experienced the war firsthand.

Into Enemy Waters: A World War II Story of the Demolition Divers Who Became the Navy SEALs by Andrew Dubbins (940.545973 DUB). Into Enemy Waters is the World War II story of 95-year-old veteran George Morgan and the elite Underwater Demolition Teams, precursor of the Navy SEALs--who were given nearly impossible missions. From the black sand beaches of Iwo Jima to the shark infested reefs of Okinawa, to the cold seas of Tokyo Bay, teenaged George Morgan was there before most, fighting for his life. And for all of us.

Little Minnesota in World War II: The Stories Behind 140 Fallen Heroes from Minnesota's Littlest Towns by Jill A. Johnson (940.5481 JOH). Minnesota's smallest towns lost 165 men fighting in WWII. Many were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star, and Bronze Star. All received the Purple Heart. Most of their stories have never been shared with the public. Little Minnesota in World War II honors these brave men from the smallest rural towns.

Remembering the Good War: Minnesota's Greatest Generation by Thomas Saylor (940.5481776 SAY). Ordinary Minnesotans, men and women of all backgrounds, heard the call of duty during an extraordinary time in world history - WWII. These are their stories.

War Stories III: Further Accounts of Minnesotans Who Defended their Nation by Al Zdon (977.6 ZDO). This collection, a project of the Minnesota American Legion, features personal narratives of soldiers who fought in Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf and WWII. Volume includes photographs.

Minnesota Goes to War: The Home Front during World War Two by Dave Kenney (977.6052 KEN). What was going on at home in Minnesota while our soldiers were defending America? Dave Kenney chronicles the uniquely Minnesotan response to war, from the starvation study at the University of Minnesota to the human centrifuge project at the Mayo Clinic; from the Minneapolis and St. Paul rival scrap drives to the use of German POW farmhands in northwestern Minnesota; from those who eagerly supported the war to those who protested our nation's involvement. Northern Pump Company is highlighted with 4 pages and a few images.

Fort Snelling Then and Now: The World War II Years by Stephen E. Osman (977.6052 OSM). Glimpse Minnesota's own Fort Snelling during WWII. This fortification inducted 275,000 soldiers during the war years. New units were activated and trained, students learned Japanese, and wounded soldiers were treated. Learn more about the fort and its buildings during this period.