A little microfilm madness
This page, captured from the microfilm reader screen, shows the motor vehicle index in 1919 and 1920. On the fourth line, you’ll see Dr. Flora Aldrich’s name followed by the numerical identifiers for the vehicle.
Sara Given, Volunteer Coordinator at the Anoka County Historical Society, has turned her skills to directing and editing social media videos during the building closure. Working from home with the ACHS microfilm machine, Given has the help of her co-worker, Hildy, who occasionally makes an appearance on-screen.
Since the History Center remains physically closed to the curious, the Anoka County Historical Society continues to brainstorm ways of bringing the information out and about. To that end, we relocated the microfilm machine to the home of a staff member, who has spent time rolling through the reels to find some great content. Search #microfilmMadness on the internet to discover the video series.
We began with a question, “What are estray records?” Not hearing a resounding answer in our empty building, we turned to the dictionary, which informed us that, in law, “estray” refers to a domestic animal wandering lost with an unknown owner. In early English law, the lord of the manor took ownership of the animal. Over time, it built into a system that better resembled “finders, keepers” but with rules.
The record we featured, written in 1911, documented a 9-year-old Bay horse in Columbus with multiple brands and white spots on the saddle that was valued at $50. Whether the owner came to claim the animal remains a mystery.
Our next great find was the motor vehicle index from 1914-1921. This snapshot of all the cars people are purchasing and driving in Anoka County proved not only interesting from the standpoint of which brands and models were popular, but also from the recognizable names we read. The detail of the records sometimes listed not just the date of purchase, but also the time of day. It turns out that Dr. Flora Aldrich purchased a 1920 Buick from Main Motor Company and Dr. Harry Kline purchased a Ford Coupe on July 9, 1919 (at 11:30 a.m.).
Next up, on April 23, 1901, in the minutes of the County Board meetings, just when “be it resolved” had started to get on our nerves, we found the application to sell intoxicating beverages at Bethel Station in the Township of St. Francis. It was moved and seconded that the application be … denied! The unanimous vote came under further scrutiny when feline “co-worker” Hildy appeared on screen with a look of relative contempt.
As the minutes continued, we found that the application by Joseph Peltier to sell intoxicating beverages in Centerville passed (phew!) and the good folks of Bethel Station appealed their application in October of 1902. This time, the license was granted after a fee of $500 was paid.
The collection of meeting minutes held on microfilm at the History Center go back as far as 1857. Much of the minutes document the decisions made by the commission, including which newspaper to designate as the official one (the Union, 1902). However, fun pieces pop up like the request to investigate electric lighting for the courthouse or an allocation of $25 to match funds in Ham Lake to fix up Gustafson Road.
Much of our work in public history is aggregating the information of the past together in a presentable fashion, whether in print or an exhibit. We answer questions about what was here, who lived there, how they used that. We work with the breadcrumbs left us by the community, businesses, and official records like meeting minutes. Fast forward 50 years and consider the COVID-19 pandemic. What will history remember of Anoka County and your experience? Help us ensure our decedents have information to point to — journals, photos and recordings — by submitting your comments at AnokaCountyHistory.org.
Rebecca Ebnet-Desens is the executive director of the Anoka County Historical Society.