photo by Photo courtesy Freeborn County Historical Museum

One of the wintertime activities on Fountain Lake about a century ago was called ice boating or yachting. These were special boats with runners and sails. With smooth ice and somewhat mild wind an ideal run could be made from the new Hatch Bridge, in the center of this photo, to several destinations on the lake’s south shore.

Christmas choices a century ago

Looking Back

Staff

Published Saturday, December 20, 2008

Back in 1908 the citizens of Albert Lea and the rest of Freeborn County didn’t have televisions, radios, films with sound, or even battery-operated toys to enjoy during the Christmas season. Yet, a century ago, they had the pioneer versions of telephones, silent motion pictures, phonographs, the railroads for fairly fast transportation and even horseless carriages (automobiles). And with these and other assets those folks were able to celebrate a very meaningful Christmas.

Some of those other assets were based on local business firms selling many items suitable for use as presents.

For example, the city’s premier retail store, Skinner, Chamberlain & Co., then had its toy department on the third floor. Some of the potential presents mentioned in their Tribune ads included iron and wooden toys, mechanical (windup) trains, push toys, children’s books and bobsleds. In the notions department the store had handbags, handkerchiefs, perfumes in fancy bottles, silk scarfs, mufflers and gloves. What was called the gents’ furnishings department with sweaters priced from a half-dollar to $5.50, smoking jackets, bath robes and other potential gift apparel. This firm’s Tribune ad said all its merchandise was “not marked up and then marked down, but marked right the first time.”

Not far away, at the corner of South Broadway Avenue and West Main Street was another department store with the name of Lembke Dry Goods Co. This firm’s toy department was in the basement. One of their suggestions for a noisy present to be under the Christmas tree for boys was a snare drum. For girls the very popular choices right at this time were doll-like teddy bears priced from a quarter to $1.50. Also available were sleds and doll carriages.

Between these two stores was the Albert Lea Candy Kitchen. One of its Tribune ads declared, “This is Santa Claus’ headquarters for the best candies, nuts, fruits, bonbons, and delicious pure ice cream.” The advertised prices for this store’s candy ranged from a dime to 60 cents a pound.

Back in 1908 people in the area had several grocery stores and meat markets where he food choices for holiday dining could be purchased. One of those stores, Empire Grocery Co. at 106 W. Clark St., advocated the following “suggestions for your Christmas dinner.” Their Freeborn County Standard ad listed oysters, mince meat, pumpkin, pickles, olives, cranberries, apples, candies, celery for a dime a stalk, nuts and even geese ready for the oven.

It may have been a challenge to send Christmas greetings to friends and relatives in other localities a century ago. Yet, postcards costing maybe a penny each and a full penny for postage could be used to send holiday greetings to those other folks. Despite the fact that Albert Lea then had two telephone companies. Tri-State and Northwestern, this form of communications between localities could be somewhat dubious. A somewhat more reliable choice was the telegram.

For entertainment a century ago there could have been visits later on Christmas Day or during the vacation time for youngsters to a place known simply as the Bowling Alley.

Just prior to Christmas, the Henry J. Harm jewelry store at 211 S. Broadway Ave. was advertising the new Edison phonographs on sale for $10 to $50. These musical and talking devices were of the windup type with cylinders instead of disc records and were available on easy payment terms of 50 cents a week. The cylinders were priced at 35 cents each. At this time in history one of the most popular musical groups available for listening was the famous Sousa Band.

On Christmas Day in 1908 the Broadway Theatre had what were advertised as (silent) motion pictures and illustrated songs. For this last part the words were shown on the screen, music was by a local orchestra and the singing was by the audience. The matinee times were 2:30 and 3:45 p.m. with an admission price of a nickel for everyone. The evening showings were 7:30 and 8:45 p.m. and admission prices were a nickel or a dime, likely based on students and adults.

An article about winter sports in the Tribune’s Christmas Edition dated Dec. 22, 1908, had these comments about outdoor activities during this part of the year.

“Christmas is in a sense a landmark in the sporting field, for, as a rule, it marks the opening of the outdoor season in the east. And in the northwest and parts of the middle west where cold weather comes earlier it indicates the time of the very height of activity. There is, after all, something characteristic of the very Christmas season in the pastimes of the holiday season. This is the season of good cheer, of good will toward men, and the recreations are distinctively those that promote good feeling toward oneself as well as others.”

The specific winter sports activities described in this article included ice skating, skiing, ski jumping, ice boating, hockey, tobogganing, curling, sledding and something called skate sailing.

A collection of local news in the Freeborn County Standard issue of Dec. 30, 1908, called Curbstone Chronicles had this comment, “It was a merry Christmas — and one of the most charming days of the entire year.”

Another part of this local news section had this notice about a coming event, “All owners of speedy nags and those who enjoy the sport of racing should keep in mind the events on the ice New Year’s Day. Entrance fee for horses $2 only — leave with D.K. Stacy. Everybody invited to see the fun.”

In other words, some folks in the Albert Lea area would be starting the new year by watching horse races on the ice of Fountain Lake.

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