Roseau County Historical Society and Museum -

Greenbush History Links

Greenbush History Part 1

posted by RCHS June 2005

This coming weekend the City of Greenbush will celebrate its centennial. To commemorate the event a historical book was published. Many hours were spent scanning newspapers, booklets, interviewing various individuals and looking for any historical reference that would assist the committee as they prepared for its publication. We as a county historical society are proud of their endeavor. We hope you will enjoy the content and not be critical when you find a mistake but notify one of the committee AND the county historical society so an errata can be put together. We would like to congratulate the committee on the fine work they accomplished! And now on to the history of the west end of Roseau County!

“Although some settlers began arriving in this area...

Read More..

Greenbush History Part 2

posted by RCHS June 2005

Last week we looked at the early establishment of Old Greenbush in be beginning of the Greenbush centennial book. The information was written/or put together by Eunice Korczak. This week we will examine some other eras she wrote about concerning the changes that took place due to the arrival of the railroad.

“By the early 1900s, Greenbush was an established, thriving, and growing little community.

The arrival of the railroad caused quite a stir. James J. Hill revealed his

Read More...

Andrew Solem - Greenbush Blacksmith

posted by RCHS June 2005

Back in 2003 when Irene Olson was going through the Greenbush newspapers she found a story that is very fitting for this Greenbush centennial year. We use the article with permission from the Greenbush Tribune. The article is a reprint from the June 25, 1964 issue of the Greenbush Tribune and tells the story of Andrew Solom, who was for a blacksmith for over fifty years.

There is an old poem which goes, “Under the spreading chestnut tree the village smithy stands.” It is a poem which has particular significance to Andrew Solom for in May he marked his 50^th active year as a blacksmith in Greenbush. The days of the clanging anvil and glowing forge had been his life even before that for he started his career at Fox in 1912, the year he married Anna Thyeson. “I had a little shop on the farm at home and I learned it by myself.” he laughed. He learned well—for his shop is in operation today and two of his sons have followed the trade he taught them, Arnold and Helmer.

Read More...