On this day, December 4, 1928, a car bomb killed “Dapper Dan” Hogan an underworld boss and owner of a notorious speakeasy called the Green Lantern. This photograph shows his summer cottage near Bemidji, appropriately named “Big Boss Lake”.

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Camp 1st Minn. Vols. near Culpeper Va. December 4th 1863.
Dear Mother
I received your kind letter of the 22d of last month last evening. We left this camp the 26th of last month (thanksgiving) and crossed at Germainds ford on the Rappidan and on the 27th came up with the enemy at Locust Grove or Robisons tavern, had some skirmishing, but no fighting of any consiquence. next morning we advanced in line of battle but found no enemy in our immediate front. after an hour’s march we came across him again strongly intrenched. Our corps was then sent to take up a position on the enemy’s right flank and on the morning of the 30 Nov, the Army of the Potomac (extending about 9 miles) was ordered to charge the enemys works precisely 8 o’clock. Now I have been in the servise some time and saw some fighting, been in some hot places, but never in my life did I think I was gone up the “spout” until the order came to charge those works and I was as shure as I set here writing to you that if I went up in that charge Chas. E. Goddard would be no more. Our men wer all massed or in a good position to charge before light and our Regt was thrown out as skirmishers and ordered to advance when the signal was given until the enemy opened on us and then lay down until the line came up and fall in with them go to the forts or get “wiped out”. As we was waiting for the order to charge the General Comdg Division read an order that the troops we had to contend with wer Hills Corps and that we must take the hights, mean while the sun got up and the Rebels could look down on a mass of Yankees – a correspondent might say anxious for the fray, but I am of a different opinion. 8 o’clock came, 9 o’clock came and one cannon opend on the right then another then 4 or five, but no orders for us, the day gradually wore away and evry minute we expected to try it, such awful suspence I never experiences before in my life. I thought it was the longest day of my life, but thanks to Gen Meads good judgment we came off at nightfall and took up a position and stood about a quarter of a mile of their works or probably less with our pickets close as we could get them to there works[.] a day or two and ou[t] the night 1st of Dec we started for this camp traveld 22 hours with knapsacks on out of 24 and got home or to this camp the night of the second of Dec tired, hungry, and muddy, only to find our nice shanties all burnt up by some mean scamp and conscience that we had been traveling all for nothing(sweet consolation). I do not think we will stay here long but of course I cannot tell, still I think we must certainly look out for quarters before long for it is getting late and cold.
The other sheet I devoted to describing the time we have had on our late march and I am afraid I have not done it justice now but I have done all I am able to do, so I will talk about home matters and general news. […]

See complete letter here: 1863-12-04_Smith_complete

Citation: December 4, 1863, Letter from Charles Goddard to his mother, Correspondence 1863-1929. Smith, Orrin Fruit and Family Papers, 1829-1932. Minnesota Historical Society. [P1434 box 1]

“Hamm’s Beer” plastic advertising sign. Sign is made in style of a patio window with slanting roof, chimney and rail fence. Window view is a scene of a tree-lined lake and night sky. A series of holes punched in the metal and backed with small varicolored lights allows a changing night sky: “Hamm’s” appears and then is followed by blinking stars in colors of yellow, blue, pink and red; finally a graded row of 4 beer glasses lights up. circa 1960. To see this sign in action, please watch this youtube video.

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Bronco Nagurski flipping his opponent during a December 1937 wrestling match.

Photographed by a Minneapolis newspaper photographer on December 28, 1937.

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Partial transcription of Bradford’s letter:
Camp near Chattanooga Ten Nov 30th
darling this is winter indeed[.] I never suffered so much with the cold in Minn. sitting by the fire and writing darling […] we went the next night at 12 oclock[.] we crosed in boats[.] it was the prettiest sight I ever saw[.] thare wase over one hundred boats from 20 to 30 men in each one[.] we had good luck in crossing[.] our Brigade was in advance of our Divis. our Regt skirmished for our Brigade[.] I dont know wether we will [be] noticed  by the papers or not [,] we deserved it[.] we advanced from the river to Mission Ridge[.] it rained all day and was very cold[.] I opend the Ball by taken one prisiner by the name of William C. Bradford[.] the Col complemented me very highly for bravery and good judgment[.] that has never been done before in our Regt[.] the Capt says that winer a sargeants bearth as soon as thare is a vacancy[.] I did not do it for promotion I did it for the funn of it[.]
[…]

See whole letter here: 1863-11-30_Bradford_combined

Partial transcription of Buckman’s journal entry:
30th Nov 1863. 4 p.m.
In skirmish line, 300 yds from Rebel fortifications.  Left camp at three. very cold.  Followed the plank road for a couple of miles as far as the 1st Division went yesterday. leaving the road, turned to the left and formed in line of battle, the 1st Minn. being put out as flankers.  It was intended that the attack should commence at 8, but daylight revealed an entrenched position which in the opinion of the men as well as the officers, could not be taken by assault.  But the order had been issued and it must be obeyed, though all felt that few if any would be able to reach the works alive.  An open field had to be crossed which could be swept by grape and canister, besides musketry fire from the breast-works. […]
Gloomily the hours passed.  Death looked us in the face.  The faces of the men told too clearly the danger to be incurred but they were resolute, determined to do their duty, though it was plain that when “forward” was the word, they would walk out to certain death.  In silence we waited orders – Dreadful suspense!  But time passed and no orders – noon – and we are still ready and waiting.  Night came and the attack was not made, a wise conclusion in Gen’l Meade, and we felt relieved. […]
Well the day has gone, it’s events will long be remembered by me.

See whole entry here: 1863-11-30_Buckman_combined

Citation:
November 30, 1863, Letter from John N. Bradford to his wife Libbie, Bradford, John P. Papers 1862-1864, 1928-1978. Minnesota Historical Society. [P1680 box 6]
November 30, 1863, Sergeant George Buckman journal entry. George Buckman Civil War Papers, 1861-1864, 1897. Minnesota Historical Society. [P2662]

Action during a Minneapolis Lakers game against the Harlem Globetrotters the day before the Lakers started the NBA playoffs.

Photographed by a Minneapolis newspaper photographer on March 20, 1950.

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