Minnesota's Greatest Generation Oral History Project: Richfield in the Postwar Era: Interview with Donald Elsen

Titles: Minnesota's Greatest Generation Oral History Project: Richfield in the Postwar Era: Interview with Donald Elsen (Supplied title)

Description: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Donald Elsen was born in Richfield, Minnesota. He worked in the family business his grandfather started in the 1890s. He married, served in the Army in Korea, and raised a family. Elsen was very active in the local community, particularly through his work at Elsen Service Garage, later called Elsen Brothers, and in Assumption Church. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Postwar home construction and housing developments; transition away from farms and in-house shops; recreational sports; the impact of highway construction on the family business; car mechanics and blacksmithing; service station adaptations to changing demands from its customers; close interaction between the business and community; work ethic; increased complications of running a business; active role of Assumption Church in the social lives of parishioners; rapidly expanding schools; transition from the more rural-based Scholz Mercantile to suburban shopping options; memorial of police officer Fred Babcock; interaction with the Chamber of Commerce; reasons to live in Richfield; changing local demographics.

Dates

• 03/22/2007 (Creation)

Creation

• interviewee: Elsen, Donald
• interviewer: Saylor, Thomas

Identifiers

• Library Call Number: OH 114
• Accession Number: AV2008.27.9

Holding Type: Oral History - Interview

Project

• Oral History - Project, MHS Collection, project: 'Minnesota's Greatest Generation Oral History Project: Richfield in the Postwar Era' <OH 114>

Quantity: 2 hours sound cassette 26 pages transcript

Format

• Content Category: sound recordings
• Content Category: text

Measurements

• 75 minutes length

Subjects

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