In my research of Saint Anthony Park in preparation for its map (see Carter Avenue Frame Shop‘s recent announcement), the neighborhood of South Saint Anthony Park has captured my imagination. In 1910, the intersection of Raymond and Hampden was a robust business district with a meat market, shoemaker, tailor, billiards, dry goods, barbershop, hardware store, grocery, pharmacy, and jeweler. Almost ever shop had apartments above. The 1910 census shows the neighborhood full of immigrants finding jobs in the industrial area just east of the intersection.

One of those families was the Soderbergs from Sweden. John Soderberg ran the barbershop at 922 Raymond and served as a letter carrier for the Saint Anthony Park postal station located a few doors down at 928 Raymond. His brother Axel Soderberg lived up the street at 946 Raymond and was employed as a blacksmith and then later as a policeman. The picture below show both Soderberg brothers with their sons. The 1910 census lists John with a 7-year old son Roger and Axel with a 12-year old son Axel M. I can almost hear the conversation when Roger borrowed his father’s hat for the photo.

And here’s a sneak peek of the map in progress: