Black and white photograph of E. H. Erickson making artificial limbs, 1904.

E. H. Erickson making artificial limbs

E. H. Erickson making artificial limbs, 1904.

Artificial Limb Industry in Minneapolis

The milling, logging, farming, and railroad industries that made Minneapolis a prosperous town in the late nineteenth century also cost many men their limbs, if not their lives. Minneapolis entrepreneurs, many of them amputees themselves, built on the local need and made the city one of the leading producers of artificial limbs in the United States.

Black and white photograph of a juvenile female smallpox victim taken c.1900.

Juvenile female smallpox victim

Photograph of a juvenile female smallpox victim taken c.1900. Taken from a collection of Minnesota Department of Health photographs, [190–]–[197–], and reproduced with the permission of the State Archives of Minnesota.

Black and white photograph of a juvenile male smallpox victim taken c.1900.

Juvenile male smallpox victim

Photograph of a juvenile male smallpox victim taken c.1900. Taken from a collection of Minnesota Department of Health photographs, [190–]–[197–], and reproduced with the permission of the State Archives of Minnesota.

Black and white photograph of an adult male smallpox victim taken c.1924.

Adult male smallpox victim

Photograph of an adult male smallpox victim taken c.1924. Taken from a collection of Minnesota Department of Health photographs, [190–]–[197–], and reproduced with the permission of the State Archives of Minnesota.

Cover of an informational pamphlet about smallpox. Date unknown.

Black smallpox pamphlet cover

Cover of an informational pamphlet about smallpox. Date unknown. Taken from Minnesota Department of Health reports and miscellaneous records (1872–1972, 1995–1997) and reproduced with the permission of the State Archives of Minnesota.

Smallpox prevention poster distributed by the Minnesota Department of Health c.1924.

Smallpox prevention poster

Smallpox prevention poster distributed by the Minnesota Department of Health c.1924. Printed in the United States for the H. K. Mulford Company of Philadelphia. Taken from Minnesota Department of Health reports and miscellaneous records (1872–1972, 1995–1997) and reproduced with the permission of the State Archives of Minnesota.

Black and white image of <em>St.Paul Daily News</em> about children getting vaccinated. November 6, 1924.

St. Paul Daily News headline and photograph

Headline and accompanying photograph printed in the November 6, 1924 edition (page 10) of the St. Paul Daily News. The story that follows described the vaccination of hundreds of children and adults against smallpox. The vaccinations were carried out in the basement of the St. Paul courthouse. The photograph shows deputy health commissioner Dr. Nichols (first name not specified) vaccinating patient Donald Hirsch as his sister, Sylvia Hirsch, looks on.

Smallpox Epidemic, 1924–1925

Minnesota's worst known encounter with smallpox came in 1924 and 1925. Five hundred people died—four hundred of them in the Twin Cities. Almost 90 percent of the Twin Cities deaths took place in Minneapolis.

Color photograph of the main administration building, 2008.

Main Building of the State Public School

The main administration building, 2008. Photograph by Daniel J. Hoisington.

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