Marie Hartmann will always be remembered for her passionate work in forming the St. Louis Park Historical Society and gathering articles, artifacts, interviews, etc. that formed the core of the collection today.
Marie’s father, Justus (Julius) Hartmann, was born in Germany and when he came to America settled in the Park on the present site of the Park Theater building. He worked for the Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Co. for 23 years.
Marie’s mother, Magdalene, was also born in Germany. In 1930 she worked as a pastry cook in a grocery store.
The 1910 Census does not tell us where they lived but it does tell us they took in six boarders. Marie (born Maria) was born on August 15, 1917, in St. Louis Park. In February 1918 her family moved to 3700 Colorado Ave., where she lived until she died. She went to Lincoln School grades 1-6 and graduated from Park High on May 31, 1935.
From September 1935 to May 1936 she took “post grad courses” – at high school? From September 1936 to March 1945 she worked at Sears Roebuck. From March to September 1945 she attended Minnesota Business College. From September 1945 to September 1946 she worked for Roy Bjorkman Inc., and from September 1946 to December 31, 1978 she worked for Gamble Skogmo. She was also an Avon Lady for several years.
Marie was the recipient of several awards given by the city and community groups.
The “St. Louis Park Beautiful Merit Award,” given by Mayor Frank Howard, “In recognition of her splendid efforts toward making our city a more beautiful and healthful place to live and work.”
Mayor Phyllis McQuaid bestowed a “Resolution of Appreciation to Marie Hartmann as a Pioneer of the Park having lived in St. Louis Park for more than 5o years.”
Marie was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club “in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relation between peoples of the world.”
Marie Hartmann was featured by KARE 11’s “11 Who Care,” “In recognition and appreciation of her outstanding volunteer contribution to our community.”
Marie’s father died in 1943, her mother in 1957. One brother died in infancy; her brother Sigfried died in 1967. Marie died on May 14, 1996. The house she lived in all but one year of her life (a Monitor house) had to be demolished, and a new house sits in its place.