Manuscripts Collection
John E. (Johann Edvard) Strauss was born in Koenigsberg, Germany, on October 29, 1856. In the early 1880s he arrived in St. Paul, and around 1886 opened a general mechanic, repair, and locksmith shop downtown. He began to manufacture skate blades around 1887, and later expanded into repairing and manufacturing bicycles. Strauss retired around 1940, and his son John took over the business. The elder Strauss died October 17, 1946. The younger Strauss was eventually joined in the business by his nephew, Don Eyinck.
The firm discontinued the manufacture of speed and hockey skates around 1948, concentrating instead on figure skates. In 1962 Strauss expanded into retailing, offering for sale hockey skates and equipment made by other manufacturers. In 1978 the firm was manufacturing skate blades, and was also engaged in general sporting goods retailing, offering for sale bicycles, softball and hockey equipment, uniforms and warm-up suits, skateboards and components, athletic shoes, and roller skates.
The production of Strauss long-famous figure skates was discontinued in 1981. The younger Strauss and his wife Ella sold the business and retired in 1983. John Strauss died in 1995.
The business was known variously over the years as Strauss Skate Shop, Strauss Skates, Inc., and Strauss Skates and Bicycles. The firm was located in various buildings on Third and Fourth streets in downtown St. Paul until moving to Maplewood in 1970 when its building was demolished to make way for construction of the St. Paul Civic Center Arena.
Includes biographical information about Strauss and his son John, information about the history of the business, the Hippodrome Skating Club, and autographed photographs of nationally-famous speed and figure skating stars and shows. There are certificates of appreciation (1978-1981) received by the company for its support of youth hockey, and there is an unpublished history of the company written by free-lance writer Robert Thompson (1957).
The correspondence is mainly from skaters, skating teams, and Ice Follies members complimenting the company on the quality of its skates. There are letters from local and international skating champions, including a letter from Tenley Albright (undated) and two letters from Sonja Heine (1935). The volumes contain financial information about charges for lock, bicycle, and skate repair, as well as orders for skates from skaters, skating teams, and Ice Capades members.
These documents are organized into the following sections:
Some photographs of John E. Strauss, Sr., John E. Strauss, Jr., and the Strauss Skate Shop (1920s-1930s) are in the Minnesota Historical Society sound and visual collections.
Accession number: 13,331; 13,820; 15,541
Processed by: David B. Peterson, March 2000
PALS ID number: 08-00010550
Includes photocopies of newspaper obituaries for Mary
Kleinknecht Strauss' parents and sister (1906, 1907, 1953); a summary of her
father's service in Company B, First Battalion, Brown County Militia (pages
photocopied from
Certificates thanking Strauss Skates for helping to sponsor youth hockey teams in St. Paul, St. Louis Park, and Crystal.
Mainly letters of appreciation commenting on the quality of the company's skates. Many are from local and internationally known skaters.
Folder of miscellaneous material, including programs (1922-1923); dinner dance programs (1932-1933); and two articles about the Hippodrome skating rink and long blade skating (1986).
Volume 11. Newspaper clippings about events and skaters connected with the Hippodrome skating rink, which was located at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Articles relate primarily to the visit of various skating stars to the Hippodrome.
Primarily 8 x 10 black-and-white photos of figure skaters and performers, many of whom evidently purchased their skates from Strauss. Most appear to be publicity photos, showing the individuals on their skates and in their costumes, and are autographed.
8 x 10 and other black-and-white enlargements primarily depicting John Strauss, Sr. at work in or posing in front of his St. Paul shops. Some include John Strauss, Jr. and other individuals.
John Strauss was a member of the class.
Includes a flyer or brochure celebrating Ice Follies' tenth anniversary (1946), a historical booklet published at Ice Follies twentieth anniversary (1956), and a card announcing a reception and dinner dance in Minneapolis on the occasion of Ice Follies' fiftieth anniversary (1986).
A narrative article evidently written by Robert Thompson of Chevy Chase, Maryland. The narrative talks about the Strauss family, particularly John Strauss, Sr.; skate making and the history of the family business; and famous skaters who were Strauss customers. There is also correspondence between Strauss, Jr., and Thompson, and a 12-page typescript document in which Strauss, Jr., answers questions Thompson posed to him in connection with the article.
Personal documents of John Strauss, Sr., including passports (1880, 1883). All but his citizenship paper (1898) are in old German script and Italian.
Includes a photocopy of a program from the Midsummer Ice
Carnival (St. Paul, June 1925); an 8 x 10 photograph of Strauss, Jr.'s unit at
the Anti-Aircraft Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois (1943); grand opening
and groundbreaking information about the ice arena and John Rose Minnesota Oval
(a skating facility at Roseville, Minn.); an Ice Cavalcade program (1941); an
annual report of the Walker Methodist Residence and Health Services, Inc.
(1987), which features a photo of Strauss [Jr.] and his wife Ella; a booklet
entitled
Includes clippings, photographs, some letters and correspondence, a few price lists (1957), and some Strauss promotional literature. There is biographical information about Strauss, Sr. and Jr., information about the business and its famous customers, Strauss skates, and the State Fair Hippodrome indoor ice rink. There are some photos of the business.
Includes USFA National Figure Skating Championships (Minneapolis, 1958); Ice Capades (1988); Discover Card Stars on Ice (1994-1995); and Campbell Soups Tour of World Figure Skating Champions (1995).
Includes a 10 x 16 photograph of members of the Hippodrome Skating Club (1938), and publicity photos of skaters Diane Ness (1972) and Orrin Markus and Ellen Becker (1922).
Volume 1. Lists names, services provided, and charges for lock, bicycle, and skate repair.
Volume 2. Same type of information.
Volume 3. Lists names, addresses, skate sizes, and charges.
Volume 4.
Volume 5. Includes skate repair (1945).
Volume 6.
Volume 7.
Volume 8.
Volume 9.
Volume 10.