Jens Flaaten & the Minnesota National Guard 3rd Regt. Band

Paul Lundgren Aug 09, 2022 3 Comments

This postcard from the early 1900s has a pencil-written note on the back: “Jens Flaaten & the Minnesota band from Duluth.” Flaaten’s funeral was held on Aug. 9, 1922. He died on Aug. 5 when he was struck by a motorist while crossing Superior Street at Fifth Avenue West.

The biographic note on Flaaten from the University of Minnesota Duluth Archives and Special Collections reads:

Jens H. Flaaten came to Duluth about 1888. He was 1st Lieutenant in the 3rd Minnesota Regiment and directed the band in that organization for 16 years. Mr. Flaaten was also Director of the Lyceum Orchestra, the Normanna Chorus and the Orpheus Singing Society.

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3 Comments

Ghist1

about 3 years ago 

For a new historical nerd twist, it is possible to date this postcard to between 1904 and the 1910's, based on Real Photo Postcard Stamp Boxes listings at playle.com's.

That was a Velox photo paper, and the postcard could have been produced by a small local vendor.

aluminumpork

about 3 years ago 

@GHISTI: That's fascinating!

Wilbur

about 4 months ago 

Very nice, GHISTI. This image appears in the 25 Feb 1905 issue of the Duluth Evening Herald, which I accessed via the Minnesota Newspaper Hub. 

Here's a list of the performers from the article. I've actually been looking for a decent version of this, as it's the only identified photo of a distant in-law of mine, Lee. C. Swingle, so it's good to know it exists.
 

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