This week in state history

Historic Minnesota events with anniversaries this week.

May 1

1933 Prompted by Gov.Floyd B. Olson, the Minnesota legislature passes an emergency law stopping farm foreclosure sales. The Great Depression and the dust bowl had hurt farmers throughout the nation, and they had responded to foreclosures by organizing the Farmers’ Holiday, which attempted to stop the sale of farm products until prices rose.

May 3

1959 After passing through the St. Lawrence Seaway, which had opened on April 25, the British freighter Ramon de Larrinaga becomes the first deep-draft ocean ship to enter Duluth’s harbor.

May 5

1884 Charles Albert “Chief” Bender is born in Brainerd. The Ojibwe pitcher would be the first Minnesotan inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He would pitch in five World Series for the Philadelphia Athletics.

May 6

1948 Mary Ann Courteau, who later became known as singer and songwriter Mary MacGregor, is born in St. Paul. In 1976 she recorded the pop song “Torn Between Two Lovers,” which became a number-one hit the following year.

This column is derived from MNopedia.org and developed by the Minnesota Historical Society. and its partners.