I will be starting a new feature this month, called “Brick Structure of the Month.” In this section, I will detail a special Minnesota (or possibly a bordering state, as I know some of the Minnesota bricks went to other states too) brick structure(s) that either I have visited and photographed OR someone else submits to me. That way, I can add some text to some of the photographs I have or some commentary to some of the new sites I visit. Over the Halloween 2009 weekend, I visited the Gehl-Mittelsted homestead along the Minnesota River near Carver, Minnesota. What a beautiful and historic site! Read more about it in the new Brick Structure of the Month section.
This is still a slow process, but there is a wealth of information that is available out there. In the past two weeks, I have come across many excellent new sources about Minnesota clay and brick building. I even came across a book written in 1919, Clays and Shales of Minnesota, which I think will answer many common questions. I know I have wondered why there are so many different colors of bricks. Chaska bricks are a tan or yellow color, while Shakopee bricks are a reddish color. The distance between these two towns is short, yet their historic brick colors are so different. I often wondered if a coloring agent was used….but apparently not, it’s all in the clay. With time I will add any relevant information I find in this book.
If you come across this site and find the information useful or informative, feel free to add your commentary in the blog section. If you find something missing, I would also like to know. I am starting small and I know I am missing some of the Minnesota bricks. I am trying to start with the ones I am most familiar with, and will add others as I find them or someone tells me about them.
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