L.S. DONALDSON COMPANY (MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.):

William Donaldson and Company was organized in 1882 by Scottish immigrant brothers, William T. and Lawrence S. Donaldson. They bought out the Colton Store at Sixth and Nicollet which, because of its construction, was known as the "Glass Block." In 1899 William died and Lawrence assumed ownership, changing the name to L.S. Donaldson Company. In 1912 Donaldson bought out another Minneapolis firm, Gimbel-Zimmer. After the death of Lawrence in 1924 the store became known as "Donaldson's." In 1929 it became part of the Allied Stores Corporation and later acquired both the St. Paul department store, the Golden Rule (1961), and Powers Company, Minneapolis (1985). In 1987 the firm was sold to Chicago general merchandiser Carson Pirie Scott under which name it thereafter operated.

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The records document company real property investments, building management and improvements, store promotions and special events, community involvement, other companies acquired by Donaldsons, and miscellaneous Donaldson family affairs. Basic corporate operating records are rather fragmentary. Architectural drawings (1914-1968), photographs, and construction and maintenance records (1904-1924) document Donaldson store facilities in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

There is much information on the acquisition by the Donaldsons of property in Minneapolis; the firm's relationships with the Syndicate Trading Company, Marshall Field and Company, Selfridge of London, and William Liddell of Belfast; and employee relations, including wages and salaries, committees and clubs, women employees, and men in military service during World War I. Ledgers (1896-1913) and monthly statements (1902-1922) give basic financial information, and photocopies of Donaldson advertisements from Minneapolis newspapers (1939-1955) document product lines.

A large portion of the collection details the construction, maintenance, operation, and alteration of the physical plant over the years. The papers are arranged by contractor and by subject, with information on such matters as building safety, elevators, conveyor systems, telephones, florists, patents, company automobiles and trucks, and garage, barn, and stable facilities. In addition to textual information are a large group of architectural drawings of the Golden Rule store, most prepared by Clarence H. Johnston, and a number of photographs of the Minneapolis store (undated, [1920s], [1980s]) and the Town Square store opening in St. Paul (1980).

The Donaldson's store was the scene of many public events, including Christmas programs, motion pictures, lectures, and art exhibits. Also L.S. Donaldson Company and the store participated in numerous civic and business activities including the Minnesota State Fair, tax protests, and Liberty Loan drives during World War I. These subjects are also documented in the records.

A small collection of Donaldson family personal papers include legal documents relating to the William Donaldson estate and the William J. Murphy estate, of which L.S. Donaldson was an administrator. There are also a minute book and stock records of the Gimbel-Zimmer Company (1911-1916).

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. L.S. Donaldson Company (Minneapolis, Minn.). Donaldson Company Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 9168; 14,372; 14,792; 14,955; 16,936; 17,550

Processing Information:

Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, October 1991 and by Walter J. Baillon, May 1996; additions by Kathryn A. Johnson, September 1993 and by David B. Peterson, November 2014

Catalog ID number: 990017158170104294

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Advertising -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis -- Clothing and dress.

Buildings -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Business enterprises -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Department stores -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis -- Drawings.

Department stores -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis -- Employees.

Real estate management -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Retail trade -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Scots -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Wages -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis -- Clerks.

Wages -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis -- Women.

Women clerks (Retail trade) -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

World War, 1914-1918 -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis -- Finance.

Youth -- Employment -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

Persons:

Child, Edwin B. (Edwin Burrage), 1868-1937, author.

Donaldson, L. S. (Lawrence Steadman), 1856-1924, author.

Donaldson, William T., 1849-1899, author.

Johnston, Clarence H. (Clarence Howard), 1859-1936, author.

Organizations:

Golden Rule (Firm : Saint Paul, Minn.), author.

Gimbel-Zimmer Company (Minneapolis, Minn.).

William Donaldson Company (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Places:

Minneapolis (Minn.)

Document Types:

Advertisements.

Photographs.

Occupations:

Businessmen -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.

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