One of my best reference sources for Albert Lea, and to some extent Freeborn County, is a yearly publication named the city directory. While using these books, I have on several occasions found an older category for &uot;Blocks, Halls, Apartments, Etc.&uot; And when it comes to apartments, this city certainly has a multitude of multiple-family dwellings.

Since World War II, Albert Lea has gained quite a few structures which are like apartment buildings, but with different names. For example, there’s Senior Court, Senior Tower, Shady Oaks, Luther Place, Thorne Crest North, Oak Park Place, Bancroft Creek Estates, and several outstanding condominiums.

However, this commentary goes back in time 55 years or so to feature some of the apartments listed in the 1947-48 edition of the city directory published by the Keiter firm.

Several of the places I found in this particular listing happen to be second and even third floor apartments located over business firms in the central part of the city. There are also larger dwellings around the city which were once designated as apartment houses. Also, I might add right here that several of these apartments no longer exist, are no longer used, or have changed names.

The first listing in the 1947-48 city directory was the Albert Apartments, located near the corner of Albert Place and South Broadway Avenue. This site is somewhat between Wells Fargo and US Bank. Next was Ann’s Apartments, 114 Water St., followed by the Armstrong Apartments, 120 S. Broadway Ave.

Under the letter B were the Blacklin Apartments, 103 N. Washington Ave.; Blackmer Apartments, 130 1/2 S. Broadway Ave.; Brundin Apartments, 123 E. Main St.; and Burton Apartments, 114 1/2 S. Broadway Ave.

The Court Royal Apartments, 305 E. Third St., had a rather classy name. Next on the list was Don Apartments with two addresses, 407-409 Park Ave. Edin Apartments was located at 322 E. Third St.

Okay, let’s keep going. Gustaveson Apartments, 218 E. Clark St.; Hamilton Apartments, 311 E. Fourth St.; Hansen Apartments, 130 E. William St.; Hellie Apartments, 133 W. William St.; and Jacobson Apartments (also known as the Medical Art Apartments) was at 205 S. Broadway Ave.

There were two places with similar names: Johnson Apartments, 120 W. Third St., and Johnson Lakeview Apartments, 216 N. Broadway Ave.

The Kaplan Apartments were at 129 E. Main St. Next were the Lea Apartments, 116 E. Clark St.; Martel Apartments, 150 Bridge Ave.; Morin Apartments, 107 W. College St., Reynolds Apartments, 117 1/2 and 119 1/2 W. College St.; Simonson Apartments, 321 S. Broadway Ave.; Slovborg Apartments, 1215 St. John Ave.; and Stieler Apartments, 108 N. Washington Ave.

One of the most interesting apartment names is Tarrymore at 318 E. Third St. The name of Thompson-Wulff was then the name of a local transfer and storage company, plus apartments with the same name at 133 W. William St.

Back in 1947 the Albert Lea Tribune was located in the brick building at the corner of College Street and Broadway Avenue, and across from the courthouse. The residential units on the second floor of this building were then known as the Tribune Apartments.

The Tuberty Apartments were at 119 1/2 S. Broadway Ave. A logical name for the apartments at 213 – 219 S. Washington Ave., was Washington. Wedge-Jones Apartments were at 308 S. Broadway Ave., and the Windsor Apartments were at 314 E. Third St.

Mier Wolf, owner of a local department store, purchased one of the former dormitory buildings of Luther Academy at 517 E. Fourth St. in the 1930s. He converted the place into apartments which were known by his name for many years. This particular historical structure is now the Land Mark Apartments.

Tribune feature writer Ed Shannon’s column appears Fridays in the Tribune.