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Antique 1919 WWI Washington County MN History Book W/ Veteran Notes & Rare Photo
Up for sale is a remarkable piece of American military history: In the World War 1917-1918-1919: Washington County, Minnesota. Published shortly after the conclusion of World War I, this antique hardcover memorial book serves as an honor roll and pictorial record of the local men and women who served their country.
This book was owned by the prominent Struble family of Forest Lake, MN, and contains raw, firsthand battlefield notes from a U.S. Marine veteran.
On the Forest Lake roster page, pencil "X" marks are placed next to the entries for Lester O. Struble and Corporal Stanley E. Struble (U.S. Marine Corps). Stanley deployed to France in early 1918, fought with the Marines through the bloodiest campaigns on the Western Front, and was Wounded in Action (WIA) on October 4, 1918.
Returning home, he hand-annotated this copy next to the printed illustrations of his combat sectors:
• Château-Thierry Page: Inscribed with a clear, handwritten "Was here (Initialed after)" beneath the photo of the town.
• Belleau Wood Page: Features an arrow pointing directly to the historic battlefield with his personal note "War there (Initialed after)".
• Soissons Page: Inscribed with "Was here (Initialed after)" underneath the panoramic photo of the devastation.
• Whippet Tank Page: Features the incredibly poignant annotation "Went through this (Initialed after)" beneath an illustration of a tank moving into battle.
UNIQUE BONUS HOME-FRONT RED CROSS EPHEMERA
The book's front flyleaf bears the original owner label of Mrs. M. Struble (Mae Struble )under the elegant handwritten script "Please return to," the mother of the Marine brothers and a prominent leader in the home-front war effort. Tucked inside are two extraordinary pieces of local Red Cross history:
• Original Loose Photograph: A vintage black-and-white photo depicting Mae Struble's local Forest Lake Red Cross branch workers gathered at a meeting table.A handwritten note in the book states "names on back of photo."
• Handwritten Roster: On the "Memorable Incidents" page, there is a beautifully preserved handwritten pencil roster listing 15+ local women from the Forest Lake Red Cross branch (including surnames like Stoltz, Johnson, Moosbrugger, Archibald, Eisfeldt, Struble, Hopkins, Starkey, Bergh, Swallen, and more), often noting their husbands' names or initials, with Mrs. Struble personally listed as entry #9.
Features & Content:
• Local Genealogy: Packed with individual photographic portraits, service records, and brief biographies of local veterans from Stillwater, Forest Lake, Bayport, and surrounding townships.
• Striking Cover Design: Features the classic original brown textured cloth boards with a deeply embossed green bald eagle and laurel wreath emblem.
Important Historical Note: Most hand-penciled "X" marks throughout the roster sections are located specifically on the Forest Lake, Minnesota pages. This indicates the book was used by the Struble family to actively track their immediate hometown neighbors, childhood friends, and community members serving concurrently on the front lines.
Condition Details:
• Binding: The text block is fragile and starting to separate from the front cover hinge and a few places within the book. It is holding together but should be handled with care. One page has old tape. There is some waviness along the gutter, most likely from glue drying out along the spine. It is an excellent candidate for simple archival hinge repair.
• Exterior: The front and back covers are structurally intact with minor corner and edge wear consistent with a 100+ year old book.
• Pagination Note: The pages in this regional edition are unnumbered (unpaginated), which is original and standard for this specific historical publication. All roster sheets and text sections appear fully intact.
• Interior Pages & Photo: The internal pages are clean and legible. The vintage loose photograph has some finger dents and bends but is clear and exceptionally well-preserved. Original owner's address label on two pages. Front pages show impression from heavily embossed cover emblem.
Please review all photos carefully to evaluate the exact condition.
