Before construction began on Wadaag Commons, archaeologists uncovered a large backyard trash deposit containing more than 1,100 artifacts dating between 1938 and 1949.
On its own, that would have been a remarkable discovery.
What made it extraordinary was that archaeologists could connect the deposit to the people who left it behind.
Through historical records, city directories, census data, and the artifacts themselves, they reconstructed the story of two African American families who shared a home at 2115 Snelling Avenue for more than a decade.
The Thomas and Royster families.
Suddenly, bottles, dishes, toys, and household goods became something much more meaningful. They became pieces of one family’s story.
A Shared Home
Jessie Thomas lived at 2115 Snelling Avenue with his wife, Rose, and their daughter, Pauline. In December 1940, Roy and Lillian Royster moved into the home after their marriage, bringing with them their one-year-old daughter, Judy. While living there, the family welcomed Roy Jr. and Raymond, creating a bustling, multigenerational household.
Unlike many of the site’s other features, which contain artifacts accumulated over decades, this collection captures a relatively short period in the life of one home and the families who lived there.
More Than Their Occupations
Historical records show that Jessie Thomas worked physically demanding jobs for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad as a wiper, boiler filler, and fire knocker. Roy Royster worked as a porter for Continental Baking Company before serving in the U.S. military during World War II.
But their lives extended far beyond work.
Jessie was active in the NAACP and the Improved Benevolent Order of Elks, a Black fraternal organization dedicated to community service. Years later, he would be elected “Chief Antler,” the lodge’s highest leadership position. Rose Thomas was also involved with the NAACP and participated in programs at the Phyllis Wheatley House, an important institution serving Minneapolis’ African American community.
Roy Royster remained active in the NAACP, and the family worshipped at Bethesda Baptist Church, where milestones including Judy’s baptism and, years later, Roy’s funeral were held.
These weren’t simply residents of the neighborhood.
They were helping build the civic and social fabric of the community.
Building a Home Despite Barriers
The Thomas and Royster families lived at 2115 Snelling Avenue during an era when restrictive housing covenants and discriminatory lending practices severely limited where many Black families could purchase homes.
The archaeological report notes that much of the surrounding neighborhood was subject to these discriminatory restrictions. African American families were often pushed toward industrial districts or areas where housing covenants were less prominent.
Jessie Thomas’ ownership of the property reflects determination and resilience. When homeownership was intentionally made more difficult for Black families, he built a stable home where two families could grow, raise children, and put down roots.
That context makes the artifacts recovered from their backyard even more meaningful.
What Were Racial Housing Covenants?
Beginning in the early 1900s, many Minneapolis neighborhoods used racially restrictive housing covenants: legal clauses written into property deeds that prohibited homes from being sold to or occupied by people who were not white.
Although the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1948 that these covenants could no longer be enforced, they remained on many property deeds for decades. Their legacy also lived on through other discriminatory practices, including redlining, mortgage lending discrimination, and real estate steering, which continue to limit where many Black families can buy homes and build wealth.
These policies shaped neighborhoods across Minneapolis for generations. The Thomas family’s ownership of a home at 2115 Snelling Avenue during this period reflects both the barriers Black families faced and their determination to build stable homes and strong communities despite them.
Everyday Life, Preserved Underground
The objects the families left behind reveal the rhythms of daily life in ways official records never could.
Archaeologists recovered bottles of cod liver oil, baby oil, cough medicine, earache remedies, and other household medicines that were likely used to care for Judy, Roy Jr., Raymond, and the rest of the household.
Kitchen artifacts tell another story. Bottles and containers from Crisco, Spry, French’s Mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Mazola salad oil, and Maxwell House coffee point to meals prepared and shared around the family table.
Rose Thomas may have worked as a beautician. Archaeologists recovered facial creams, perfume bottles, lipstick containers, nail polish, hair dye, and other personal care items that suggest beauty products were an important part of daily life.
None of these discoveries are especially valuable on their own.
Together, they reveal a household filled with ordinary acts of care: preparing meals, treating childhood illnesses, getting ready for work, and raising a family.
A Household Favorite?
One small detail particularly caught the archaeologists’ attention.
Of the 149 intact glass bottles recovered from the deposit, Dr Pepper appeared more often than any other brand.
During the 1940s, Dr Pepper advertisements encouraged customers to drink the soda at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m., promoting it as an energy boost for hardworking Americans. Given the physically demanding jobs Jessie and Roy held, the archaeologists suggest this may explain why it became a household favorite.
Why Their Story Matters
The Thomas and Royster families were not famous. They weren’t wealthy. They never imagined that anyone would study what they threw away.
Yet because of the archaeological mitigation that took place before Wadaag Commons was built, their story wasn’t lost.
Instead, it became one of the clearest windows into everyday African American life in Minneapolis during the 1940s.
We see parents raising children, neighbors sharing a home, people serving their country, participating in civic organizations, caring for loved ones, and building a future despite significant barriers.
Today, Wadaag Commons is once again home to families putting down roots in Minneapolis.
The names have changed, but the story continues.
Come See the Artifacts
A selection of artifacts recovered during the Wadaag Commons excavation is on display at Redesign’s office. We invite you to stop by and experience this history for yourself.
