L. A. (Laurence Alonzo) Rossman was born in Minneapolis on June 11, 1890 and grew up in Chatfield (Minn.). He graduated from Chatfield High School in 1909 and from Carleton College (Northfield, Minn.) in 1914. He married Elizabeth Aiton on February 21, 1916. Rossman published the Grand Rapids Herald-Review (Minn.).newspaper from 1914 until his death on May 16, 1956. In 1929 he served as president of the Minnesota Editorial Association, and in 1949 was honored as one of one hundred "Living Great" Minnesotans.
Rossman was interested and active in business and civic affairs, and was a tireless booster and promoter. A prolific writer, he authored, published, and distributed a host of pamphlets and essays setting forth his views on the development of highway transportation, conservation, forestry, papermaking, iron mining, and other issues that interested him. He was particularly enthused about the development and promotion of the inter-city motor bus industry.
Rossman's involvements were many and varied. He was an officer of the Minnesota Historical Society, a member of the Carleton College board of trustees, chairman of Governor Luther Youngdahl's Economic Development Council, a director and member of the executive committee of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, chairman of the Minnesota Highway Users Conference, a member of the Executive Committee of the Association for Amendment No. 5 (concerned with highway financing), chairman of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Mining Industry Committee, a Blandin Foundation
trustee, a director of the Ten Thousand Lakes Association, and a member of the National Association of Motor Bus Operators' Committee on Research and Planning. He was also associated for many years with the Greyhound Corporation as a consultant. These undertakings are documented in varying degrees in the collection.
From the guide to the Laurence A. Rossman papers, 1924-1996 (bulk 1924-1955)., (Minnesota Historical Society)
