When we learn about the history of Saint Anthony Falls, we learn about the lumber and flour mills, the tunnels and tailraces, the waterpower and the growth of the city. But do you know what we don’t often learn about? Where did people go to have fun?
It has been unclear what would happen to the Sears building in Saint Paul after it closed in 2019 - but it was recently announced that a local media group has bought the 17-acre lot. Now left with only 18 stores, Sears & Roebuck once operated over 5600 stores worldwide - and it all started in Redwood Falls, Minnesota.
No single book has influenced the geography of south Minneapolis more than “Song of Hiawatha” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - hundreds of streets, schools, lakes, waterfalls, neighborhoods, and more have been named after its characters. And he never even set foot in the state.
Saint Anthony Falls, or Owamni, is the core of downtown Minneapolis and was the number one reason for the development of the city. But did you know that when Louis Hennepin famously first saw the falls in 1680, they were in a different place?
I can’t blame you if you’ve never been to, or even heard mention of, Hidden Falls. It is aptly named. The lack of signage makes it seem like the park service is determined to keep it that way. The creek that feeds the waterfall has been buried for years underneath the Ford automotive plant, but now that it has closed and the land redeveloped it is getting a new life. A huge makeover has brought the water and its historical significance back to the surface.
Fort Snelling is the center of Minnesota history education. Hundreds of stories are told about the people who lived there and the events that conspired to create the state of Minnesota. We can visit and explore the quarters where the soldiers through the eras called home and imagine their daily lives. But do you know what you almost never hear anyone talk about? Where did the soldiers live while Fort Snelling was being built?
The Walker Art Center, easily recognizable on the landscape and on the lists of best galleries in America, was the work of Thomas Barlow Walker. This multimillionaire lumber and railroad icon was a true rags to riches story - and he never forgot it. His work with the city to create a free public library was soon followed by his desire for a free public art gallery. Today, the Walker Art Center charges admission - but there is still a second, secret (and FREE!) Walker Art Gallery. Do you know where it is?
There’s an island just across the Mississippi river from downtown Saint Paul called Harriet Island. Well, at least it used to be an island, but its back channel was filled in years ago. Minnesotans don’t talk much about the island’s namesake, Harriet Bishop, very often and that’s probably because she was a bit of an uptight %$#@*. She was an east coast snob, a school marm, a tee-totaler, a bible beating baptist and a racist. So how on earth did she get an island named after her?
Did you know one of the most tearjerking moments in Kentucky Derby history has a Minnesota connection? One of the most successful horse breeders in Kentucky Derby history lived in Minnesota. In 1990, her horse - Unbridled - AND her reaction to the race - made history.
If you’ve ever visited the 4th floor at the Minneapolis Central library, you’ve noticed this giant arched doorway. Behind that door is the Special Collections reading room - which is very special. It contains the collection from the Minneapolis Athenaeum - the first reading library in the state of Minnesota.
Minnesota is widely known for its distinctly Scandinavian flair. Even before becoming a state, Finns, Norwegians and Swedes have been lured here and have thrived in its similar climate and landscape. But BEFORE Ole and Lena and all their brethren (don’cha know) made their mark, French names like Jean-Baptiste et Marie were much more common.
There has been a lot of kerfuffle about the naming and renaming of the lake formerly known as Lake Calhoun. The 2018 debate over renaming brought Calhoun’s mostly forgotten life back into the limelight and his racist and treasonous beliefs uncovered. While the naming of Lake Calhoun was probably an innocent oversight, the lesser-known naming of a village on its shores was perhaps an exquisite act of pettiness and part of a scandal that rocked the White House.
Do you know the University of Minnesota’s school song? Great! Then you also know the Minnesota State Song!
This is what it looks like when a historic home is thoughtfully preserved, supported by their community and adapted by talented designers and business owners.
The Minnesota State Legislature has announced plans to look into a redesign of the State Flag during the 2023 session. Before you jump to any conclusions, lets make sure you know the whole story about how it was designed in the first place.
Klondike Kate, the most musical of the Winter Carnival royal family, is known for her boisterous laugh and her warm heart. She teases with a joke, but comforts with a smile. She’s a woman of two minds: one to get the party started and one to make you feel at home. Why is she such a study in contrasts? Perhaps because she is based on not just one real life woman, but two.
If you’re familiar with the Winter Carnival lore, it might surprise you how much it has changed over 137 years. If you’re NOT familiar with it, you might be surprised and how violent it started out. But NO ONE is surprised that it all started with a little bit of Minnesota Nice.
Most travelers have either heard of a Radisson Hotel or stayed in a Radisson hotel. I did not realize until just recently that before there was a worldwide chain of more than 1400 hotels, the very first Radisson Hotel was built right here in Minneapolis and is named for an icon of Minnesota history.
When the Justus Ramsey house was nominated for historic landmark status in 1974, the owner and local preservationists did a lot of research into who had lived in the house and added to its historic value. But they only researched up to a certain point - from the original owner and builders to who rented and lived in the house in its prime. Now that the house is being talked about again, a new round of research has revealed a much richer history.
From the 1920s through the 1960s, Motels (or motor hotels) blossomed across the country. Two motels in South Minneapolis have survived longer than most. The Aqua City Motel and the Metro Inn Motel were first built on the side of Highway 65, are soon to be resurrected for the next chapter in their long history.
