Twin Cities of Minnesota: Minneapolis & St. Paul

	The Heart of the Twin Cities

The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are, more or less, the same as they have always been. They have grown, and have more to offer, yet they retain the spirit with which they were founded. The spirit of growth, progress and the American way are alive and well in southeast Minnesota, as can be seen by the personalities it has produced, including cartoonist Charles Schulz and the music artist Prince.

History:

In 1680, Father Louis Hennepin visited the land which would become Minneapolis on his way to the Falls of St. Anthony, which he named. But it wasn't until 1805 that a land rights treaty with the Sioux Indians was signed. Lt. Zebulon Pike's treaty lead to the building of Fort Snelling in 1819–1820. Some of that outpost can still be seen in the Minneapolis city center, and visitors can experience frontier life as it was in the early 1800s.

Saint Paul, on the other side of the Mississippi River, began as a port city. By 1823, the landing at the head of the river was a major influence on trade. Originally named Pig's Eye in 1838, after French-Canadian whiskey trader Pierre "Pig's Eye" Arrant, the city soon took its permanen, and more appealing, name from the St. Paul Church, founded by Father Galtier.

Also in 1823, the government built a lumber and flour mill. Flour milling had become the major industry of the young territory. Minneapolis became the milling capital of the world, utilizing the hydro power of the Falls of St. Anthony.

The first bridge to span the Mississippi River connected Minneapolis and St. Anthony in 1855. Increased traffic led to a dramatic rise in trade, making the territory more important for the growing nation.

In 1858, St. Paul became the state capital. Its stature increased when the railroad joined the city with Minneapolis in the early 1860s. This was the first rail connection in Minnesota. James J. Hill, a Canadian, connected the Twin Cities to Canada via the Manitoba Railroad, after building a station in Winnipeg, Manitoba. James Hill went on to build a line to the Pacific Ocean through the Rocky and Cascade Mountains. This remarkable feat of engineering further strengthened the area's ties to the trading world. Having become a major business center, the Twin Cities looked to have a prosperous future. The growth of the railroads through the 1870s made the territory the "Gateway to the Northern Great Plains."

As was often the case in the young country, growing tension between the two very different European and local Native cultures culminated in a violent end. Immigration increased dramatically with the signing of the land treaty, and the promises made to the Dakotas seemed to disappear. On the brink of starvation, the Dakota Indians reached their limit. The first recorded conflict involved stealing food from settlement warehouses over the summer of 1862. The "Sioux Uprising" led to widespread desertion as people fled to larger cities or different states entirely. By the end of December, the Dakota had lost more lives than the settlers. The war ended on December 26 with the hanging of 38 Dakotas, the largest execution in US history.

A Modern Day Mill

Minnesota was rich in farmland and forests, and following the uprising these natural bounties enticed settlers and immigrants to begin life once again in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The continually expanding western railroad helped too, and by 1883, the transcontinental route to the Pacific coast was completed.

The Minneapolis Public Library began a trend that spread around the world when it developed the first children specific section, a program started in the winter of 1889. Twenty years later the city would give the world another first, with the advent of armored cars. Then, in 1920, the first airport hangar was built on the former Snelling Speedway grounds. Passenger service would still not begin for another ten years. Unfortunately, the Great Depression was right around the corner, and the Twin Cities were hit hard. This, and the prohibition movement of the early 1920s led to an influx of outlaws and criminals.

Public Enemy Number 1, John Dillinger, was known to hide out here, as was Machine Gun Kelly, Lester "Babyface" Nelson and Ma Barker. St. Paul was dubbed a "Poison Spot of American Crime" by United States Senator Royal Copeland. In fact, the cities had become so popular with organized and unorganized crime factions that kidnapper Alvin "Creepy" Karpis wrote, "if you hadn't seen a criminal in a few months, you knew he'd be in one of two places, federal prison or St. Paul." In an effort to exert some control over the growing crime wave, police Chief John O'Connor struck a deal with the perpetrators. As long as no crimes were committed in the city, anyone could live there. The Devil's Bargain, better known as the O'Connor Agreement, allowed violent and volatile criminals to roam the streets of St. Paul provided they checked in with police, paid regular bribes and did not commit their various crimes within city limits. The deal had a reciprocal side, and O'Connor had to guarantee they would not be prosecuted, and warn gang leaders before raiding their many hideouts.

Fortunately, the safety outlaws found in St. Paul was short lived. The very public end to the Devil's Bargain began in early 1934, when Ma Barker and her band of felons kidnapped Commercial State Bank president Edward Bremer. The public was outraged. So much so, that their anger reached the office of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who spoke out against the crime. The city had finally chosen to end its ill-made deal, and next chose to clean up its streets, starting with a series of attempts to capture John Dillinger, who had just escaped from Indiana's Crown Point Jail. St. Paul also set out to rid itself of corrupt police officers. By the end of 1935, the city had fired many law enforcement officials and began to build a new reputation, one founded on progress, innovation and sound business sense.

Throughout the 20th century, as manufacturing, food processing, health services, computers, and graphic arts became major influences on global living, the Twin Cities took a strong interest in these industries, especially that of the high-technology sector. Many Fortune 500 companies found a home in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, including 3M, Honeywell, General Mills, Pillsbury, Dayton-Hudson, and Northwest Airlines, the first major airline to ban smoking on international flights.

In 1993, Minneapolis took a major leap forward in the realization of equal rights, electing Sharon Sayles Belton as mayor. Sayles made history not only as the first woman to win this coveted seat but also as the first African-American to run the largest city in the state.

Always looking to the future, the Twin Cities began to build a new Science Museum in St. Paul in 1997. After breaking ground, however, workers discovered the remains of a building from the late 1800s. Construction was halted as archaeologist unearthed the former residence of the once famous Nina Clifford. The site, previously home to the city morgue, gave up more than 14,000 artifacts, providing a strong picture of the life and times of 19th century residents of St. Paul.

Climate:

The climate in the Twin Cities varies considerably. The area receives a fair amount of summer rain, topping off in July with four inches (just over 100 millimeters). Summer temperatures reach an average high of 84º Fahrenheit (29º Celsius) in July and begin to drop incrementally each month thereafter. Winters settle between 0º Fahrenheit (-16º Celsius) and 10º Fahrenheit (-12º Celsius). Snowfall is heaviest in January, averaging 11 inches (27 centimeters). Winds rarely exceed 10 or 12 miles-per-hour (16 to 19 kilometers-per-hour).

Transportation:

The Twin Cities share one of the busiest international airports in the world. This is not surprising when annual statistics show an average of more than 32 million travelers booking passage with one of its many airlines. Fortunately, it consistently rates as one of the safest and most efficient airports. This is in part due to a $3 billion expansion project undertaken for the new millennium, intended to improve comfort, safety and faith in flying. Parking is available for regular and oversized vehicles at both the Lindbergh and Humphrey Terminals.

	Take A Stroll Through The Many Parks

Greyhound offers bus service from St. Paul and Minneapolis, with stations located in the downtown of both cities. Amtrak offers daily rail services to St. Paul, connecting the Twin Cities to Seattle, WA , Portland, OR and Chicago, IL.

Nearly three million people live in the metro area. Needless to say, this leads to very heavy traffic problems. Recent studies show more than 60 major bottleneck areas and, on average, residents spend 34 hours stuck in them every year. While the cities are constantly working to resolve and improve transit issues, visitors wishing to drive themselves to the many sights are advised to plan alternate routes and schedules.

For those who don't find traffic jams appealing, Metro Transit operates extensive bus routes as well as many suburban lines. Schedules and maps are available at the Metro Transit Store or from the Information Center, both in downtown Minneapolis.

The Twin Cities have developed a light rail transit system, which began operation in 2004. It is 12 miles and connects three of the Twin Cities’ most popular destinations – downtown Minneapolis, Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and Mall of America in Bloomington.The rail system was inspired by the historic Minneapolis trolley car, still in operation between Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet. For a nominal fee, visitors can tour Minneapolis the way it was done in the past.

Around Town:

The Twin Cities are known for a wide array of cultural attractions. From the annual Winter Carnival in St. Paul, to the longest operating theater in Minneapolis, there is a lot to be found.

For starters, the Twin Cities metro area supports 100 theater companies, who bring their productions to more than 30 venues. The oldest of these is the Old Log Theater, originally the home of a summer stock company that opened in 1940. Twenty years later, the theater underwent major renovations and began year-round operations. For those who enjoy a good meal with their entertainment, the Chanhassen Dinner Theater, just outside of Minneapolis, is a popular option. This is the largest dinner theater in the country. The company first opened in 1968 with 90,000 square feet (8361 square meters), and has grown ever since. In 1970, the company began a production of I Do I Do. Tewnty-two years later it became the longest running original cast production in the history of theater.

Minneapolis also has an impressive skyline, with almost 200 highrise buildings. Of the more well known, the 225 South Sixth highrise is one of the more remarkable. It took architects and builders four years to complete the 776-foot (237-meter) post-modern skyscraper, which now houses offices and a parkade. Originally designed as the headquarters of First Bank, the building changed its name when its residents moved to the Nicollet Mall. Equally impressive by day or when lit up at night, 225 South Sixth is among the most prestigious properties in Minneapolis.

The same can be said for the nearby IDS Tower, which is technically the tallest building in the city because of the rooftop antennas which reach up to 910 feet (277 meters). The usable structure is actually one foot shorter than 225 South Sixth.

Not to be left off any list of historic sites worth seeing is the Foshay Tower at 821 Marquette Avenue. Inspired by the Washington Monument, the 447 foot (136 meter) Indiana limestone tower was constructed at a phenomenal cost of $25 million in 1929. The Foshay, the first building to receive patents for design and construction, was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Minneapolis boasts another impressive feat of planning, the Minneapolis Skyway System. At 30 feet (9 meters) above street level, the walkway connects hundreds of stores, restaurants and cafes with 1,500 apartments, 4,000 hotel rooms and 200 million square feet (19 million square meters) of offices. The skyway is especially popular during winter months.

For those who prefer the great outdoors, the Twin Cities has nearly 1,000 lakes, beaches and ski resorts in the surrounding area, as well as many parks and gardens. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, for one, is sure to impress all ages. The land of this former military parade ground was prepared and enriched for elaborate military gardens by the mighty Mississippi River. In 1933, the military buildings were torn down and the gardens became the responsibility of the city. In 1988, Minneapolis brought in the Walker Art Center to develop the area, then being used for baseball games, as a sculpture garden. Today, the 11 acre (4.5 hectares) living gallery is the largest sculpture garden in the United States.

Nature lovers will also enjoy the Falls of St. Anthony, the most powerful falls on the Mississippi River. Some 13,000 years ago the roaring wonder was found in the area that is now St. Paul. Native Americans considered the falls a sacred site. The advent of the milling industry, which relied heavily on power supplied by the falls, put an end to Native American use of the site. Heavy construction through the 19th century led to concern for the falls and the safety of residents. Disaster struck in the fall of 1869, when a tunnel to divert waterflow through the sandstone riverbed collapsed. It took two years and the co-operation of the United States Army Corps of Engineers to save the falls.

Education in Minnesota

The University of Minneapolis houses the Charles Babbage Institute, dedicated to the history of information technology and its impact on society. Various collections and exhibits are open to the public for research and general interest. They are presented in a variety of mediums, from printed works to film from as early as 1935.

The Twin Cities hosts an annual urban marathon, one of the best runs in the United States. The race evolved from the Land of Lakes Marathon of the 1960s. Rather than hold two competing events, one in each city, officials decided it would be a better idea to have one run through both Minneapolis and St. Paul. The modern day TCM hosts more than 4,500 runners and has grown to include an entire weekend of events.

For those interested in visiting the more unusual sites, there is no better place to start than the St. Paul Police Headquarters. More commonly seen as a house of justice, the station has a seedy past dating back to the height of organized crime in the United States. The station had just opened in 1930 when Police Chief John O'Connor made his aforementioned Devil's Bargain with criminals. The connection with, and leniency toward notorious criminals has long been a cause of animosity between St. Paul and Minneapolis residents, but it has also long been an attraction for tourists. So much so, that both public and privately guided tours are available. Local transit routes pass many of the sites, but for a more in-depth experience, private tour guides can be hired through many hotels, and information can be found at the Minnesota History Center.

Also on the list should be a visit to the Museum of Questionable Medical Devices in Minneapolis. The museum displays and demonstrates the use of many absurd inventions, developed in the pursuit of health and well being. "The Quackery Hall of Fame" houses many exhibits on loan from reputable institutions around the nation. From state-of-the-art (in its day) phrenology devices to weight reduction glasses, visitors can experience the less successful side of American medicine all the way back to the 1700s.