Laughter, Falling Water and Time
Before the dirty old men who built Minneapolis had their way with them, the far side of the Mississippi River Gorge was graced by three delicate attractions. Bridal Veil Falls, Fawn’s Leap and the Silver Cascade provided lovely picnic settings and a much needed respite from the cobble stone hustle and bustle of the big … Read more
The Rev. Benjamin Close organized the Market Street church on December 31, 1848. The modest house of worship, built for less than $3000 was the first Protestant church in the territory and the first brick building in St. Paul. In 1855 a new church building was built at 9th and Jackson. The congregation had agreed … Read more
In September of 1906 W.S. Dwinnel purchased the newly completed Hulett Block building. The lease was made for ninety-nine years. Exact terms were never announced, but the deal was negotiated by the firm Chase & Scanfeld for W. J. Mc Quaid, a St. Paul grocer who erected the building and owned the ground lease. The … Read more
Brown & Bigelow was founded in 1896 by Herbert Bigelow and Hirm Brown. Throughout its history, Brown & Bigelow has been a St. Paul resident. In its first 11 years, the firm outgrew three locations and then settled on a 17-acre site that was once the Lexington horse race track in the Hamline-Midway area of … Read more
In 1879 James J. Hill bought the bankrupt St. Paul and Pacific Railway Company and renamed it the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad. A couple months later, railroads in Saint Paul banded together to build a union station and Minneapolis leaders asked Hill to build a union station on their side of the river. … Read more
The Pillsbury A Mill, situated along Saint Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, held the title of largest flour mill in the world for 40 years. Completed in 1881, the building housed two of the most powerful direct-drive waterwheels ever built, each generating 1,200 horsepower.The building was added to the National Register … Read more