Laughter, Falling Water and Time
A vital part of St. Paul’s water system, the Highland Park Water Tower rises 134 feet above the top of St. Paul second highest hill. Designed by the nation’s first African-American municipal architect, Clarence W. Wigington, the octagonal tower holds up to 200,000 gallons of water in a riveted steel tank. The exterior features blonde … Read more
The strategic advantages of location were recognized by •the United States government as early as 1819 in the establishment of Fort Snelling, under the shelter of which the early trading operations were carried on. Only a few quaint historic relics remain to mark the pioneering of the traders. The fortification, commanding the junction of the … Read more
The current Marshall Avenue Bridge replaced an old wrought-iron span erected for horse and buggy traffic in 1889. The previous bridge was designed by J.S. Sewall of St. Paul. Built on three stone piers the old bridge had hinges at each end and in the crown of each arch to allow for expansion and contraction … Read more
The scene of circuses, celebrations and concerts and seven years older than New York’s famous Central Park, this land was designated you Public Square in 1849 by John R. Irvine, a territorial pioneer. and Henry M. Rice territorial delegate in United States Senator after statehood. Rice for whom the park was named was native of … Read more
Merriam Park— The largest suburb in the city limits. Reached by the St. Paul-Minneapolis, the Selby- Lake and Merriam Park car lines and the Milwaukee railroad. The park has a very good private hospital (Dr. Cobb’s), some churches of different denominations, a bank and branch post office. It is a very desirable residence district, within … Read more
Dear Green Jeans, While at the “Minnesota Stale Fair”, Shaveless Hardjaw and I plan to visit the large factory illustrated on the other side. They tell me that here, under one roof are manufactured a larger variety of foods than are manufactured in any other similar organization in the United States. Shaveless is anxious to … Read more
El Salamnu Aleikum! Alelkum Es Salem! See? “Most soltenly” as Happy Hooligan would say. It’s only the Murat temple of Indianapolis, making the points of interest between that benighted country and Minneapolis. It’s the noise they make in transit. Murat temple decided to have a good time between times. Therefore, the members arranged a charming … Read more
In April, 1936, Fortune magazine hired Austria-Hungary-born American writer and illustrator, Ludwig Bemelmans for an exhaustive article profiling the rather bleak fortunes of Minneapolis and St. Paul. I can almost hear our local boosters howling across the years. Fortune painted thoroughly unflattering, gloomy picture of the metropolis at the center of the most radical state … Read more
Contrary to popular belief, Nina Street is not named for Saint Paul’s infamous, 19th century madam, Nina Clifford. The street was named by the group of developers that platted Dayton and Irvine’s addition in 1854. Clifford’s real name was Hannah Crow. Chances are she named herself after the street. Construction of the Cathedral of Saint … Read more