Vince Mpls
@vincempls.bsky.social
Minneapolis urbanist, St Paul enthusiast, transit nerd, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, called "an amateur historian" by Fox News. Both Cities, MN 🏳️🌈 Trains and train adjacent things: https://youtube.com/@vincempls
#OnThisDay Aug 5 1937: The Milwaukee Road's flagship transcontinental train "Olympian" screams through Minnesota City, MN enroute from Chicago towards the Twin Cities before continuing on to the Pacific. Amenities aboard included air conditioning, dining car, shower-bath, barber, and valet service.
And this is not the first time here. In 1956 the City of St Paul evicts the residents of Swede Hollow, a railroad shantytown on downtown's eastern edge. 1000's of immigrants from many backgrounds had lived in this place since 1850. The homes are then burned to the ground by the Fire Department.
Norm Charlatan@normcharlatan.bsky.social · 5h agoConvinced Kaoly Her is going ahead with this encampment sweep this morning despite almost everyone in the know telling her to delay because she thinks she’d otherwise appear politically weak. It’s awful of the mayor to put vulnerable people at greater risk just to try and save her political career.
#OnThisDay Aug 5 1851: Faced with mounting debt and settlers already pouring in, the last 2 Bands of the Dakota reluctantly sell their land in the "Treaty of Mendota." This also forces them onto reservations and opens almost all of the vast Southern Minnesota Territory to white settlement.
#OnThisDay Aug 5 1915: Minneapolis holds a dedication ceremony for Gateway Park, a new public space built on the former site of Old City Hall and numerous saloons. The neoclassical park is the city's first attempt at urban renewal. During the Depression, this would become infamous "skid row."
Good Morning! #OnThisDay Aug 4 1937: Chicago Milwaukee St Paul & Pacific Train No. 100 "Hiawatha" departs the Milwaukee Road Depot in downtown Minneapolis, heading for Chicago. At top speeds of over 100mph, these were the fastest scheduled trains in the world.
If you live along the Mississippi River gorge and wondered what the hell that enormous racket was just now, it's this low flight of Sikorskis on the way from South Dakota to Holman Field in St Paul, taking what seems to be a ridiculously circuitous route to get there:
More Southeast Minneapolis lore on this Monday. Cataract Island is the least well known of 3 lost islands at the Falls, the others were Spirit and Upton, long gone as victims of industrial use. A tiny part of Cataract is hiding in plain sight as part of the Hennepin Island hydro power station.
East Bank Neighborhoods@eastbankmpls.bsky.social · 2d agoSee also: Cataract Island
The meeting hall in the former Cataract Masonic Temple is an astonishingly beautiful and little known treasure in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood of Southeast Minneapolis. Here it is in 1926 and now:
Vince Mpls@vincempls.bsky.social · 2d ago#OnThisDay Aug 3 1946: S&L Department store opens in the foreclosed Cataract Lodge #2 of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons at the corner of 4th Street SE and Central Avenue @eastbankmpls.bsky.social. In the 1960s this building was Half Price Stores, and today it hosts the Aveda Institute.
#OnThisDay Aug 3 1946: S&L Department store opens in the foreclosed Cataract Lodge #2 of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons at the corner of 4th Street SE and Central Avenue @eastbankmpls.bsky.social. In the 1960s this building was Half Price Stores, and today it hosts the Aveda Institute.
Good Morning! #OnThisDay Aug 3 1937, a Duluth South Shore & Atlantic train departs Milwaukee Station in downtown Minneapolis, heading towards St Paul Union Depot where it will stop before continuing on to Duluth.
The Menaandawiwe Wellness Campus is near completion. In addition to being a state-of-the-art, Indigenous-first-designed clinic, it will serve as an important anchor on the West end of the Seward Neighborhood along Franklin Avenue. A great project by DGSW Architects and community partners.
#OnThisDay Aug 2 1928: President Calvin Coolidge visits the Hull-Rust-Mahoning Mine at Hibbing Minnesota, the largest open pit iron mine in the world. Many expected an historic speech, but "silent Cal" just watched the shovels and trains, said "that’s a pretty big hole," and left.
#OnThisDay Aug 2 1931: Built amid the cornfields of Richfield, Minnesota, workers put the finishing touches on the new Academy of Holy Angels in preparation for opening day on Sept 15.
While looking for another photo, I ran into this friendly face selling fish at the Great Northern Market on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, in the 1970s.
#OnThisDay Aug 1 1870: At 11 minutes past 8pm, the last spike is driven completing the Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad, connecting @lakesuperior.bsky.social with St Paul for the first time. The inaugural train, loaded with dignitaries, arrives in Duluth at 11:30 pm.
#OnThisDay July 31 1914: Eric Wickman, a 27-year-old Swedish immigrant laid off from his job, founds Greyhound Bus Lines in Hibbing, Minnesota. By 1935 it was carrying 652 million people annually, surpassing the passenger volume of all the Class I American railroads, combined.
We're getting closer! 🚆 Crews have begun reinstalling track at Franklin Ave. Station as work continues to restore Blue Line service Aug. 20. After 32 days, major track, bridge, power, and signal upgrades are taking shape. Blue Line buses continue through Aug. 19. Thanks for your patience!
MPLS Park & Recreation Board seeks input over potential change of use at the Nicollet Island Pavilion Attend our meeting on Tuesday, August 25 at 6 pm and share your thoughts with them. Details: www.eastbankmpls.org/calendar/nic...
So today we've reached the entirely predictable phase of the media cycle and simply writing off St Paul Mayor Kaohly Her's appalling behavior as "locker room talk"
#OnThisDay July 31 1910: Split Rock Lighthouse opens, considered among the most picturesque in the United States. The lighthouse was built in response to the great Mataafa Storm on November 27-28 1905, when 29 ships were lost on @lakesuperior.bsky.social
Poor St. Paul just can't get a break this week. Pearson's started in Minneapolis before moving to St Paul, making the American classic "Salted Nut Roll" a truly Twin Cities enterprise. Goodbye Pearson's, you deserve an homage 🧵
madi mcvan@madisonmcvan.bsky.social · 6d agopearson's in st. paul is closing and laying off all its workers
Great thread by @mollycoleman.bsky.social on the scandal. I find this part particularly shocking, since it's been going on since at least April and therefore indicts all four Assistant Mayors appointed by Kaohly Her in a coverup. This is seriously damaging to St Paul.
Molly Coleman@mollycoleman.bsky.social · 6d agoThe lack of transparency related to this matter to date is unacceptable. The City Council learned about these allegations and the hiring of the external investigators from the media.
Most sensible thing to do would be to appoint @mollycoleman.bsky.social as mayor and get @mattprivratsky.bsky.social back as Ward 4 City Councilor.
ICE OUT State Fan@therealjoro.bsky.social · 7d agowhat the actual fuck Will Carter run again if Her resigns?
#OnThisDay July 29 1927: A dust explosion and fire destroys the Crown Elevator at Second Ave SE and Ninth Street @eastbankmpls.bsky.social, consuming 25,000 bushels of grain and causing over $5M damage in today's dollars. 4 people are hurt when a responding firetruck strikes a parked car.
In other St Paul news: #OnThisDay July 29 1887, a streetcar is struck by a runaway wagon on Walnut Street, causing the car to lose control and rocket to the bottom of Ramsey Hill. Surprisingly, given the hill's steep incline, there are no injuries among passengers or pedestrians.
