Harriet Island: From Sacred Dakota Land to St. Paul's Riverfront Park The transformation of Wakan Wita, sacred Dakota island, into Harriet Island and its evolution as a public recreation space.

Before it was a park, Harriet Island was Wakan Wita—sacred Dakota ground mistranslated as "Devil’s Island." From Dr. Ohage’s 1900 "Sanitary Sanctuary" to the 1949 project that made it an island in name only, explore the site’s arc to today.

🔗 mnthen.com/blog/place/h...

#MNHistory #StPaul #MNThen

Faust, Flick, and Belmont Club: St. Paul Buys Out its Own 'Vice Triangle' (1989) In 1989, St. Paul paid $1.83 million to shut down the Faust Theatre, The Flick, and the Belmont Club—ending a decade of vice, crime, and blight at University & Dale.

In 1989, St. Paul used eminent domain to shutter the "Vice Triangle" at University & Dale. It cost $1.83M and a few legal headaches to close the notorious Faust Theatre, but it paved the way for the Rondo Library.

#Minnesota #history #MNThen

mnthen.com/blog/place/t...

Minnesota’s State Capitol Fire (March 1, 1881) On March 1, 1881, Minnesota’s first capitol building burned to the ground in a dramatic fire that interrupted Senate and House sessions. Though no lives were lost, the blaze destroyed priceless record...

March 1, 1881: Minnesota's capitol caught fire during session. A senator made them formally adjourn before evacuating. Legislators threw documents out windows, then climbed down after them. The cause remains a mystery.

#Minnesota #history #MNThen

George Herrold's Northern Route: The Highway That Never Was In 1945, St. Paul city planner George Herrold proposed an alternative to the Interstate 94 alignment—hoping to save Rondo and Prospect Park. His plan was ignored.

In 1945, St. Paul planner George Herrold proposed a highway route that would bypass Rondo and add no more than minutes to commutes. Officials chose a route with a higher potential traffic capacity that qualified for federal funds. I-94 opened Dec 9, 1968.

#Minnesota #history #MNThen

The Assassination of Walter Liggett (December 9, 1935) Crusading editor Walter Liggett was shot dead in a Minneapolis alley in 1935 after accusing Governor Floyd B. Olson of colluding with mobster Kid Cann. His murder exposed the rot beneath Minnesota’s p...

Dec 9, 1935: Minneapolis editor Walter Liggett was shot in an alley behind his apartment. His wife and daughter witnessed it. She identified the shooter as mobster Kid Cann. Three witnesses named him. The jury acquitted in 90 minutes.

#Minnesota #history #MNThen

Micheal 'Eyedea' Larsen: Minnesota's Underground Hip-Hop Legend (1981-2010) The story of Eyedea, the fiercely independent battle rapper and genre-bending artist who became a Twin Cities icon.

Micheal 'Eyedea' Larsen was born #OTD in 1981. By 17, he'd won Scribble Jam. By 20, he was turning down major label deals to make his kind of music. Poet, philosopher, battle-rap prodigy—Eyedea played the game by his own rules.

#Minnesota #history #MNThen #fEyedeaisAlive

mnthen.com/blog/people/...

Garcia, Augustine 'Augie' (1932 - 1999) The story of Augustine 'Augie' Garcia, the Godfather of Minnesota Rock 'n' Roll.

Before Prince, before The Replacements, there was Augie Garcia—the Godfather of Minnesota Rock 'n' Roll. He recorded MN's first rock record in 1955, once upstaged Elvis, and fused Latin rhythms with R&B to create something brand new. His story: mnthen.com/blog/people/...

#history #Minnesota #MNThen

Minnesota Then Blog | Theodore Hamm Explore the Minnesota Then Blog for fascinating historical insights and stories about Minnesota.

From butcher to brewing magnate, Theodore Hamm founded a St. Paul beer empire. His Hamm's Brewery, established in 1865, grew from a small operation to Minnesota's second-largest by 1886, driven by German immigrant demand and Hamm's business acumen.

#StPaul #history #mnthen

Minnesota Then Blog | Orth, John (1821 - 1887) Explore the Minnesota Then Blog for fascinating historical insights and stories about Minnesota.

In 1850, German immigrant John Orth established Hennepin County's first brewery near the Mississippi River, growing it from 2.5 barrels to over 11,000 annually.

#mnthen #history #minneapolis