Curious Minnesota

Latest Episodes:

Was organized crime behind the demise of streetcars in the Twin Cities? Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

Streetcars were a defining feature of what it meant to live in Minneapolis and St. Paul in the early 20th Century. The elimination of the streetcar system in the 1950s, in favor of buses, dramatically reshaped life in the Twin Cities. A number of unusual characters played a role in that switch -- several of whom went to prison.

Hannah Sayle and Eric Roper discuss organized crime's impact on Twin City Rapid Transit Company during this period.

LINKS:

Was organized crime behind the demise of the Twin Cities streetcar system? (Nov. 2021 Curious Minnesota story)

Minnesota History magazine article about what occurred after the 1960 convictions

Why a slice of I-94 is a 'candyland for researchers' Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

Minnesota is home to one of the most prominent roadway testing facilities in the nation, known as MnROAD. Researchers there study how different pavement types hold up amid real-world traffic on Interstate 94 and Minnesota's extreme weather.

Audience Producer Ash Miller joined the podcast to discuss how MnROAD is helping engineers around the country design better roads.

LINKS:

Why a slice of I-94 west of the Twin Cities is a 'candyland for researchers' (July 2021 Curious Minnesota story)

Overview of the different types of roadway materials being studied at MnROAD (U.S. DOT)

Video of low-volume road truck driver (MnDOT)

The mysterious wall that holds St. Anthony Falls in place Oct 13, 2021

Show notes

St. Anthony Falls has long been one of Minneapolis' top attractions. But the endurance of the falls is due to some complex infrastructure designed to halt erosion. A key component of that infrastructure is a hidden wall -- buried beneath the river -- that has protected the falls for roughly 145 years.

Little is known about the wall's condition, however. River historian John Anfinson believes there needs to be a comprehensive study of the structure's status. Anfinson is the former superintendent of the national park comprising the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities.

LINKS:

Graphic illustrating how the wall works

August 2021 article about the the wall

Vote for your favorite State Fair question

Why are there so many 5G cellular antennas in some Twin Cities neighborhoods? Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

The next generation of cellular technology, known as 5G, will bring much faster speeds. But the rollout of 5G has been accompanied by a litany of new cellular antenna poles in some neighborhoods, particularly in Minneapolis.

Eric Roper and Ash Miller discussed the evolution of cellular technology and the reason for all the new antennas.

LINKS:

Why is there a new cellular pole in my Minneapolis neighborhood? (May 2021 Curious Minnesota story)

Map of small cell carrier-owned pole locations in Minneapolis

What do State Fair attendees want to know about Minnesota? Sep 03, 2021

Show notes

We asked fairgoers to tell us what they want to know about Minnesota during Curious Minnesota Day at the Star Tribune's State Fair building on August 28. Today's episode features recordings of many of the people who submitted questions. Click the link below to vote for your favorite!

Vote for your favorite question here (or by e-mailing Curious@StarTribune.com)

See photos and video of the event (Instagram post)

What is the future of COVID-19 and the delta variant? Aug 25, 2021

Show notes

The arrival of vaccines earlier this year offered a glimmer of hope that the COVID-19 pandemic was nearing an end. But the emergence of the delta variant has dampened some of that optimism.

The Star Tribune solicited reader questions about this new phase of the pandemic. Pulitzer Prize-winning health reporters Glenn Howatt and Jeremy Olson discussed the answers in their third appearance on the podcast.

How did MSP Airport evolve from a bankrupt racetrack to an aviation hub? Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

It has been roughly a century since planes began flying at what is now Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, which has evolved from a bankrupt racetrack to an acclaimed travel hub. Transportation reporter Janet Moore joins the podcast to discuss the airport's long history.

LINKS:

From bankrupt racetrack to aviation hub — what remains from MSP Airport's early days? (May 2021 Curious Minnesota story)

Panoramic photo of the 1923 Wold-Chamberlain dedication ceremony.

A history of the Twin City Motor Speedway (from Winter 2007-2008 issue of Minnesota History magazine)

Why does Minnesota test tornado sirens on the first Wednesday of the month? Jun 02, 2021

Show notes

The monthly Wednesday tornado siren test, a Minnesota tradition, traces its origins back to 1950s fears of a Soviet atomic bomb attack. Writer Dave Kenney, who has researched Civil Defense in Minnesota, discusses how Minnesotans responded to an evolving international threat during the Cold War.

LINKS:

Why does Minnesota test tornado sirens on the first Wednesday of the month? (April 2021 Curious Minnesota Article)

Civil Defense in Minnesota, 1950–1974 (written by Dave Kenney)

Was Minnesota home to nuclear missiles during the Cold War? May 06, 2021

Show notes

Fears of a Soviet attack during the 1950s spurred the federal government to install four missile sites around the Twin Cities. The "Nike-Hercules" nuclear warheads stored in those bunkers stood ready to take down Soviet bombers headed for the Twin Cities. Curious Minnesota host Eric Roper discusses the topic with reporter Michelle Griffith, a former Star Tribune intern who now works at the Fargo Forum newspaper.

LINKS:

Was Minnesota home to nuclear missiles during the Cold War? (April 2020 Curious Minnesota story)

When nukes in a cornfield protected the Twin Cities from the Soviet Union

Former Nike Hercules missile in St. Bonifacius stands as a reminder of the Cold War

Does the Mississippi River really start at Lake Itasca? Apr 02, 2021

Show notes

The source of the Mississippi was a consequential mystery after the Revolutionary War. It remains hotly debated in some circles today. Connie Cox, the lead interpretive naturalist at Itasca State Park, discusses the history and science behind this issue with host Eric Roper.

LINKS:

Is Minnesota’s tiny Lake Itasca the true source of the Mississippi River?

Could the Mississippi River actually begin in South Dakota?

Minnesota History: Controversy at the Mississippi's headwaters