Curious Minnesota

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Did a famed parks leader import gray squirrels to Minneapolis — and have the red ones killed? Apr 21, 2023

Show notes

Gray squirrels are so plentiful in cities today that it is difficult to imagine urban life without them. But their introduction to Minneapolis parks in the early 1900s was carefully orchestrated by park superintendent Theodore Wirth. Reporter Susan Du joins host Eric Roper to discuss how Wirth supplanted red squirrels with gray ones -- and the pitfalls of attempting to control nature.

LINKS:

Did a famed parks leader import gray squirrels to Minneapolis — and have the red ones killed? (January 2023 Curious Minnesota story)

Why was the utopian plan for Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside area never built? Apr 07, 2023

Show notes

The towers now known as Riverside Plaza are among the most recognizable buildings in Minneapolis. Their colorful panels make them easy to spot from the busy freeways that surround the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. But these buildings were supposed to be just the first phase an ambitious, utopian plan to transform this area. What happened? Adelie Bergström joins host Eric Roper to discuss why this controversial vision fell apart in the 1970s.

LINKS:

Why was the utopian plan for Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside area never built? (February 2023 Curious Minnesota story)

How did the Twin Cities become a hub for Somali immigrants? (January 2020 Curious Minnesota podcast)

A photo of the Cedar-Riverside area in 1966.

What happened to Minneapolis' famous Weatherball? Mar 24, 2023

Show notes

Many Minnesotans today grew up when the Weatherball was one of the most prominent landmarks of Minneapolis' skyline. The massive sign stood atop the Northwestern National Bank building between 1949 and 1983. John Reinan joins host Eric Roper to discuss where this well-known Twin Cities artifact ended up, and its history in downtown.

LINKS:

What happened to Minneapolis' famous Weatherball? (February 2023 Curious Minnesota story)

How a Twin Cities ammunition factory dominated by women helped U.S. win WWII Mar 10, 2023

Show notes

Billions of bullets flowed from the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant in Arden Hills in its heyday during World War II. The campus was home to about 25,000 employees during the war, about half of them women. Today it is one of the largest shovel-ready development sites in the metro area. Shannon Prather joins host Eric Roper to discuss the unique history of the plant.

LINKS:

How a Twin Cities ammunition factory dominated by women helped U.S. win WWII (January 2023 Curious Minnesota article)

Why was the Mall of America built in Minnesota? Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

The Mall of America is one of Minnesota's most well-known landmarks, three decades after it was built in Bloomington. But why was the country's largest indoor shopping center constructed in Minnesota? Nadine Manske joins host Eric Roper to discuss the history of this unique place.

LINKS:

Why was the Mall of America built in Minnesota? (December 2022 Curious Minnesota article)

Why does Minnesota sometimes get colder than the North Pole? Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

Let's talk about Minnesota's favorite topic: The weather. Minnesota's bitter winters are part of the state's national identity. But how cold is it, really? Is it really colder than the North Pole? Ash Miller talks to Eric Roper about why the answer isn't as simple as it may seem.

Why does Minnesota sometimes get colder than the North Pole? (December 2021 Curious Minnesota story)

Read about the coldest day in Minnesota history (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources)

How did Minnesota become a window manufacturing hub? Jan 26, 2023

Show notes

Minnesota's largest window companies, Marvin and Andersen Windows & Doors, are well known across the nation. The state actually has the second-highest concentration of window and door manufacturing jobs in the country. So how did Minnesota become a window hub? Reporter Nick Williams joins host Eric Roper to discuss the industry's history in the state.

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How did Minnesota become a window manufacturing hub? (August 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Why are there so many stucco homes in the Twin Cities? Jan 13, 2023

Show notes

About 45% of single-family homes in Minneapolis have stucco siding, along with nearly a third of the homes in St. Paul. What's behind this trend among older homes in the Twin Cities? Reporter Nancy Ngo joins host Eric Roper to discuss the reasons the region has so many stucco homes.

LINKS:

SURVEY: Help us improve the Curious Minnesota podcast

Why are there so many stucco homes in the Twin Cities? (April 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Minnesota companies once dominated the supercomputer industry. What happened? Dec 29, 2022

Show notes

Like in flour and lumber milling, Minnesota companies once dominated the field of supercomputing. Firms like Univac, Control Data and Cray Research built some of the fastest computers in the world. But their success didn't last, despite the growth of the computer industry overall.

Evan Ramstad joins host Eric Roper to discuss the origins of these companies, and why they faded from the spotlight.

LINKS:

Minnesota companies once dominated the supercomputer industry. What happened? (November 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Why did Finnish immigrants come to Minnesota? (And no, they're not Scandinavian) Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

Minnesota has more residents of Finnish ancestry than any other state. That's the result of mass immigration from Finland that occurred in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The story of Finns immigrating to Minnesota is distinct from the Swedes and Norwegians. Eric Roper, who wrote a story on this topic, discusses the reasons why with Ash Miller.

LINKS:

Why did Finnish immigrants come to Minnesota? (And no, they're not Scandinavian)

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