Curious Minnesota

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Did a TV debate decide one of Minnesota's most scandalous elections? Dec 02, 2022

Show notes

It has been more than 30 years since one of the most bizarre elections in recent Minnesota history. The Republican-endorsed candidate for governor, Jon Grunseth, withdrew from the race just days before Election Day amid a cloud of allegations. His last-minute replacement on the ballot, Arne Carlson, went on to defeat DFL incumbent Rudy Perpich -- the state's longest-serving governor. Reporter Randy Furst joins Eric Roper to discuss the campaign and a television debate that may have impacted the outcome of the election.

Debate clip used with permission by Twin Cities Public Television.

LINKS:

Did a TV debate decide one of Minnesota's most scandalous elections? (September 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Who was Hennepin and why did Minnesota name so many things after him? Nov 11, 2022

Show notes

Father Louis Hennepin's name is prevalent around the Twin Cities. The state's most populous county is named after this 17th century Catholic priest, as are a prominent Minneapolis avenue and countless public facilities. So who was Father Hennepin? Kevin Duchschere joins Ash Miller to discuss Hennepin's travels in Minnesota, and why his name became so closely affiliated with the area.

LINKS:

Who was Hennepin and why did Minnesota name so many things after him? (October 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Does Minnesota really have the 'World's Oldest Rock'? Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

Historical markers peppered around Minnesota help keep the state’s rich history alive. But few are as intriguing — and controversial — as the landmark for Minnesota’s most ancient artifact: the “World’s Oldest Rock.” Eric Roper and Ash Miller discuss the 3.5-billion-year-old history behind this claim on a historical marker in Granite Falls. And they delve into the reasons why Minnesota boasts some very unique geology.

LINKS:

Does Minnesota really have the 'World's Oldest Rock'? (August 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

How lumberjacks harnessed an 'ocean of pine' to build Minnesota Aug 29, 2022

Show notes

Minnesota's flour milling prowess is a well-known part of the state's history. But the area's milling legacy began with sawmills that turned the state's white pine trees into lumber. By 1905, Minneapolis was the top lumber market in the world. Transporting these logs to mills was no easy task. The Star Tribune's Christa Lawler joins host Eric Roper to discuss the logistics of how this booming industry worked.

LINKS:

How lumberjacks harnessed an 'ocean of pine' to build Minnesota

Why has the Park Board allowed the 'birthplace of Minneapolis' to deteriorate? Aug 12, 2022

Show notes

The John H. Stevens House in Minnehaha Park is arguably the most important structure relating to Minneapolis' origin story. But the exterior of the property is in rough shape after years of deferred maintenance. Eric Roper and Ash Miller discuss the unique history of the house, and why it has been allowed to deteriorate.

LINKS:

Why has the Park Board allowed the 'birthplace of Minneapolis' to deteriorate? (July 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Discover the hidden house in Minnehaha Park where Minneapolis was born (June 2021 Star Tribune magazine story)

Why did Scandinavian immigrants choose Minnesota? Jul 28, 2022

Show notes

Minnesota has more residents of Norwegian and Swedish ancestry than any other state, due to a wave of immigration from those countries in the 19th Century. But why did those immigrants choose Minnesota? Eric Roper and Ash Miller discuss the factors that caused people to leave Scandinavian countries in the 1800s, and how Minnesota became a major destination.

LINKS:

Why did Scandinavian immigrants choose Minnesota? (May 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Is Minnesota actually more German than Scandinavian? (January 2020 Curious Minnesota story)

Was Charles Lindbergh a Nazi sympathizer? Jul 14, 2022

Show notes

Any list of the most famous Minnesotans who ever lived should include Charles Lindbergh, who became a worldwide celebrity when he completed the first nonstop flight from New York to Paris in 1927. But Lindbergh's controversial statements and actions in the years preceding Pearl Harbor have become an enduring aspect of his legacy.

The Star Tribune's Kevin Duchschere joins the show to discuss Lindbergh's life and whether the famous aviator was a Nazi sympathizer.

LINKS:

Was Charles Lindbergh a Nazi sympathizer? (June 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Why isn't Minnesota's sacrifice at Gettysburg better remembered? Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

Some people believe that the battle of Gettysburg would have ended differently had it not been for the heroism of the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry regiment. Their sacrifice in 1863 is a landmark event from Minnesota's early history as a state. Readers wanted to know why it isn't better remembered today. The Star Tribune's Kevin Duchschere joins the show to discuss the battle and the First Minnesota's legacy.

LINKS:

Why isn't Minnesota's sacrifice at Gettysburg better remembered? (February 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

What was the first movie filmed in Minnesota? Jun 16, 2022

Show notes

While "Fargo" is undoubtedly the most famous movie filmed in Minnesota, it was far from the first. Star Tribune movie critic Chris Hewitt talks with host Ash Miller about the film "Free Air," which shot in Minnesota during the early 1920s. It is a film that -- quite possibly -- no living person has ever actually seen.

What was the first movie filmed in Minnesota? (December 2021 Curious Minnesota story)

Most of America's Silent Films are Lost Forever (2013 article from The Atlantic)

How did Nicollet Island transform from an industrial hub to a public park? Jun 03, 2022

Show notes

Nicollet Island is arguably the most unusual park in a city known for its parks. Located beside downtown Minneapolis, it is an oasis of green space in the heart of the urban core. It was once home to some of the city's most prominent industrialists, as well as factories powered by the Mississippi River. But it has undergone a major transformation in roughly the last half century.

Chris and Rushika Hage, authors of a book about Nicollet Island, join host Eric Roper to discuss the island's history and how it came to look the way it does today.

LINKS:

How did Nicollet Island become parkland with private housing on it? (May 2019 Curious Minnesota story)

A before and after aerial view of the island showing how it has changed

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