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Minnesota Streetcar Museum

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The Minnesota Streetcar Museum (MSM) is a transport museum that operates two heritage streetcar lines in Minneapolis, Minnesota , and the western suburb of Excelsior .

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69-720: The museum was created as a result of the restructuring of the Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM) during the winter of 2004–2005. The MTM was founded in 1962 to restore a streetcar , Twin City Rapid Transit Company No. 1300, that had been operated by the TCRT until the last streetcar lines were abandoned in favor of buses in 1954. Over time, the museum diversified to include diesel and steam -powered trains, buses, steamboats and associated buildings, papers and photographs. When

138-544: A classical station and a contemporary station, The Current , which plays music from regional and other contemporary artists. The MPR program A Prairie Home Companion , hosted by Minnesota native Garrison Keillor , aired live for many years from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul . The show ended its run in 2016, with its successor Live from Here also airing from the same venue. This radio program

207-820: A 1929 game between the Minneapolis Millers and the St. Paul Saints , both baseball teams of the American Association . In the 1950s, both cities competed for a major league baseball franchise (which resulted in two rival stadiums being built), and there was a brief period in the mid-1960s when the two cities could not agree on a common calendar for daylight saving time , resulting in a few weeks when people in Minneapolis were one hour "behind" those in Saint Paul. The cities' mutual antagonism

276-472: A 200-ton lifting crane, an F7A Freight engine (under long term restoration to operating status), a Brill Car (one of the last of its kind), and Rock Island Business Car "Gritty Palace" - donated by the late Art Pew's family in 2022. The roundhouse is also home to the famous Northern Pacific Railway steam engine No. 2156, known to many Twin Cities Gen X children as Casey Jones 's steam engine, from

345-573: A railroad tycoon who settled on Summit Avenue in Saint Paul in what is now known as the James J. Hill House . Like many Northern cities that grew up with the Industrial Revolution , Minneapolis and St. Paul experienced shifts in their economic base as heavy industry declined, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. With the economic decline of those decades came population decline in the central city areas , white flight to suburbs, and, in

414-610: A single summer. The lowest temperature ever reported at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport was −34 °F (−37 °C) on January 22, 1936; the highest, 108 °F (42 °C), was reported on July 14 of the same year. Early settlement records at Fort Snelling show temperatures as low as −42 °F (−41 °C). Recent records include −40 °F (−40 °C) at Vadnais Lake on February 2, 1996 (National Climatic Data Center). Precipitation averages 29.41 inches (74.7 cm) per year, and

483-635: Is Minnesota's economic, cultural, and political center. Minneapolis and Saint Paul are independent municipalities with defined borders. Minneapolis sits mostly on the west side of the Mississippi River on lake-covered terrain. Although most of the city is residential neighborhoods, it has a business-dominated downtown area with some historic industrial areas, the Mill District and the North Loop area. Saint Paul, which sits mostly on

552-627: Is a metropolitan area in the Upper Midwestern United States centered around the confluence of the Mississippi , Minnesota , and St. Croix rivers in the U.S. state of Minnesota . It is commonly known as the Twin Cities after the area's two largest cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul . Minnesotans often refer to the two together (or the seven-county metro area collectively) simply as "The Cities". The area

621-731: Is a major industry in the region and the southeasterly city of Rochester , as the University of Minnesota has joined other colleges and hospitals in doing significant research, and major medical device manufacturers started in the region (the most prominent is Medtronic ). Technical innovators have brought important advances in computing, including the Cray line of supercomputers . Many Twin Cities residents own or share cabins and other properties along lakes and forested areas in central and northern Minnesota, and weekend trips "up North" happen in

690-613: Is actively involved in preserving local railroad, bus, and streetcar history. MTM was formed in 1962 to save a streetcar that had been built and operated by Twin City Rapid Transit (TCRT) in Minneapolis–St. Paul . Many of the museum's early members were formerly part of the Minnesota Railfans Association , which had organized railfan trips from the 1940s to the 1960s. In 2004–2005,

759-570: Is featured. There are numerous lakes in the region, and some cities in the area have extensive park systems for recreation. Organized recreation includes the Great River Energy bicycle festival , the Twin Cities Marathon , and the U.S. pond hockey championships. Some studies have shown that area residents take advantage of this, and are among the most physically fit in the country, but others have disputed that. Medicine

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828-506: Is most plentiful in June (4.34 inches (11.0 cm)) and least so in February (0.79 inches (2.0 cm)). The greatest one-day rainfall amount was 9.15 inches (23.2 cm), reported on July 23, 1987. The cities' record for lowest annual precipitation was set in 1910, when 11.54 inches (29.3 cm) fell throughout the year; coincidentally, the opposite record of 40.15 inches (102.0 cm)

897-423: Is open to the public. Three restored streetcars formerly used by TCRT are used and the museum has built a replica 1900 station at the intersection of Queen Ave and 42nd Street. The Excelsior Streetcar Line began operation in 1999 in west-suburban Excelsior near Lake Minnetonka using Duluth Street Railway Company No. 78, transferred from the museum's Como-Harriet Line. TCRT No. 1239 joined No. 78 in 2004. The Line

966-573: Is operated on the former Minneapolis and Saint Louis Railway right-of-way now used by the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority as a bicycle trail. All trips feature a tour of the Excelsior Carbarn, where Winona No. 10 is currently being restored and Mesaba No. 10 stored awaiting restoration. Returned to service in 1991 after a seven-year restoration, Duluth Street Railway Company No. 78

1035-575: Is the oldest streetcar in the museum, having been built by LaClede Car Company of Saint Louis, Missouri in 1893. The car, which was retired in 1911, is one of the oldest working streetcars in the country. It is a first-generation electric car that resembles the horse-drawn streetcars which it replaced. It has been operating on the Excelsior Streetcar Line since 1999. DSR 265 was built in the Twin Cities by TCRT as No. 1791, but

1104-722: The Duluth Street Railway Company . A streetcar from Winona, Minnesota is currently under restoration while a Fargo-Moorhead Birney streetcar and a Mesaba Railway inter-urban car await restoration. In 1971 the MTM began operations on the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line, a heritage streetcar line in Minneapolis, Minnesota . The mile-plus-long Line runs along the original TCRT streetcar right-of-way between Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun and

1173-766: The Metropolitan Council . Counties that are italicized were added to the metropolitan area when the Office of Management and Budget revised its delineations of metropolitan statistical areas in 2013. Sibley County was included in the metropolitan statistical area from 2013 to September 2018. The Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN–WI Combined Statistical Area is made up of 19 counties in Minnesota and two counties in Wisconsin. The statistical area includes two metropolitan areas and four micropolitan areas . As of

1242-658: The Mill City Museum , housed in the former Washburn "A" Mill , which was among the world's largest mills in its time. The phrase "St. Paul is the last city of the East, Minneapolis the first city of the West" alludes to the historical difference. The state's oldest farms are in Washington County . The county borders the St. Croix River and Wisconsin on the eastern side of the metropolitan area. Joseph Haskell

1311-572: The NHL Winter Classic was played at Target Field in 2022. The Final Four Men's National College Athletics Association (NCAA) basketball tournament has been hosted by Minneapolis four times—1951, 1992, 2001 and 2019—and the Women's twice, in 1995 and 2022. The Frozen Four Men's NCAA hockey tournament has been hosted by the Twin Cities nine times—1958, 1966, 1989, 1991, 1994, 2002, 2011, 2018 and 2024. Major golf tournaments hosted in

1380-564: The Ojibwe legends of Hiawatha . A number of natural area landmarks appear in the story, including Lake Minnetonka and Minnehaha Falls . Tourists inspired by the coverage of the Grand Excursion in eastern newspapers and those who read The Song of Hiawatha flocked to the area in the following decades. At one time, the region had numerous passenger rail services, including both interurban streetcar systems and interstate rail. Due to

1449-623: The Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway . Excursion trains are operated on trackage formerly owned by Wisconsin Central Ltd. , now part of Canadian National Railway . Excursion trains operate from the historic Osceola Depot, north to Dresser, Wisconsin, and southbound to and through the scenic St. Croix River Valley. Regular schedules begin on the first weekend in May, continuing through the last week of October. Special Event trains operate through

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1518-606: The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra are full-time professional musical ensembles . The Guthrie Theater is a world-class regional theater overlooking the Mississippi River. The Minnesota Fringe Festival is an annual celebration of theatre , dance , improvisation , puppetry , kids' shows, visual art , and musicals. The Twin Cities is also the home of Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) , the nation's second-largest public radio station. It has both

1587-475: The confluence of the Minnesota River and the Mississippi River . The Fort Snelling military reservation bordered both sides of the river up to Saint Anthony Falls . The town of Saint Anthony grew just outside the reservation on the river's east side. For several years, the only European resident to live on the west bank of the river was Colonel John H. Stevens , who operated a ferry service across

1656-468: The "Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington MN– WI Metropolitan Statistical Area". It is the 16th-largest metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. and third-largest metropolitan area in the Midwest , with a population of 3,690,261 at the 2020 census . The larger 21-county Minneapolis–St. Paul MN–WI Combined Statistical Area , the nation's 16th-largest combined statistical area, had a population of 4,078,788 at

1725-658: The 2010 census, the CSA had a population of 3,682,928 (though a July 1, 2012 estimate placed it at 3,691,918). In 2013, the Owatonna Micropolitan Statistical Area was added. Note: Owatonna MSA was not part of CSA in 2010. There are approximately 218 incorporated municipalities in the Twin Cities metropolitan region. This includes census-designated places and villages in Wisconsin , but excludes unincorporated towns in Wisconsin, known as civil townships in other states. Population numbers are from

1794-902: The 2020 census. Principal cities Places with 50,000 to 99,999 inhabitants Places with 25,000 to 49,999 inhabitants Places with 10,000 to 24,999 inhabitants Places with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants The Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area fine art museums include the Minneapolis Institute of Art , the Walker Art Center , the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum , Minnesota Museum of American Art and The Museum of Russian Art . Other museums include American Swedish Institute , Science Museum of Minnesota , Minnesota Children's Museum , Bell Museum (natural history and planetarium) and The Bakken Museum (science and technology). The Minnesota Orchestra and

1863-419: The 2020 census. The first European settlement in the region was near what is now the town of Stillwater, Minnesota , about 20 miles (30 km) from downtown Saint Paul and on the western bank of the St. Croix River , which forms the border of central Minnesota and Wisconsin. Another settlement that fueled early interest in the area was the outpost at Fort Snelling , which was constructed from 1820 to 1825 at

1932-610: The B-24 final assembly point at what is now St Paul's Holman Field, and a block of 1953/54 GMC transit units, two of which are painted in original Twin Cities Lines colors. The buses were used in regular charter service, and once formed a very visible part of the museum's collection, often used in wedding and corporate charters, and on the museum's city tours. This part of the collection was sponsored by Richfield Bus Company, who had provided maintenance and licensing to operate them. As

2001-508: The MPD. Minneapolis–Saint Paul was the site of the second-costliest act of civil disobedience in U.S. history, after the 1992 Los Angeles Riots . Local protests and riots caused an estimated $ 550 million in damages and affected around 1,600 businesses. Minneapolis and Saint Paul have competed since they were founded, resulting in some duplication of effort. After Saint Paul completed its elaborate cathedral in 1915, Minneapolis followed up with

2070-567: The MTM was restructured during the winter of 2004 and 2005, the Minnesota Streetcar Museum was created and assumed ownership and operating responsibilities of the two streetcar lines. The Museum of Lake Minnetonka was also created as a result of the split and assumed ownership and operating responsibilities of the restored Steamboat Minnehaha , which was built by TCRT in 1906. The Minnesota Streetcar Museum now has five operable streetcars, three from TCRT's fleet and two from

2139-645: The Minnesota Transportation Museum. In 1967, the depot became the first building to be restored by the museum and it was outfitted with exhibits. In 2004, the METRO Blue Line 's Minnehaha Park station opened across the road from the old depot. Up until 2019, Several buses from the 1940s and 1950s were also operated by the museum. Most equipment in the bus collection were built by the GMC division of General Motors , and represented

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2208-534: The Rapper , Bon Iver , The Flaming Lips , Wilco and Sonic Youth . The Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis hosts the annual Basilica Block Party , another music festival, which has featured nationally recognized artists such as Weezer , Andy Grammer , Death Cab for Cutie and Panic! at the Disco . The festival is used as a fundraiser for the restoration of the basilica. The event draws about 25,000 people to

2277-419: The Twin Cities three times—1965, 1987 and 1991—as have three Major League Baseball All-Star Games —1965, 1985 and 2014. NHL All-Star games were hosted in 1972 and 2004, NBA All-Star game in 1994, WNBA All-Star game in 2018 and MLS All-Star game in 2022. The Stanley Cup Finals have been played in the Twin Cities twice, in 1981 and 1991. The NHL Stadium Series had a game in the Twin Cities in 2016, and

2346-525: The Twin Cities to be named for Minnesota as a whole. In terms of development, the two cities remain distinct in their progress, with Minneapolis absorbing new and avant-garde architecture while Saint Paul continues to carefully integrate new buildings into the context of classical and Victorian styles. Like much of Minnesota, the Twin Cities area was shaped by water and ice over millions of years. The area's land sits atop thick layers of sandstone and limestone laid down as seas encroached upon and receded from

2415-654: The Twin Cities. Other memorable Twin Cities weather-related events include the tornado outbreak on May 6, 1965, the Armistice Day Blizzard on November 11, 1940, and the Halloween Blizzard of 1991. In January 2019 , Minnesota experienced its coldest temperatures since 1996, when a polar vortex dropped temperatures as low as −56 °F (−49 °C) in Cotton, Minnesota , with wind-chill temperatures lower than −60 °F (−51 °C) in much of

2484-784: The United States. But due to their southern location in the state and the urban heat island , the Twin Cities are among Minnesota's warmest places. The average annual temperature recorded at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport is 45.4 °F (7.4 °C); 3.5 °F (1.9 °C) colder than Winona, Minnesota , and 8.8 °F (4.9 °C) warmer than Roseau, Minnesota . Monthly average daily high temperatures range from 21.9 °F (−5.6 °C) in January to 83.3 °F (28.5 °C) in July;

2553-493: The area is defined by a series of stone bluffs that line the river. Saint Paul grew up around Lambert's Landing, the last place to unload boats coming upriver at an easily accessible point, seven miles (11 km) downstream from Saint Anthony Falls , the geographic feature that, due to the value of its immense water power for industry, defined Minneapolis's location and its prominence as the Mill City. The falls can be seen from

2622-541: The automobile, some of the earliest streamliners ran from Chicago to Minneapolis/Saint Paul and eventually served distant points in the Pacific Northwest . Today, this interstate service is served by Amtrak 's Seattle / Portland -to- Chicago Empire Builder route, running once daily in each direction, and supplemented by the Borealis route to Chicago. The Empire Builder is named after James J. Hill ,

2691-523: The average daily minimum temperatures for those months are 4.3 °F (−15.4 °C) and 63.0 °F (17.2 °C) respectively. Minimum temperatures of 0 °F (−18 °C) or lower are seen on an average of 29.7 days per year, and 76.2 days do not have a maximum temperature exceeding the freezing point. Temperatures above 90 °F (32 °C) occur an average of 15 times per year. Higher temperatures at or above 100 °F (38 °C) are recorded once every 4-5 years on average, and sometimes during

2760-572: The classic steam engine, Northern Pacific No. 328 (4-6-0) was used to pull the trains, but has been placed in restoration status due to its age (107 yrs). The regular service train route runs approximately 50 minutes to/from Dresser, Wisconsin , and 100 minutes to/from Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota . The Museum also operates the Dresser Depot at the northeast terminus of the line in Dresser, WI. The Depot has been preserved exactly as if

2829-485: The downtown area. The Twin Cities area has a number of venues where artists come to perform. Minneapolis is home to First Avenue . First Avenue is known for being the starting venue for many famous artists and bands from the area, including Prince , The Replacements , Atmosphere , and Manny Phesto . It became one of the most recognizable venues in Minnesota after the release of the Prince movie Purple Rain , in which it

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2898-439: The east side of the river, has a smaller business district, many tree-lined neighborhoods, and a large collection of late- Victorian architecture . Both cities, and the surrounding smaller cities, feature lakes, hills, and creeks. Originally inhabited by the Ojibwe and Dakota people, the cities were settled by various Europeans. Minneapolis was strongly influenced by early Scandinavian and Lutheran settlers, while Saint Paul

2967-734: The electric wiring and other parts had to be scavenged from other old streetcars or built from scratch. Other places with Twin City Rapid Transit hardware: Transit in Minnesota: Minnesota Transportation Museum The Minnesota Transportation Museum ( MTM , reporting mark MNTX ) is a transportation museum in Saint Paul, Minnesota , United States. MTM operates several heritage transportation sites in Minnesota and one in Wisconsin . The museum

3036-449: The equally ornate Basilica of St. Mary in 1926. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the rivalry became so intense that an architect practicing in one city was often refused business in the other. The 1890 United States Census even led to the two cities arresting and/or kidnapping each other's census takers, in an attempt to keep each city from outgrowing the other. The rivalry occasionally erupted into inter-city violence, as at

3105-493: The museum acquired much of its bus collection from Metro Transit , the bus company sometimes requested the use of the old buses for special events. In 2019, the entire bus collection was donated to a private party. The museum currently has no plans on acquiring new buses to replace their former collection. MTM, in conjunction with the Historical Society of Osceola, Wisconsin , operates a heritage railroad called

3174-404: The nation's healthiest metropolitan area. The Twin Cities is one of 12 American metropolitan areas with teams in all four major professional sports —baseball (MLB), football (NFL), basketball (NBA) and ice hockey (NHL). Including Major League Soccer (MLS), it is one of 11 metro areas with five major professional sports teams. To avoid favoring either city, most teams based in the area use only

3243-575: The organization's streetcar operations became the Minnesota Streetcar Museum , with the steamboat Minnehaha , originally built by TCRT in a style similar to its streetcars, becoming a major attraction of the Museum of Lake Minnetonka . After the first streetcar, TCRT No.  1300, was successfully restored, other projects were examined in the time before the streetcar could be put on its own set of rails. The Minnehaha Depot

3312-503: The popular children's program "Lunch With Casey" starring Roger Awsumb as Casey Jones, in the 60's & 70's. No. 2156, having been torn down for restoration for the last decade, is undergoing stabilization to become part of a "Steam Bay" exhibit, demonstrating the inner workings of steam locomotives. It will be displayed next to its sister engine No. 2153, restored cosmetically to original operating configuration. Minneapolis%E2%80%93St. Paul Minneapolis–Saint Paul

3381-458: The region. Erosion caused natural caves to develop, which were expanded into mines when white settlers came to the area. During Prohibition , at least one speakeasy was built into these hidden spaces—eventually refurbished as Saint Paul's Wabasha Street Caves . Lakes across the area were formed and altered by the movement of glaciers . This left many bodies of water in the region, some with unusual shapes. For example, Lake Minnetonka , toward

3450-531: The river's width at points farther south, the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area was briefly one of the few places where the Mississippi could be crossed by railroad. Much commercial rail traffic also ran through the area, often carrying grain to be processed at Minneapolis mills or delivering other goods to Saint Paul to be transported along the Mississippi. Saint Paul was long at the head of navigation on

3519-399: The river, until a lock and dam facility was added upriver in Minneapolis. Passenger travel hit its peak in 1888, with nearly eight million traversing to and from Saint Paul Union Depot . This amounted to approximately 150 trains daily. Soon, other rail crossings were built farther south and travel through the region began to decline. In an effort by the rail companies to combat the rise of

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3588-447: The river. When the military reservation was reduced in size, settlers quickly moved to the land, creating the new village of Minneapolis. The town grew, with Minneapolis and Saint Anthony eventually merging. On the eastern side of the Mississippi, a few villages such as Pig's Eye and Lambert's Landing grew to become Saint Paul. Natural geography played a role in the two cities' settlement and development. The Mississippi River Valley in

3657-673: The season, including Wine Tasting, the Pumpkin Train (Halloween) and Fall Leaf Viewing trains through the River Valley. At the Osceola service area, several locomotives and pieces of rolling stock are on display. All equipment has been reconditioned to standard operating condition, including classic 1920s open-window coaches, Great Northern express coaches and a refreshment car (Baggage car 265). Locomotives currently in running condition are classic diesel-electric . In past years

3726-568: The staff stepped out for a break, down to calendars and railroad notices. It is also the site of Pumpkin Train Park, hosting several thousand visitors during the pre-Halloween weekend. The Jackson Street Roundhouse is MTM headquarters in St. Paul , as well as a fully functional railroad roundhouse , one of the last of its kind in the country. During winter months, the Roundhouse is a functioning work area for Museum rolling stock, often with

3795-636: The state. These temperatures are colder than those found on the surface of Mars . (See: Department of Natural Resources - Cold Outbreak: January 27-31, 2019 ) A normal growing season in the metro extends from late April or early May through the month of October. The USDA places the area in the 4a plant hardiness zone . The Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington MN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area , or Twin Cities, includes 15 counties, of which 13 are in Minnesota and two in Wisconsin. The Minnesota portion accounts for almost two-thirds of Minnesota's population. Note: Counties that are bolded are under jurisdiction of

3864-627: The summer of 1967, race riots on Minneapolis's North Side. But by the 1980s and 1990s, Minneapolis and Saint Paul were often cited as former Rust Belt cities that had made successful transitions to service, high-technology, finance, and information economies. In May and June 2020, the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area became a focus of international attention after MPD officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for almost ten minutes. The murder sparked local , nationwide and international protests against racism and police brutality, bringing considerable attention to

3933-541: The vehicles that replaced the streetcars in the Twin Cities in the 1950s. The conversion from a streetcar to bus system required two years. The last trolley run was on Hennepin Avenue on June 18, 1954. The collection consisted of buses that once operated in and across Minnesota. The Earliest is a 1942 Mack (occasionally used in conjunction with the Commemorative Air Force) which transported war workers to

4002-425: The volunteer workforce welding, grinding and sending sparks flying. Open Wednesday & Saturday, year-round, and on Friday during the summer months it is a maintenance & restorations base for the museum's locomotives and rolling stock . It is highly interactive, offering train rides (Saturdays) as well as hands-on exhibits about surface transportation history of Minnesota and the upper Midwest. The building

4071-522: The warmer months. Ice fishing is a major winter pastime, although overambitious fishers sometimes find themselves in danger when they venture onto the ice too early or too late. Hunting, snowmobiling, ATV riding and other outdoor activities are also popular. This connection to the outdoors also brings a strong sense of environmentalism to many Minnesotans. In 2011 and 2012, the American College of Sports Medicine named Minneapolis–Saint Paul

4140-415: The western side of the Twin Cities, consists of a complex arrangement of channels and large bays. Elevations in the area range from 1,376 feet (419 m) above sea level in the northwest metro to 666 feet (203 m) at the edge of the Mississippi River in the southeast. Owing to their northerly latitude and inland location, the Twin Cities experience the coldest climate of any major metropolitan area in

4209-403: The word "Minnesota" in their names, rather than "Minneapolis" or "St. Paul". Minneapolis was the site of two Super Bowls — Super Bowl XXVI in 1992 and Super Bowl LII in 2018. It is the farthest north that a Super Bowl has ever been played. The Minnesota Vikings have played in four Super Bowls— IV in 1970, VIII in 1974, IX in 1975 and XI in 1977. The World Series has been played in

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4278-431: Was Minnesota's first white farmer, harvesting the first crops in the state in 1840 on what is now part of Afton Township on Trading Post Trail. The Grand Excursion , a trip into the Upper Midwest sponsored by the Rock Island Railroad , brought more than a thousand curious travelers into the area by rail and steamboat in 1854. In 1855, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow published The Song of Hiawatha , an epic poem based on

4347-445: Was a former Milwaukee Road depot at Minnehaha Falls . The station, built in 1875, was nicknamed "The Princess" because of its delicate architecture . The depot is a contributing property to the Minnehaha Historic District . Trains running on special routes have sometimes stopped at the station, and it was eventually integrated into the area streetcar system. The depot is owned by the Minnesota Historical Society and operated by

4416-497: Was erected by the Great Northern Railway in 1907, replacing another, older roundhouse. The site has been used for rail transportation since the first railroad came to Minnesota (1860s). The Roundhouse and surrounding grounds are a near complete display of American industrial history from the 19th century through the mid-20th century. The Roundhouse is base for equipment as varied as Pullman coaches, Northern Pacific RR mail & baggage cars, an operating 115-foot (35 m) turntable,

4485-451: Was largely healed by the end of the 1960s, aided by the simultaneous arrival in 1961 of the Minnesota Twins of the American League and the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League , both of which identified themselves with the state as a whole (the former explicitly named for both Twin Cities) rather than either city (like the earlier Minneapolis Lakers ). Since 1961, it has been common practice for any major sports team based in

4554-443: Was set the next year. At an annual average of 56.3 inches (1,430 mm), snowfall is generally abundant. The Twin Cities area takes the brunt of many types of extreme weather, including high-speed straight-line winds, tornadoes, flash floods, drought, heat, bitter cold, and blizzards. The costliest weather disaster in Twin Cities history was a derecho event on May 15, 1998. Hail and wind damage exceeded $ 950 million, much of it in

4623-500: Was settled predominantly by the French , the Irish , and German Catholics . Both urban areas are home to new immigrant communities, including Mexicans , Somalis , Hmong , Indians , Oromo , Vietnamese , Cameroonians , and Liberians . "Twin Cities" is sometimes used to refer to the seven-county region governed by the Metropolitan Council regional governmental agency and planning organization. The United States Office of Management and Budget officially designates 15 counties as

4692-399: Was sold to Duluth the next year. It operated there until Duluth's streetcar system was abandoned in 1939. The car was then sold and converted into a summer cabin in Solon Springs, Wisconsin, a fate that was not unusual for old wooden streetcars that managed to escape being destroyed as streetcar lines were discontinued. The interior had been removed, so important pieces like the railroad trucks,

4761-470: Was the basis of the 2006 film A Prairie Home Companion . The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theater is a sketch and improvisational comedy theater in Minneapolis. It is the nation's oldest comedy theater. The Current and the Walker Art Center host the annual music festival Rock the Garden , which features nationally recognized and local artists. The festival has been held annually since 2008 and has featured artists such as Lizzo , Hippo Campus , Chance

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