Minneapolis-St.Paul Then and Now®: A photographic guide to the hidden history and architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul

Minneapolis-St.Paul Then and Now shows how Minnesota’s two largest cities have expanded along the banks of the Mississippi river and merged over the last 150 years. Locked together in an affectionate sibling rivalry, Minneapolis and its twin city St.Paul are constantly growing and changing.The long and cold Minnesota winters and humid summers have spawned an architecture to beat the weather with indoor shopping malls, domed stadia, skyways and a whole host of sports and celebrations that thrive in this climate. The St. Paul Winter Carnival is the oldest winter celebration in North America.Using archive photos pairing vintage photos from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with their modern-day viewpoint, local author Bill Lindeke shows how the Twin Cities have developed from simple trading posts on the banks of the Mississippi in “the land of 10,000 lakes.” (Although if St. Paul had stuck with its original name it would be Minneapolis-Pig’s Eye Landing, the name came from a notorious whiskey runner.)Sites include: Forum Cafeteria, Lumber Exchange Building, Foshay Tower, City Hall, Pillsbury ‘A’ Mill, Milwaukee Depot, Metropolitan Building, Huber H. Humphye Metrodome, Triangle Bar, Loring Park, Basilica of St. Mary, University of Minnesota, Northrup Auditorium, Swedish Institute, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Hennepin and Lake, Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet, Minnehaha Falls, Fort Snelling, Seven Corners, Landmark Center, Mickey’s Diner, First State Capitol Building. Third State Capitol, Science Museum, St.Paul Union Depot and Castle Royal. Read more