Category: Minneapolis

Inspiration

Cycled through a former heavy engineering space… because it’s there, and because I could. Made a mental note to add “gantry crane” to my LEGO Mindstorms to-build list. I did that as a kid, I do that now.

Walgreens in a Tent

On our cycle ride, stopped at a temporary Walgreens pharmacy to fill a prescription. The adjacent store was damaged during the recent civil unrest and has yet to reopen.

Holding on Tight

Held on tightly to the brakes as I negotiated a steep gradient to a path that took me along the river towards Downtown.

Local Produce

Walked home from the Mill City Farmers Market fully laden with this local produce. The outdoor market fits the times: monitors enforce one-way paths, distancing and masks.

Hidden Behind Sound Barriers

Found this 1878 cottage behind sound barriers where two freeways meet. Next door, an 1889 brick row house is caught in the tarantula-like grip of a frame that supports billboards.

Lawlessness

Caught glimpses of the Mississippi below through cracks and gaps as I wheeled my bicycle across the bridge. The railroad company had installed a steel grid walkway for their workers over rotting and missing boards. A sign that once stated “No Trespassing” exuded lawlessness.

Interracial Housing

Cycled along a street of 28 modest homes constructed in the 1950s as part of the first privately-developed interracial housing project in Minneapolis, and one of the first housing projects in the country to offer federal-government-insured (FHA) mortgages.

Minneapolis Protest Street Art

The elderly white woman periodically topped up our wine glasses. When she decided we were sufficiently lubricated, she turned the conversation to race, specifically African Americans. “They need to get over it,” she announced, repeating with added vehemence, “Get over it.” That conversation has been reverberating in my head as I’ve been looking at street… Continue reading Minneapolis Protest Street Art