On a downtown walk with a friend, we explored the repurposed Dayton’s department store, now a mixed-use building. The first floor hosted Christmas pop-up shops, while the basement showcased exhibits from the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame. My baseball-loving friend got to reminisce and I enjoyed the backstories.
Category: Place
A Tale of Two Light Fixtures
On my walk, I dropped off mail at the downtown post office. Here I am looking at one end of the art deco lobby, built in 1933. Behind me stretches a 365-foot bronze light fixture, a full city block long. Recently, Channel 5 local news reported, without attribution, that Joseph Stalin, upon hearing about this, ordered a longer fixture for a Moscow train station. Click through for pictures of the light fixture.
Halfway There
On our Sunday morning walk we noticed that half of Stone Arch Bridge had reopened after months of restoration. This gave us a chance to take in a much-photographed view of Downtown. In the distance, barriers block public access to the rest of the bridge while that half is restored.
Gopher Journey
Part of my walk today took me through the university. Descending through the student union, I saw groups of young people being led around on campus tours. Goldy Gopher has been the university’s mascot since 1888. Minnesota has been known as the Gopher State since its founding, based on a political cartoon.
Carefully Curated Christmas Gifts
Today I started my Christmas shopping at the Downtown Target where I purchased a gift card. I’ll pick up the rest of the gifts from an ATM.
Evolution of Grain Elevators
My chilly walk took me past the former Pillsbury A-Mill, now home to artist lofts. Here, I unintentionally caught the evolution of grain elevators in a single photo. Brick was used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, in 1901, Minneapolis made history by constructing the world’s first concrete elevator. They were narrow like the one in the middle. Shortly after, larger-scale concrete elevators, like those on the right, won out.
Life in a Climate-Controlled World
It was a brisk 12°F when I set out for my walk today. Eventually, I sought refuge in the Skyway system. Here, I’m making my way through the Northstar Center. Once an office tower, the building has been repurposed to include apartments. Given lower office occupancy rates post-pandemic, there’ll be more such conversions. Downtown Minneapolis has emerged as one of the fastest-growing residential neighborhoods in the Twin Cities.
Urban Prairie
Our Sunday morning walk took us through a meadow of native prairie plants, a trend gaining popularity in the city.
Reflecting on the Past
On my walk, Hubert Humphrey was holding court outside Minneapolis City Hall. He began his political career as mayor of Minneapolis in 1945 and later served as Vice President under Lyndon B. Johnson. Always a champion of civil rights, we could certainly use more leaders like Humphrey today.
Inside Out
Walked over to the University for my monthly blood draw. On the way home, I wandered into the Mechanical Engineering Department out of curiosity about all this ductwork rising up through an atrium. Following a duct, I realized it’s part of the HVAC system. Later, I learned it’s all made of stainless steel, which is pretty fancy.