Capital Facts

The Capitol has a framework of steel set in walls of brick and stone, supported by columns of granite and marble. The framework as well as the floors, partitions, and roof are protected against fire by hollow tile.The exterior walls are of grayish white Georgia marble, and the foundation, terraces, outside balustrades, and steps are … Read more

The Father of Waters

Patterned after Vatican City’s 2,000 year old “Father Nile”, our very own “Father of Waters” rests in the rotunda of the Minneapolis City Hall. This guy was carved from the largest single block of marble ever taken from the Carrara quarries in Italy. Originally commissioned for the city of New Orleans the enormous statue celebrates … Read more

The Soldiers Monument

Erected in 1903, the 50 foot pillar of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in St. Paul is crowned by a statue of the first U.S. volunteer in the Civil War, Josias R. King . A crowd of nearly 4,000 came out for the the monument’s unveiling at Summit Park. Minnesota National Guardsmen, Sons of Veterans, … Read more

The Capital City Crown

STATE CAPITOL Saint Paul, Minnesota Built high upon a bluff over looking the city, our fine capital has the largest unsupported marble dome in the world. Opened in 1905, it was inspired by Michelangelo’s design of Saint Peter’s in Rome. MINNESOTA STATE CAPITOL St. Paul, Minnesota Designed by Cass Gilbert, its beautiful grounds make it … Read more

Our Historical Society

Completed in 1917, this building houses the state’s oldest institution. Since 1849, before Minnesota was a state, the society has been collecting, preserving, and interpreting the objects and records which document the story of Minnesota was a state, the society has been collecting, preserving, and interpreting the objects and records which document the story of … Read more

The Old Court House

Ramsey County outgrew two courthouses between 1851 and 1932. There ain’t nobody alive who can remember the first one and only a precious few can still recall the imposing old pile of rock pictured here. Construction began on the second courthouse in 1885. At the time Ramsey County was growing by leaps and bounds. In … Read more

Dreaming still of Minnehaha

“As unto the bow the cord is, So unto the man is woman; Though she bends him, she obeys him, “Though she draws him, yet she follows; Useless each without the other!” Thus the youthful Hiawatha Said within himself and pondered, Much perplexed by various feelings, Listless, longing, hoping, fearing, Dreaming still of Minnehaha, Of … Read more

Landmark Center

St. Paul’s historic Landmark Center was completed in 1902. Originally, the building served as the United States Post Office, Court House, and Custom House. It was designed by Willoughby J. Edbrooke, who served as Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury Department in 1891-92. The exterior is pink granite ashlar with a hipped red tile roof, … Read more

William Berry’s Office

Way back in 1889, just six short years after Loring Park was established, as Central Park, the Minneapolis Park Board constructed a building that looked like a little house for use as an office by the first park superintendent, William Berry. Billed by Park Board President, Charles Loring as the only man in the world … Read more