Laughter, Falling Water and Time
St, Mortis is far away. but gay, candle-it Swiss caverns are all but around the corner. We refer of course, to Minneapolis’ most unusual cafe,The Cavern Cafe, 1022 Nicollet the like of whose chicken and spaghetti could never be ordered in the Alps. On New Year’s Eve, the Cavern Cafe will be open until the … Read more
Back in 1893, way out west in McLeod Counrty, the Village of Winsted approved the construction and 0n January 1, 1896 there was a public dedication of the newly constructed Winsted City Hall. Last official day of business in original “Village Hall,” was in November of 1997 nearly 102 years after it opened.
In 1941, The 500 seat, $30,000, Tonka Theater opened at the end of the main drag in Excelsior. The auditorium was decorated with murals of steamboats on the nearby lake. Meet Dr. Christian was the first movie. Just three years later, however, the little place was gutted by a fire. It took an appeal to … Read more
Dear Edina Prairie, How’s things? Did that sore on your lip ever heal properly? Don’t worry about it. Things are pretty busy at B. Dalton’s. I spent the week closing up and boxing down the Pillsbury Center store. It was a little sad, but most of the employees are going to work for the new … Read more
The first post office in Minneapolis was built on the west bank on High Street in 1854 and operated by postmaster Hezekiah Fletcher. The present day post office was completed in 1933 and occupies nearly the same site. A seven-level parking ramp and loading dock for bulk mail were added to the west in 1976. … Read more
Work on the Hiawtaha Golf Course began in 1931 after the dredging of the Lake Hiawatha swamp was completed. The final touch to the new golf course was a clubhouse constructed in 1932. The new course was the only profitable course operated by the park board. While waiting to build the Hiawatha course, the park … Read more
The 63 room Rufus R. Rand mansion in Minnetonka was about half completed when it was destroyed by fire. It was eventually completed and crowned the “Still Pond” estate on 250 acres west of Gray’s Bay. Built at the height of the Great Depression, this amazing French Chateau style house had 14 bedrooms, 13 fireplaces, … Read more
The Franklin Avenue or F.W. Cappelen Memorial Bridge was designed by and named for Frederick William Cappelen. The bridge was completed in 1923. Cappelen died during the construction of the bridge, and as a memorial to his life and career, the bridge still bears his name. The reinforced-concrete open-spandrel arched bridge took a couple years … Read more
I have to admit, I’ve been driving right by this remarkable little church for years without ever once pausing to appreciate Ralph Rapson’s humble work. Until recently I would not have considered myself one of Rapson’s fans. Those awful Brasillia like towers on the West Bank have always irritated me. I can’t believe Mary Tyler … Read more