It’s easy to live in the present or even focus on the future in our day to day lives as city dwellers. We have our jobs, our education, our families, and other adventures to pay attention to. Every once and awhile it’s imperative that we remember the history of Minneapolis and how it became the great city we live in today. Below are simply 11 photos of what Minneapolis looked like just over a hundred years ago:
- A Bird’s-Eye View of Minneapolis
Library of Congress/F.L. Wright This photo was taken somewhere around 1907 and is an image from atop the Guaranty Building looking to the southwest.
- Minneapolis City Hall looked much the same as it does today.
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co.
- Lake Harriet, a beautiful summer spot, even over a century ago.
Library of Congress/F.L. Wright
- Minnehaha Falls, as glorious as ever.
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co.
- The School of Mines on the University of Minnesota campus
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co. The building was damaged by fire in 1913, then moved on to serve many purposes for the University of Minnesota campus, such as a center for child development, and a university high school.
- The Falls of Saint Anthony
Library of Congress/H.C. White Co. Referred to now as Saint Anthony Falls, these falls have played an indispensable role in Minneapolis’ economic growth which has made Minneapolis the grand city it is today.
- The Stone Arch Bridge
Library of Congress/F.L. Wright The Stone Arch Bridge was once used as a railroad to bring milling goods along the city and eventually throughout the country. The bridge still stands today as a memory of Minneapolis’ past, and is one of the most accessible pedestrian bridges in the city.
- The Depot
Lakesnwoods This archived photo was taken before the Depot became a hotel with an adjacent ice skating rink during the winter months. The Depot has always been a gorgeous part of the city. Look at the horse and buggy. Oh how times have changed.
- Westminster Presbyterian Church
Lakesnwoods
- A view of downtown along Hennepin Ave
Lakesnwoods This photo was taken long before the infamous Block-E, before loads of traffic traveling down Hennepin; this is a difference we can appreciate.
- A view of downtown along Nicollet Avenue
Lakesnwoods Pre-skyway downtown Minneapolis, when cars could still drive along Nicollet Ave.
From now on, when you walk the streets of Minneapolis, we hope you take just a moment to remember what the city was before you lived here, and consider just how wonderful it might become in the future.
Library of Congress/F.L. Wright
This photo was taken somewhere around 1907 and is an image from atop the Guaranty Building looking to the southwest.
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co.
The building was damaged by fire in 1913, then moved on to serve many purposes for the University of Minnesota campus, such as a center for child development, and a university high school.
Library of Congress/H.C. White Co.
Referred to now as Saint Anthony Falls, these falls have played an indispensable role in Minneapolis’ economic growth which has made Minneapolis the grand city it is today.
The Stone Arch Bridge was once used as a railroad to bring milling goods along the city and eventually throughout the country. The bridge still stands today as a memory of Minneapolis’ past, and is one of the most accessible pedestrian bridges in the city.
Lakesnwoods
This archived photo was taken before the Depot became a hotel with an adjacent ice skating rink during the winter months. The Depot has always been a gorgeous part of the city. Look at the horse and buggy. Oh how times have changed.
This photo was taken long before the infamous Block-E, before loads of traffic traveling down Hennepin; this is a difference we can appreciate.
Pre-skyway downtown Minneapolis, when cars could still drive along Nicollet Ave.
If you have any historical photos of the city, we’d love to see them! Tell us what you know of Minneapolis’ history in the comments below.
Want to see more Minneapolis history? Check out These 34 Photos of Minneapolis In The 1930s are Mesmerizing.
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