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Showing posts from August, 2018

Reading the Highland Villager #216

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[The Villager started as a publication for dense apartments in 1941 ?] [Basically the problem is that the best source of Saint Paul streets & sidewalks news is the Highland Villager, a very fine and historical newspaper. This wouldn't be a problem, except that its not available online. You basically have to live in or frequent Saint Paul to read it. Until this newspaper goes online, sidewalk information must be set free. See also:  Three Reasons Why I Re-Blog the Highland Villager .] Headline: Ryan Companies reveals what it will and will not include in plan for Ford site Author: Jane McClure Short short version: The company who is going to develop the buildings on the Ford site released some plans. They will not be building 10-story buildings, even though they could. There were other details and they had a meeting to tell people about them. Neighbors are concerned about traffic and parking. The developer is "listening." Properties that weren't included in the site

Signs of the Times #143

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 Wood 4 sale [Yard. Bagley, WI.]  Squeaky Fresh Cheese Curds Friday Afternoon [Garage. Bagley, WI.] LET PPL IN!!! [Window. Downtown, Saint Paul.] HONK FOR SERVICE [Garage. Snelling Avenue, Saint Paul.]  COME IN WERE OPEN! [Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis.]  Please KEEP OFF the GRASS [Location forgotten.]  SMILE! YOR'RE ON CAMERA! DO NOT LEAN IF BROKEN YOU WILL BE CHARGED IWTH A FELONY GLASS CAN BREAK! [Window. Duluth, I think.] LAKE STREET HALAAL MARKET [White board in window. Lake Street, Minneapolis.]

Saint Paul Bicycling Recollections from the Rondo Oral History Project

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[House at Selby and Dale, 1900.] For a project I am working on, I am going through the oral histories collected by the Hand in Hand group and housed in the Minnesota Historical Society archive . These interviewed were conducted from 1997 - 2004, and were the recollections of African-Americans who grew up or lived in Saint Paul's Rondo community that was the site of government-led destruction and displacement for the construction of Interstate 94 in the late 50s and early 60s. For young people in Rondo, bicycles were a key part of many people's experiences. Here are six mentions of bicycling from the archive , five men and one woman: One of the big things was, up until a certain age, you could not ride your bicycle in the street. And naturally, when you get around the corner from your house, you thought you were safe so you would go off the sidewalk and you would get on the street. We lived on Saint Anthony and we would ride our bikes around the block.  When we got on Victoria

Twin City Neon #23

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[Northeast Hennepin, Minneapolis.] [Hudson, WI.]  [Hudson, WI.]  [Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis.]  [Location forgotten.]  [Northeast, Minneapolis.]  [Payne Avenue, Saint Paul.] [Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis.]

Signs of the Times #142

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The smoke is just some pottery in action! [Fence. West Side, Saint Paul.]  YAM [Window. Downtown, Saint Paul.]  LIFE ISN'T perfect BUT YOUR hair CAN BE! [Sandwich board. North Loop, Minneapolis.]  Our Last Day Until Sept 1 Sunday 5-28-18 ONLY We will be Open 10 to 5 Thank you, Staff of Grandpa's BARN [Door. Wabasha.] Summer Shop Hours ... CLOSED WED. = GOLF DAY NO-app Needed [Door. Southern Minnesota or Northeast Iowa.]  First they came for immigrants and I did not speak out- Because I was not an immigrant. Then they came for the poor and non-contributors and I did not speak out- Because I was not poor or a non-contributor. Then they came for the minorities and I did not speak out- Because I was not a minority. Then they came for me- and there was no one left  to speak for me. [Yard. Marquette, IA.]  WELCOME TO: GLEN HAVEN! YOU SHOULD PROBABLY EAT [Pole. Glen Haven, WI.] NIGHT CRAWLERS FOR SALE 2.50 OOZ [Boulevard. Bagley, WI.]

Reading the Highland Villager #215

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[A vain attempt at finding the Villager online.] [Basically the problem is that the best source of Saint Paul streets & sidewalks news is the Highland Villager, a very fine and historical newspaper. This wouldn't be a problem, except that its not available online. You basically have to live in or frequent Saint Paul to read it. Until this newspaper goes online, sidewalk information must be set free. See also:  Three Reasons Why I Re-Blog the Highland Villager .] Headline: Ryan Cos. to unveil redevelopment plan for Ford Plant site; Developer discusses possible modifications to master plan Author: Jane McClure Short short version: The company that owns and will develop the Ford site is getting ready to tell people they plan to do. There was a meeting at a church where someone from the company listened to people. Neighbors are concerned about traffic, parking, and density. They might start doing actual work in a year. There will be more meetings. The railroad land is not part of t

Twin City Doorways #39

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 [White Bear Lake.]  [North Loop, Minneapolis.]  [West 7th Street, Saint Paul?]  [Grand Avenue, Saint Paul.]  [Viroqua, WI.]  [La Crosse, WI.] [Glen Haven, WI.]  [Hastings.]

Brutalism Bike Tour next Thursday 8/23

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What is Brutalism? For better or worse, you'll find out! Brutalism is one of the most controversial topics in all of architecture. It was a big trend from the early 60s to the early 70s, an architectural style predicated on the transparent use of exposed concrete. There's much more to say on this topic... and I'll try to say some of it on the tour, but you're welcome to research it on your own and bring questions. Here are some to start with: Q: Is concrete ugly?  Q: Why does Brutalism loom? Q: What are the connections between Brutalism and the sublime? State power? Bureaucracy? The Earth? Raccoons? Q: Why does Brutalism make people feel like insignificant ants? (Or does it?) And if so, is this a good thing? This will be a guided bicycle ride to look at brutalist architecture in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Ride will begin at Rarig Center on the University of Minnesota West Bank, and include six (6) buildings designed and constructed in the "brutalist" style.

Twin City Shop Windows #18

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 [Downtown, Minneapolis.]  [Payne Avenue, Saint Paul.]  [Maybe Victoria, BC .] [Victoria, BC.] [Probably Seattle, WA.]   [North End, Saint Paul.]  [Troy, NY.] [Mac-Groveland, Saint Paul.]