July 30, 2015, Thursday - Hennepin Island Hydropower Tour with the Mill City Museum

Time: 1:00pm-2:30pm, approx. 1.5 miles

Location: Meet at 125 Main Street SE (at the green awning between Pracna on Main and the Aster Café).

Future dates: August 13th & 27th

$14 adults, $12 senior citizens & college students, $10 children ages 6-17 and MHS members. Includes a voucher for museum admission. Tickets on sale online or at 612-341-7555.

Mill City Museum and Xcel Energy will partner on a series of weekday walking tours highlighting the story of waterpower at St. Anthony Falls, including rare access to an operating power plant.

During the early 20th century over two dozen mills and hydroelectric plants used the water power from St. Anthony Falls. Today there is just one left: Xcel Energy’s Hennepin Island Hydroelectric Plant. On this tour of Hennepin Island and Father Hennepin Bluffs Park led by a Mill City Museum guide, participants will get special access to this power plant. Along the way participants will learn about the historic uses of waterpower at the falls for flour milling, sawmilling, and hydroelectricity, the role of hydroelectricity in Xcel Energy’s green energy and energy efficiency initiatives, and the future of waterpower on the Minneapolis riverfront.