The Unofficial Blog of the Mill City Museum & Minneapolis History.
Monday, December 12, 2011 at 9:00AM | by David Tinjum Mill City Museum hosted the 1st Holiday Market held by the Mill City Farmers Market on Saturday. The crowd was huge, and the event went off without a hitch. It took extra effort by the MCM staff to pull this off, thank you! And thanks MCM for partnering with the MCFM on a great neighborhood event, you make a big difference in this community.
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 11:00AM | by David Tinjum From Minneapolis Park History:
I was technically correct when I wrote in October that the park board only operated a limestone quarry and stone crushing plant in Minnehaha Park for one year: 1907. But I’ve now learned that the Minnehaha Park quarry was operated for nearly five years by someone else – the Works Progress Administration (WPA).
From early 1938 until 1942 the WPA, a federal program that provided jobs during the Depression, operated the quarry after “tests revealed a large layer of limestone of hard blue quality near the surface” in the park near the Fort Snelling property line at about 54th, according to the park board’s 1937 Annual Report. The WPA technically operated the plant, but it was clearly for the benefit of the Minneapolis park system.
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:00AM | by David Tinjum Almanac's David Gillette gets a tour of the Minnesota Historical Society's 1968 Exhibit.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 1:00PM | by David Tinjum Kim and I have attended "Eventually' Christmas the past 2 years, and have tickets for the December 10 performance this year. This kicks off the holiday season for us, and is an entertaining way to give our daughters of taste of Minneapolis history without them knowing it. The shows always sell out fast, so reserve your tickets soon.
Times: 6:00pm, 7:00pm and 8:00pm
Location: Mill City Museum, 704 2nd Street South
An 'Eventually' Christmas: Holidays at the Mill
Dates: December 9, 10, 11
Above - Christmas Greetings, December 22, 1920
This unique theatrical event performed in the museum's Flour Tower elevator ride, features "The Ghost of Mill City Past" guiding an intimate look at the 1920 Washburn Crosby holiday party.
The Ghost of Mill City Past
The script is based on real stories taken from the pages of the company's employee newspaper. Scenes unfold on different floors of the mill and visitors will meet different characters along the way. Witness the rocky romance of Celia and Otto; meet marketing mastermind Benjamin S. Bull; experience the awesome sweeping power of Bill Smith; and learn the secret origin of the Washburn Crosby marketing slogan, "Eventually-Why Not Now?"
Celia & Otto
Celia Crowe June 8, 1921
Otto Balk June 8, 1921
This piece is written by playwright Joseph Scrimshaw, directed by Laura Salveson, and stars a cast of professional Twin Cities' actors. Not recommended for children under the age of 8.
Cast of 'Eventually' Christmas: Holidays at the Mill
Fee: $14 adults, $12 seniors and college students, $10 for children ages 6-17 and MHS members; $2 off adult admission with Fringe Festival button.
Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 1:00PM | by David Tinjum The Minnesota Historical Society Library is a unique place and does not operate like most other libraries. This video provides an introduction to the Library and its collections, services, and policies.
Follow the Minnesota Historical Society on Twitter...
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 11:00AM | by David Tinjum The report of the first year of the Minnesota Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, shows that the program leveraged significant economic growth and an increase in construction jobs. This news comes on the heels of the job report from the Department of Employment and Economic Development showing that construction jobs grew year-over-year for the first time since April 2006.
The report describes job creation benefits, particularly within the construction industry, as well as educational and community-building aspects of preserving our historic past.
The Minnesota Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit allows eligible property owners to receive a state income tax credit of up to 20% of qualifying expenses or a grant in lieu of the credit, and parallels the existing federal rehabilitation tax credit. In the first year of the credit, which ended June 30, 2011, 14 projects received preliminary approval, including the Emerge Career & Technology.
Emerge Community Development is restoring the former Minneapolis North Branch Library, an 1894 historic landmark, to create a career and technology center that will include learning labs, gathering spaces for networking and opportunity building, career training services and office space for co-anchor tenants.
The report is available online at http://www.mnhs.org/taxcredit
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 10:23AM | by Kim Eslinger 
Author Larry Millett entertained a crowd of several hundred at the Mill City Museum October 6 with a talk and book signing for his new book, Once There Were Castles: Lost Mansions and Estates of the Twin Cities. His examples ranged from grandiose downtown mansions (considered temporary and disposable by the wealthy), to sprawling estates that were vacated due to lost riches. In this age of passionate preservation efforts, it's hard to comprehend how some of the most magnificent mansions were razed in as little as 20 years of being built.
Once There Were Castles is the first in-depth look at the history of Twin Cities’ mansions, covering ninety lost mansions and estates. Organized by neighborhood and illustrated with photographs and drawings, it brings these “ghost mansions” back to life.
Mr. Millett not only possess a wealth of information, he presents it in an entertaining manner. Future opportunities to see him are:
October 11, Hopkins Public Library
October 19, Common Good Bookstore
November 7, Author’s chat with Garrison Keillor, Fitzgerald Theater
December 11, St. Paul Public Library
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 6:26AM | by David Tinjum Mill City Museum and Mill City Farmers Market hosted Oktoberfest on Saturday, September 24, 2011. Enjoy!
Monday, September 19, 2011 at 11:38AM | by David Tinjum Congratulations to the 18 winners below whose work is on display in the Mill City Museum’s Mill Commons from August 25, 2011 through January 2, 2012.
A public reception was held last week to kick off the exhibition.
Below, a sampling of the works:
Mill City Times | 35W Bridge Memorial | Mill District Block Party | Mill City Media
