| If you take a look at Minneapolis and St. Paul, | | | | separated by a bit of river, this made a big |
| Minnesota, you'll find that they are located very | | | | difference. There are some locks available today |
| close together. In fact, there are only really | | | | that make it possible for ships to travel to |
| separated by the Mississippi River and there is a | | | | Minneapolis, but because the trip is so time |
| bridge in between them. However, even though | | | | consuming, many do not make the trip. |
| they are close geographically, and known as the | | | | Rivalry Between the Two Cities |
| "Twin Cities" they are actually worlds apart. It is | | | | Over the years, there has been a whole lot of |
| very curious that two cities that are located right | | | | competition and rivalry between the cities of |
| next to each other are so entirely different, but | | | | Minneapolis and St. Paul. In fact, since the |
| there are some reasons behind this phenomenon. | | | | beginning, they have competed against each |
| Here is a closer look at the Minneapolis St. Paul | | | | other, with each city trying to build bigger buildings |
| rivalry, where it started, and the things that seem | | | | and even more extravagant buildings. Each of the |
| to keep it going on today. | | | | cities have a University of Minnesota campus in |
| Different Beginnings of the Cities | | | | the city. Later, in 1915 St. Paul would build and |
| First of all, when it comes to Minneapolis St. Paul, | | | | complete a beautiful Cathedral, and Minneapolis had |
| MN, you'll find that the two cities had very | | | | to keep up and they built their Basilica of St. Mary |
| different beginnings. It is the different beginnings | | | | just a few years later. Interestingly enough, during |
| that they both went through, that is a large part | | | | the United States Census of 1890, the cities of |
| in the reason that these two cities are so | | | | Minneapolis and St. Paul kept kidnapping and |
| different, even though they are so close together. | | | | arresting the census takers from the other city, |
| If you take a look at the Twin Cities early on, | | | | trying to keep the other city from growing bigger. |
| you'll find that there beginnings were totally | | | | In some cases in the past, the rivalry of |
| different. Minneapolis and St. Paul are set astride | | | | Minneapolis St. Paul, MN actually ended up leading |
| the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers and the | | | | to violence. When the baseball teams from the |
| downtown areas are actually only about 13 miles | | | | two cities, the St. Paul Saints and the Minneapolis |
| away from each other and they are on the | | | | Millers, played against each other in 1923, violence |
| banks of the Mississippi. When the Louisiana | | | | broke out. The two cities would build rival |
| Purchase was made, the area was then occupied | | | | stadiums in the 1950's as well, as they competed |
| by the U.S. Army and Fort Snelling was built in | | | | to have a franchise for major league baseball. |
| 1819. | | | | The development of Minneapolis and St. Paul is |
| In the early 1840s, there were already two | | | | also very distinct. On the one hand, Minneapolis is |
| different villages that were in the area. One was | | | | well known for using new architecture with an |
| known as the village of Minneapolis on the West | | | | avant garde touch. However, on the other hand, |
| Bank of Mississippi River, and then the village of | | | | St. Paul brings in new buildings as well, but places |
| St. Anthony was located on the East Bank of the | | | | them within the context of the Victorian and |
| Mississippi. These two villages later came together | | | | classical styles of buildings that are already located |
| and a suspension bridge connected them. | | | | in the old city. |
| St. Paul had a bit of a different start. Pierre | | | | Social Segregation |
| Parrant, a trapper who was retired, decided to | | | | To some extent, between the two cities there is |
| open up a tavern and wasn't allowed to set it up | | | | some social segregation as well. Usually you'll find |
| on the land owned by the Fort. So, he set up his | | | | that people who live in one city usually stay in |
| tavern, known as the "Pig's Eye" on the Northern | | | | that city and socialize with people in their city as |
| Side of the river. It seemed for some time that | | | | well. Sure, only a bridge and of course the |
| this new town may end up with the name "Pig's | | | | Mississippi River separates the two rivers, but |
| Eye," but Father Lucien Galtier came to the area | | | | when it comes to socialization, both cities seem to |
| as a missionary and saved the city from that | | | | stay far apart as a general rule. |
| name. His favorite patron saint was St. Paul, and | | | | While one would think that two cities that are so |
| he promoted the name and the name of the city | | | | close together would eventually merge together, |
| was changed to St. Paul in 1841. | | | | this is not true when it comes to Minneapolis St. |
| The fact that St. Paul was the furthest point to | | | | Paul. The two cities have been different and |
| the north that the big cargo boats could go on | | | | worlds apart from their beginnings, and yet today |
| the Mississippi, also kept the cities apart from | | | | they remain that way, with no sign of change in |
| each other. Even though the cities are only | | | | sight. |