| Minnesota's largest city, Minneapolis lies on the | | | | 1905 the Minneapolis was responsible for almost |
| Mississippi and is next to the State capitol of | | | | 10% of the total flour and grist output of the |
| St-Paul. The combined cities are often referred to | | | | United States. |
| as Minneapolis-St. Paul forming the 15th largest | | | | Never a city to sit on its laurels, Minneapolis razed |
| metropolitan area in the US. The city of | | | | 40% of its buildings comprising 25 blocks during a |
| Minneapolis has a long and distinguished history, | | | | fervent urban renewal from the early 1950s to |
| based on water and primarily influenced by the St. | | | | the mid 1960s. That renewal has continued and |
| Anthony Falls. | | | | the city is now a modern metropolis with a rich |
| Prior to the arrival of early European settlers in | | | | history, and is home to five Fortune 500 |
| 1680, Dakota Sioux had free reign over the lands | | | | companies. |
| now known as Minneapolis. However for 140 | | | | Known as the 'city of lakes' many of the leisure |
| years there was little development in the area, it | | | | activities in the area are water-based, with 6% of |
| was not until the construction of Fort Snelling in | | | | the area covered in lakes. It boasts a thriving art |
| 1825 that the area saw any significant expansion. | | | | and music culture, and one of the city's |
| Under pressure from the relentless inflow of | | | | claims-to-fame is that internationally renowned |
| settlers, the Sioux sold their land forging the way | | | | rock musician Prince studied at the Minneapolis |
| for the incorporation of the city of Minneapolis in | | | | Dance Theatre. Professional sports are also well |
| 1867. Five years later settlers began arriving from | | | | represented in the city with the NFL's Vikings, |
| Chicago via the newly built railroad, helping to | | | | baseball's major league Twins, NBA's |
| bolster the settlement's numbers. | | | | Timberwolves and the WNBA's Lynx all based |
| The Saint Anthony Falls, the only natural waterfall | | | | there. |
| on the Mississippi, formed the hub of the city. | | | | Getting around downtown Minneapolis is made |
| Here the timber mills and flour mills flourished and | | | | easier by the Skyways, which consist of seven |
| by 1871, Minnesota boasted many thriving | | | | miles of walkways linking eighty blocks. |
| businesses including iron works, other mills for | | | | Restaurants, retailers and the occasional lobby of |
| cotton and paper, and a large railway factory. | | | | a downtown hotel in Minneapolis are all connected |
| Grain grown by farmers on the Great Plains found | | | | via this second floor walkway. |
| its way to the city's many mills by rail, and by | | | | |