America's hometown

Information Outlook, Sept, 1998 by Jerry Baldwin

Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and surrounding suburbs comprise a vital metropolitan area of 2.7 million inhabitants. The Twin Cities are conveniently located at 45 degrees north latitude, exactly half way between the North Pole and the Equator, and at 93 degrees west longitude, halfway between Greenwich of Mean Time fame, and the International Date Line. Sitting at the head of navigation on the Mississippi River, the cities are a transportation hub easily accessible from anywhere in the world.

The area has a large number of Fortune 500 companies and is the fastest growing metropolitan area in the northern tier of states, with nearly a ten percent increase in population since the 1990 census. Major industries include agriculture, publishing, graphic arts, electronics, and medical instruments. Minneapolis is home to the Ninth District Federal Reserve Bank and is the financial center of the Upper Midwest.

The metropolitan area is also the region's educational and cultural center. Minneapolis is home to the University of Minnesota and its School of Medicine, famous for pioneering work in open-heart surgery and organ transplants. Saint Paul lays claim to Macalester College, the alma mater of United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. The two cities have so many other universities and small colleges, education is often considered one of the area's major industries.

The cities' cultural scene is led by major institutions such as the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and, of course, the Guthrie Theater. Color, diversity, and charm are added by dozens of museums, galleries, and performance spaces and hundreds of performing groups. Estimates of the number of active acting companies seem to change daily, but range between sixty and one-hundred, including the renowned Penumbra Theatre Company which first staged the early plays of August Wilson. Only New York City surpasses the Twin Cities in total ticket sales for performing arts.

And, speaking of sales, as most everyone knows, shopping has become one of the major attractions for visitors to the Twin Cities. The Mall of America, the nation's largest shopping center, in the suburb of Bloomington, now rivals Disney World as the nation's number one tourist destination, with 40 million visitors in 1997. When the mall was first opened many feared it would be the death of retail in the downtown area. Instead, it has stimulated shopping in the entire area and downtown Minneapolis has over 400 outlets, one of the highest concentrations of shops in any city its size.

Naturally, when you come to Minnesota, you won't want to spend all your time indoors. Like the natives, you'll want to get out in the glorious Minnesota summer and take advantage of one of the best systems of parks and trails anywhere in the country. Minneapolis is famous for its "chain of lakes" - all circled by walking and hike trails. Minnehaha Creek and the banks and bluffs of the Mississippi River are other favorites for outdoor activities. At one time, the Twin Cities boasted the most golf holes per capita of any metropolitan area. Some retirement communities have since overtaken us but, unlike some other areas, tee times are not impossible to arrange on public courses.

If you want the full Minnesota experience, you'll also want to imitate the natives by getting out of the cities and exploring the surrounding countryside. A trip "to the lake" is a time-honored custom and with 15,000 of them (we're modest and only claim 10,000 on our license plates) it sometimes seems everyone can have their own. The Mississippi, Minnesota, and Saint Croix Rivers all provide more excuses to get out of doors and hike the trails in the many state parks along their banks. For the less athletically inclined, visiting the small fiver towns and scouting for antiques and quaint restaurants is a popular diversion.

The Twin Cities and Minnesota offer so much variety, we're certain you'll find your own special place and understand why the author of the article in the Traveler claimed it's a place that will stay in your heart no matter how far you roam.

Jerry Baldwin. Baldwin is a 1999 Conference Local Arrangements Committee member. He may be reached at jerry.baldwin@dot.state.mn.us.