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Minnesota History

Grand Excursion flotilla arrives in St. Paul

An estimated 150,000 people turned out Saturday to welcome the Grand Excursion flotilla of paddle wheelers and steamboats to St. Paul. A steady rain fell for most of the event, but it didn't dampen the spirit of the Grand Excursion.

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Currents of Change: art and the Mississippi in the 1850s

Just as the celebration of the Grand Excursion drew huge commercial and journalistic interest 150 years ago, it also helped spawn an artistic interest in life along the Mississippi. Some of the results are now on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The exhibit shows how the artistic exploration of the Mississippi River Valley influenced American culture.

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Morning Edition in Winona marks the Grand Excursion

On Monday June 7, 2004, MPR's Morning Edition originated from Levee Park in Winona, Minnesota as part of the coverage of this year's Grand Excursion. The celebration commemorates the flotilla of steamboats that chugged up the river 150 years ago. During the broadcast, Morning Edition shared the flavor of Winona, with the help of several local guests.

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Coya's story

The first Minnesota woman elected to Congress won the support of voters 50 years ago, but her independence roused the anger of political leaders. Her own political party turned against her. Coya Knutson is still a divisive figure in DFL party history.

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Minnesota history from a local historian

Host Gary Eichten talks with retiring University of Minnesota historian Hy Berman about his life and Minnesota history. The 79-year-old professor will be honored at an invitation-only ceremony at the University this Saturday.

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'An extraordinary bond'

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation says it is only investigating its options, but many analysts believe it is just a matter of time before it sells off its Mervyn's and Marshall Field's department store chains. For Minnesotans, Marshall Field's -- or Dayton's, as many shoppers still refer to it -- is more than just another place to shop.

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Taming Highway 1

Highway 1 is a favorite for motorcycles and sports cars but it's a terror for school buses and motor homes. The winding forest road to Ely is due for a rebuild. Should it be made wider, smoother, and straighter? Or should it be left alone?

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Memories and words from the Snow Country prison

Sixty years ago, U.S. authorities imprisoned nearly 4,000 German and Japanese men at a camp in Bismarck, North Dakota. When World War II began the government rounded up thousands of "enemy aliens." A new exhibit at the North Dakota Museum of Art in Grand Forks remembers those men and their stories.

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The making of Dylan's Blood on the Tracks

Thirty years ago, at a time when his marriage was falling apart, Bob Dylan recorded Blood on the Tracks, considered by many critics as one of the great break-up albums of all time. Rolling Stone Magazine ranks it as one of the top 20 albums of the rock era. A new book explores the creation of that record, including the story of a group of unknown Minneapolis musicians who helped shape its sound.

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Driving, flying, pedaling all part of history center exhibit

The new transportation exhibit at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul shows the state's railroad and street car history. There's a look at aviation and even bicycles. It's the exhibit's section on automotive history that contains some of the most intriguing details. Did you know the state once had dozens of car manufacturers? Did you know there was once a Farmer's Anti-Automobile Society?

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