Cows at University and Snelling

The University and Snelling intersection has seen many changes over time. Once home to Dakota people and wildlife, European settlers took over in the mid-1800s. Streetcars came first, then cars and buses became popular in the 1950s. Interstate 94 brought more businesses to the area. In recent years, a light rail was added along with a soccer stadium, apartments, a playground, and a loon sculpture. This busy corner shows how St. Paul has changed from its early days to the present.
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Editor: Britt Aamodt

Producer: Katharine DeCelle

Editorial support: Emily Krumberger

Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood

Transcript

Welcome to MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds

The University and Snelling intersection in St. Paul is one of the busiest in Minnesota. It's hard to believe that centuries ago this was a wild land abundant and wildlife, where the Dakota communities hunted, traveled and lived. Now 50,000 cars come through this intersection every day in the mid 18 hundreds, the Dakota were forcibly removed to open the land for European settlers.

The new arrivals needed an easy way to get around, so a streetcar system was built. Soon it was transporting a hundred million people a year at a whopping 5 cents a ride.

By the 1950s, cars and buses had gained popularity, and the streetcar took its last ride. Interstate 94 was built creating more commercial businesses in 2014, the light rail was built along University Avenue.

Today the site is under development with a soccer stadium, apartments, a playground, and a 33-foot-tall loon sculpture honoring our state bird. So the next time you're at a red light at university in Snelling, imagine that car next to you is a cow grazing the land in the 18 hundreds.

MN90 is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, made possible by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Online at mn90.org.