Curious Minnesota

Let's talk about Minnesota's favorite topic: The weather. Minnesota's bitter winters are part of the state's national identity. But how cold is it, really? Is it really colder than the North Pole? Ash Miller talks to Eric Roper about why the answer isn't as simple as it may seem.

Why does Minnesota sometimes get colder than the North Pole? (December 2021 Curious Minnesota story)

Read about the coldest day in Minnesota history (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources)

Minnesota's largest window companies, Marvin and Andersen Windows & Doors, are well known across the nation. The state actually has the second-highest concentration of window and door manufacturing jobs in the country. So how did Minnesota become a window hub? Reporter Nick Williams joins host Eric Roper to discuss the industry's history in the state.

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How did Minnesota become a window manufacturing hub? (August 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

About 45% of single-family homes in Minneapolis have stucco siding, along with nearly a third of the homes in St. Paul. What's behind this trend among older homes in the Twin Cities? Reporter Nancy Ngo joins host Eric Roper to discuss the reasons the region has so many stucco homes.

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Why are there so many stucco homes in the Twin Cities? (April 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Like in flour and lumber milling, Minnesota companies once dominated the field of supercomputing. Firms like Univac, Control Data and Cray Research built some of the fastest computers in the world. But their success didn't last, despite the growth of the computer industry overall.

Evan Ramstad joins host Eric Roper to discuss the origins of these companies, and why they faded from the spotlight.

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Minnesota companies once dominated the supercomputer industry. What happened? (November 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Minnesota has more residents of Finnish ancestry than any other state. That's the result of mass immigration from Finland that occurred in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The story of Finns immigrating to Minnesota is distinct from the Swedes and Norwegians. Eric Roper, who wrote a story on this topic, discusses the reasons why with Ash Miller.

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Why did Finnish immigrants come to Minnesota? (And no, they're not Scandinavian)

It has been more than 30 years since one of the most bizarre elections in recent Minnesota history. The Republican-endorsed candidate for governor, Jon Grunseth, withdrew from the race just days before Election Day amid a cloud of allegations. His last-minute replacement on the ballot, Arne Carlson, went on to defeat DFL incumbent Rudy Perpich -- the state's longest-serving governor. Reporter Randy Furst joins Eric Roper to discuss the campaign and a television debate that may have impacted the outcome of the election.

Debate clip used with permission by Twin Cities Public Television.

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Did a TV debate decide one of Minnesota's most scandalous elections? (September 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Father Louis Hennepin's name is prevalent around the Twin Cities. The state's most populous county is named after this 17th century Catholic priest, as are a prominent Minneapolis avenue and countless public facilities. So who was Father Hennepin? Kevin Duchschere joins Ash Miller to discuss Hennepin's travels in Minnesota, and why his name became so closely affiliated with the area.

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Who was Hennepin and why did Minnesota name so many things after him? (October 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Historical markers peppered around Minnesota help keep the state’s rich history alive. But few are as intriguing — and controversial — as the landmark for Minnesota’s most ancient artifact: the “World’s Oldest Rock.” Eric Roper and Ash Miller discuss the 3.5-billion-year-old history behind this claim on a historical marker in Granite Falls. And they delve into the reasons why Minnesota boasts some very unique geology.

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Does Minnesota really have the 'World's Oldest Rock'? (August 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Minnesota's flour milling prowess is a well-known part of the state's history. But the area's milling legacy began with sawmills that turned the state's white pine trees into lumber. By 1905, Minneapolis was the top lumber market in the world. Transporting these logs to mills was no easy task. The Star Tribune's Christa Lawler joins host Eric Roper to discuss the logistics of how this booming industry worked.

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How lumberjacks harnessed an 'ocean of pine' to build Minnesota

The John H. Stevens House in Minnehaha Park is arguably the most important structure relating to Minneapolis' origin story. But the exterior of the property is in rough shape after years of deferred maintenance. Eric Roper and Ash Miller discuss the unique history of the house, and why it has been allowed to deteriorate.

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Why has the Park Board allowed the 'birthplace of Minneapolis' to deteriorate? (July 2022 Curious Minnesota story)

Discover the hidden house in Minnehaha Park where Minneapolis was born (June 2021 Star Tribune magazine story)