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Minnesota History Center
The Minnesota History Center is
an interactive museum containing changing and permanent displays, as
well as hosting special events during the year, concerts, family
days and lectures, and home to the Minnesota Historical Society
library and archives; which has become a research center for
schoolchildren, academics and family historians. It is located in
St. Paul, Minnesota and is made from granite that was quarried in
Rockville, Minnesota, hardwoods from the state also, travertine or
limestone from Winona, Minnesota, copper and Georgia marble. There
is an excellent courtyard art project that was created by nationally
known artist, Andrew Leicester of Minneapolis, and the Minnesota
Profiles, a sculpture group, created bench high walls that were
designed as to show the foundations of two apartment buildings that
would be torn down in the 1960s urban renewal plan, and an array of
columns that represent a different native state tree and showcases a
three-dimensional silhouette portrait. During October of 1994, some
140 volunteers would sit for a profile portrait as well as give a
short personal story about their own relationship with the state,
with Leicester picking just 37, and their faces can be seen in the
14 ceramic columns. Leicester then spun the profiles into terra
cotta and incorporated these into the columns, which was unveiled in
1995, although the names of the chosen wasn't revealed. It is and
will always be one of those mysteries that allow all the volunteers
to imagine their profiles included the magnificent project. On the
floor of the great hall, artist James Casebere completed his work
for the society, making the entire floor a work of art. There are
ten images in the floor that represent the state's history and
character, but they have been converted into a huge charm bracelet
that isn't just one piece, but rather it is as if it had been
shattered and the pieces fallen onto the floor. The charms had been
sculpted out of three-eighths-inch-thick bronze plates, which were
then embedded in the concrete, and then terrazzo, a black stone-like
material would be poured over the entire floor, encasing the charms
in it. The charms represent; the whooping crane is the Ojibwa totem
for direction and leadership, the tractor for agriculture, fish
which is Ojibwa for teachers and learning, printer's ink roller that
represents freedom of speech and communication, the bear which is
Ojibwa for warriors and defense, tipi is the state's American Indian
groups, turtle which is Ojibwa for healing and medicine, mill that
represents the state's flour milling industries and lumbering, power
plant that represents the Prairie Island nuclear power plant on the
Mississippi River and the house from Rondo Avenue that represents
the African Americans that were part of the state's history. On the
third level of the great hall, on the west wall, you might imagine
yourself being encompassed by windows, which was exactly what Tim
Michelson and Bob Bonawitz wanted you to feel when they finished the
sky mural on the north wall. These two artists specialize in
frescoes and murals, with the names of the biggest society donors on
the lower right side of the mural, and on the left is a quotation by
Sigurd F. Olson, the Minnesota philosopher and naturalist: "If we
can move into an open horizon where we can live in our modern world
with the ancient dreams that have always stirred us, then our work
will have been done." Located above the entrance doors, there are
magnificent glass etchings in geometric designs that were created to
complement the building's classic architecture. Mr. Brit Bunkley
would the artist that created the sandblasted panels that indirectly
refer to the state's past, geography and culture. All through the
building you'll see an eight-pointed star in the ceiling with each
pair of points representing the letter M for Minnesota. The star
stands for the state, which is known as the North Star state, and
since it was the northernmost state, until Alaska joined us, it is
still a good representation.
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Minnesota State Capitol
 The
Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota contains the Senate,
House of Representatives, the office of the governor and the office
of the attorney general, as well as having a chamber for the
Minnesota Supreme Court. The magnificent structure is housed on a
marvelously landscaped campus, with many kinds of monuments on its
flanks and front, with a bridge that spans University Avenue on the
back side, and then later in the front, more would be added over the
sunken roadway of I-94. The outstanding structure is situated on the
crest of a hill, with the capitol steps offering a wonderful view of
the city. The interesting building was designed by Cass Gilbert and
modeled after Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, with this unsupported
dome being the second biggest in the world, again, after St.
Peter's. Construction began in 1896, and finished in 1906, and the
third capitol building constructed. The first was destroyed by fire
in 1881, and the next one would be finished in 1883, but too small
even before it was completed. Standing high above the south entrance
is a gilded quadriga named, "the Progress of the State" that was
sculpted by Daniel Chester French and Edward Clark Potter, finished
and raised to the roof in 1906, and during the mid 1990s, the
statues were given a gold leaf restoration, along with other
renovations and the sphere that sits on the very top was also
gilded. It seems that ever since Michelangelo painted the Cistern
Chapel's dome, every dome constructed in the world is compared to
that beautiful work of art, and Gilbert's dome is an interesting
homage, along with intriguing differences. The structure would cost
$4.5 million to build, at the start of the 20th century, and it
opened its doors to the public in January, 1906; and by a century
later, it would be worth, $400 million; and added to the National
Register of Historic Places in 1972.
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Car Rentals
St. Paul
The
Alexander Ramsey House in St. Paul, Minnesota is the former
residence of the first governor of the Minnesota territory and the
second governor of the state of Minnesota, found in the Irvine Park
area of the city, designed by well known early Minnesota architect
Monroe Sheire. The marvelous house is still one of the country's
finest preserved Victorian house, with outstanding carved walnut
woodwork, crystal chandeliers, numerous original furnishings and
marble fireplaces. It is a 15 room house that is run by the
Minnesota Historical Society now as a museum, with tours being
offered all year long. The dining room table is set with the
family's finest china and crystal, and during Christmas there is a
beautiful Christmas tree decorated with all the Ramsey's own
ornaments. Ramsey was born in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania in 1815, and
by 1845, he was marrying Anna Earl Jenks, with the couple having
three children, although two would die in childhood. The third and
surviving child, Marion, would marry Charles Eliot Furness in 1875.
He would be appointed as the territorial governor in 1849 by
President Zachary Taylor, and while there he would also serve as the
mayor of St. Paul, US Senator and secretary of war under President
Hayes; as well as becoming a great businessman, making a large
fortune in the real estate market. The couple chose the new upscale
Irvine Park to build their dream house, and it would be started in
1868, getting all the latest technologies, including hot and cold
running water, gas lighting and hot water radiators. Anna went on a
luxurious shopping spree in 1872 to furnish the house; and while in
one New York department store, she would purchase enough merchandise
to fill two boxcars. Ramsey passed on in 1903, but Marion had
already moved back with her parents by then with two small girls,
Anita and Laura Furness, with all of them living in the house until
they passed. When the Ramsey's were all gone, the house was left to
the historical society that opened it as a museum and has operated
it ever since.