MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds

Minnesota Stone Cutters

The Minnesota State Capitol is a must-see building. Allison Herrera tells us all about the men who built it...by hand.

Minnesota's Homegrown Communist, Gus Hall

Born on the Iron Range to Finnish immigrant parents, Gus Hall (born Arvo Kustaa Halberg) grew up in a rich brew of socialism and political activism. MN90 Producer Andi McDaniel discovers how Hall’s early life set the stage for him to become the longtime leader of the American Communist Party and a perennial Presidential candidate on the Communist ticket.

Minnesota's Most Able Attorney

To say that Frederick McGhee had a remarkable life would be an understatement. Born into slavery, he became the first African American attorney to practice in MN. He was among the founders of the NAACP. He argued against separate but equal laws in 1910, nearly forty years before Plessy vs. Ferguson. MN90 producer Allison Herrera tells us about his legacy.

Minnesota's Deadliest Snowstorm

When you’re in the middle of it, every blizzard seems like the worst blizzard. But the Armistice Day Blizzard of 1940 really was one of Minnesota’s most lethal storms, primarily because there was so little warning.

Michael Koppelman and the 11-Billion-Year-Old Gamma Ray

The First Case of Spanish Flu

The Spanish Flu descended on Minnesota in 1918, at a time when the world had no effective answer to major pandemics. The state's disjointed response had mixed results, but helped future health workers decide how to prepare for infectious outbreaks. Produced for Ampers by Art Hughes.

Minnesota Broadcaster’s Pioneering Use of Satellites

The invention of the satellite newsgathering truck by lifelong Minnesota broadcaster Stanley S. Hubbard was met with skepticism when he first demonstrated it in 1981. But as MN90 producer Marisa Helms reports, nowadays every T-V station that has a meaningful news operation has a satellite newsgathering truck. No matter where news is happening or when it’s happening, we can all watch it live thanks to Mr. Hubbard.

Last Flight of the Queen

Carole Lombard was the queen of 1930’s screwball comedies, and she was married to Clark Gable. The two Second Lieutenants from Minnesota never expected to end up on a night flight with her, and, says Britt Aamodt, never expected it to be their last.

Young JFK Hits the Airwaves

In 1940, John F. Kennedy was 23 and sick, which explains his visit to the Mayo Clinic. But he was also a newly published author. Britt Aamodt has the story behind JFK’s radio interview at KROC-AM

Attacking an Epidemic without a Plan

In 1872, the Minnesota State Board of Health was created to coordinate sanitation and disease control statewide. And by 1918, the average lifespan for Minnesotans was inching up—until September when Spanish flu arrived. No one had anticipated an outbreak like this so there was no plan in place. Britt Aamodt has the story.

Hazeltine National Golf Club

Totten “Tot” Heffelfinger was an amateur golfer who worried that Minnesota’s golf courses were becoming too small and cramped for a new era of hard-hitting pro golfers. What was needed was a bigger, better course. Britt Aamodt investigates the origins of Hazeltine National Golf Club

Minnesota's GLBT Champion

Allan Spear accomplished a lot in his three decades in the Minnesota Senate. But it’s the 1993 Minnesota Human Rights Act that he would call his “proudest legislative victory.” MN90 Producer Andi McDaniel finds out how one of the first openly gay Americans serving in elected office made Minnesota proud.

A Druggist in a Time of Influenza

James Douglas Falconer might have chosen to become a vet like his dad Thomas. Instead, the young man from Alexandria, Minnesota, trained as a druggist. September 1918, Falconer started his new job at Rexall Drug Store in Marshall—in the very month Spanish flu appeared in Minnesota. Suddenly, the 29-year-old found himself on the frontlines of an epidemic that had no cure. Yet that didn’t stop customers from lining up. Britt Aamodt has the story.

In the Middle of the 2014 Ebola Outbreak

July 2014, Patrick Sawyer just wanted to finish his conference in Nigeria and get home to Coon Rapids. Two of his daughters had birthdays coming up. Britt Aamodt has the story of the Minnesota man’s encounter with Ebola.

Minnesota Madness

Intercollegiate basketball conjures up images of March Madness and games played at some of the nations most popular universities. The birthplace of this pastime happens to be right here in Minnesota-Hamline University in St. Paul to be exact. Allison Herrera tells us about the infamous Hamline Pipers

Evidence of an Ancient Cataclysm

The Ham Lake Fire of May 2007 devastated thousands of acres in Northeast Minnesota. Britt Aamodt looks at how it also turned up evidence of a cataclysmic event that took place 1.8 billion years ago.

The Dance of Healing

University of Minnesota professor Brenda Child heard a story growing up on the Red Lake reservation about a sick girl and the vision her father received of a dress and a dance that would—and did—heal her. Professor Child wanted to know if that story gave a clue to the origins of the Ojibwe jingle dress and dance of healing during the Spanish flu epidemic.

Frankenstein on Stage

Victor Frankenstein and his Creature never had a true heart-to-heart in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel. Britt Aamodt looks at how playwright Barbara Field finally brought the creator and created together in her 1988 Guthrie Theater stage play.

Minnesota Kicks the Habit

Minnesota is the only state that took on the tobacco companies and won. Now, thanks to a settlement of more than 6 billion dollars, Minnesotans and citizens all over the country are more aware of the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke. Producer Allison Herrera tells us why we can breathe easy.

Inventing The Slider

For nearly 50 years, Charles Albert Bender was the only Minnesota-born baseball player inducted into the Hall of Fame, in part for inventing the slider, a powerful pitch for striking out batters. Bender’s rise to fame is poignant. He was an Ojibwe, born on the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota, and later forced to live at a boarding school in Pennsylvania. Listen to MN90 producer Marisa Helms’ story about the inspirational life of Charles Albert Bender.

A Nurse in the Spanish Flu Epidemic

September 16, 1918, Nora Emilie Anderson was embarking on the biggest adventure in her 37 years. The native of Rock Dell, Minnesota, was one of hundreds of nurses boarding a ship en route to the Great War in Europe. Unfortunately, a stowaway—Spanish flu—boarded with them. Here’s Britt Aamodt with Nora’s story

Surf's Up

"Well, everybody's heard about the bird. Well, uh, bird, bird, bird, bird is the word." Britt Aamodt traces the origins of the 1963 surf rock hit, "Surfin' Bird", to Minneapolis.

The Animating Docter of Pixar

Pete Docter imagined adventures at his childhood home in Bloomington, MN. But at Pixar, says Britt Aamodt, he animated them.

Supermayor is Watching Over You

St. Paul has had a lot of mayors. But, according to Britt Aamodt, only one Supermayor.

The Pioneer Seedswoman

Carrie H. Lippincott was merely looking for a way to support her mother, sister and brother-in-law. But out of necessity grew a flourishing seed business. Britt Aamodt reveals the Pioneer Seedswoman of America.

Sum-Sum-Summertime in Albert Lea

There was Gene Vincent. There was Chuck Berry. And there was Eddie Cochran. But Britt Aamodt reveals that only one of these '50s rockers made "Summertime Blues" a hit—and hailed from Minnesota.

Surviving the Tornadoes of 1965

While many powerful and deadly tornadoes have battered Minnesota, those that struck on May 6th, 1965, stand out because they hit the densely-populated Twin Cities metro area. Six separate funnel clouds moved across Chanhassen, Deephaven, and North Minneapolis, taking 13 lives and causing $50 million in damage. The fast-growing city of Fridley was hit particularly hard, with three funnel clouds touching down there over the course of just a couple of hours. MN90 producer Marisa Helms takes a look ...

The Art of Migration

Cy Thao wanted to tell the story of the Hmong people. Britt Aamodt finds out that he did it not with words but with paint and canvas.

The Architect, The Girl, and a Big Mistake

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright may have made a name for himself with his legendary homes all over the country, but he also had a reputation with the ladies. Producer Allison Herrera tells us about one incident that happened right here in Minnesota...resulting in Wright's arrest!

Ike's Farewell Speechwriter

In 2010, Grant Moos finally decided to go through the boxes left behind by his dead father, Malcolm Moos, President Eisenhower’s chief speechwriter. Britt Aamodt looks at how some housecleaning uncovered the creative development behind one of Ike’s most famous speeches.