BIGGER, TALLER, FASTER

Chapter 12

INTRODUCTION Minnesota was thought of as a land of

farmers By the 1800s, cities were growing fast

MillsFactoriesRaw materials were made into finished

goods such as furniture and flour Immigrants played a big role Minneapolis and St. Paul became known

as the Twin Cities

THE TWIN CITIES

St. Paul Minneapolis

Older Dignified Center of politics Center of business

Younger Manufacturing

center States biggest city

People began to think of the two cities as a single metropolitan area

KNUD WEFALD 44 year old lumber yard owner 1913 he arrived in St. Paul Came from Hawley, MN He was elected to the Minnesota House

of Representatives

NOISE, HUM, AND CLATTER The city was an overwhelming place

that could beat down the human spirit Read the quote from Knut on page 176

Knut’s description of the city:

Knut’s description of the Clay County:

THE CITIES Many people did not

like the cities People felt that the

agricultural businesses centered there were swindling them

They felt that the cities were confining, suffocating places

To others, the city was exciting

Full of possibilities They felt the

cities problems could be fixed

Many people liked the bigger, taller, and faster pace of the city

Compare the photos on page 177

A MASS OF PEOPLE People trudged through the city with “no joy and

pleasure to see in any face.” ~Knut Wefald

By 1920, more than 40 percent of Minnesotan’s lived in urban areas, up from 15 percent in 1870

.

A steady stream of human beings goes surging and seething up and down the narrow streets, in and out of doors of the dirty black and brown building. It reminds me of ants and ant heaps

CITY POPULATIONS, 1880-1920

1880 1890 1900 1910 19200

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

MinneapolisSt. PaulDuluth

Use your device to find the populations of these cities today.

URBAN DWELLERS Many came from farms and small towns Many were young people who liked the

excitement of the city Considered it a place of opportunity Rural newspapers tried to stop the

young people from leavingSaid the cities were ugly and grimy with

dark alleysSaid cities were filled with thieves and

swindlers Team activity

IMMIGRANTS Immigrants also came to Minnesota’s

cities

Home countries of most immigrantshttp://youtu.be/dTZOC0ag41s

IMMIGRANTS Much of the farmland was already

claimed Many immigrants went to the iron mines Many worked in the factories in the

cities Took jobs that were hard work with low

pay Few understood English Many could not read or write

IMMIGRANTS

They often lived with other people from the working class in areas such as Northeast Minneapolis, the West Side of St. Paul, and West Duluth

IMMIGRANTS

They spoke their own languages

Often seemed slow to adopt American ways

When did your relatives come to Minnesota?

Where did they come from?

What do you think it is like for immigrants who come here today?

BOHEMIAN FLATS

Bohemian Flats, shown here in 1910, was a neighborhood in Minneapolis named after Eastern European immigrants who lived there.

AFRICAN AMERICANS Migrated from other parts of the United

States Faced prejudice and discrimination Formed their own neighborhoods and

community institutions

PROBLEMS OF URBAN LIFE Swelling populations of

workers competed for low paying jobs

Poverty and crime increased

Diseases such as diphtheria and tuberculosis spread in the cities tightly packed homes, apartments, and boarding houses

BUILDING BOOM Read building boom, page 180, stop

after quote Look at the picture of the Guaranty Loan

building It was the tallest structure west of

Chicago City people took pride in their buildings Saw them as examples of how modern

their cities were Steel allowed business to build

skyscrapers, buildings taller than 100 feet

GUARANTY LOAN BUILDING Opening day

Hundreds of people passed through the main entrances

Marveled at the sightStanding in the center

courtyard, you could gaze at the clouds through the twelfth floor skylight

You could take an elevator to the rooftop garden

By 1900, Minneapolis had about 40,000 buildings

SKYSCRAPERS Invention of the elevator

and steel frame construction made skyscrapers possible

Steel replaced iron which melted during fires

Concrete piers added building stability

SKYSCRAPERS Shifts in businesses created

a need for administrative offices

Companies began to consolidate their businesses in one headquarters

Many corporations wanted to associate themselves with a skyscraper to raise their profile and make them memorable to the public

What buildings to Minnesotan’s take pride in today?

Can you find the Foshay in this modern picture of Minneapolis?

TRANSPORTATION

1889: Electric streetcars

1890s: The bicycle 1895: The

horseless carriage or automobile

How did the pace of life change between 1880 and 1920?

Is it changing today?

STREETCARS Streetcar service started in 1872 First streetcars were horse-drawn 1890s, electric service Stretched to Anoka, Hastings, Lake

Minnetonka, and Stillwater http://youtu.be/954L9MpfCEo

AUTOMOBILES By 1909, 7000 cars and 4000

motorcycles were licensed in the state By 1921, Minnesota had 333,000

registered vehicles Roads were built to accommodate traffic By 1920, the state highway system was

established

AUTOMOBILES Henry Ford made

automobiles accessible to everyone

Mass production of cars on the assembly line

Model T Offered people freedom

and convenience http://youtu.be/S4KrIMZp

wCY

CITY PROBLEMS Charities offered to

help poor families Local boards of

health passed rules aimed at controlling the spread of disease

Settlement houses helped newly arrived immigrants feel more at home

http://youtu.be/juz1Jw2UcJ0

SETTLEMENT HOUSES Places where immigrants

could go for education, job assistance, health services, and recreational opportunities

Located in ethnic neighborhoods

Goal of the settlement house was to help immigrants assimilate into American society

DULUTH Natural harbor, perfect for a port Products could be moved by ship Abundant lumber Later, iron ore helped to keep Duluth

growing By 1916, Duluth was Minnesota’s third

largest city

SUMMIT AVENUE The fashionable address for the wealthy Offered views of the Mississippi River Was close to St. Paul, yet far enough

away Example of a Victorian street

VICTORIAN ARCHITECTURE Named after Queen Victoria who reigned

from 1837-1901 Refers to manners and customs that are

considered highly formalized and often stuffy Homes were ornately detailed and stylized

Gables, turrets, bays, towers, porches, balconies, and high pitched roofs

http://youtu.be/sPw458UNJ2Q

PRAIRIE SCHOOL ARCHITECTURE Developed in Illinois, Wisconsin, and

Minnesota soon after the turn of the century

Frank Lloyd Wright is the best known architect of this style

Simple style that was sensitive to the environment

Clean lines and open interiors