Where were some of the Twin Cities' most notorious speakeasies?
Caves, hotels and other businesses hosted illegal drinking in the 1920s. Some are open today.
Listen: Why did Minnesota erase much of its German culture?
The Curious Minnesota podcast discusses how — despite its "uff da" reputation — the state has more German than Scandinavian ancestry.
What happened to all the leeches in Leech Lake?
The bloodsucking invertebrates appear to be on the decline in their namesake lake.
Introducing the Curious Minnesota Collection. Every question we've answered — now in one place
Our new searchable database is home to more than 260 stories about Minnesota history and culture, all inspired by reader questions.
How Quonset huts helped solve the post-WWII housing crisis in the Twin Cities
Pop-up neighborhoods were filled with the 'ugly but necessary' corrugated steel sheds. Then they disappeared.
Ask a question now: What are you curious about, Minnesota?
Help us answer questions that matter to you.
Why Wisconsin claims — incorrectly — to have more lakes than the Land of 10,000 Lakes
America's "water states" don't quite agree on the definition of a lake.
Curious Minnesota
A multilingual army of immigrants helped build the Iron Range. How did they communicate in the mines?
People from more than 40 countries navigated dangerous conditions to extract the precious and plentiful iron ore of northern Minnesota.
Curious Minnesota
Why did Minneapolis close Nicollet Avenue for a Kmart?
For nearly 50 years, the store blocked one of the city's main thoroughfares. That wasn't the original plan.
- Why did Minnesota erase much of its German culture? • Curious Minnesota
- 'A total unicorn': How Pine City, Minn., became a pioneer in rural Pride • Curious Minnesota
- Listen: How did gambling develop into a major industry in Minnesota? • Curious Minnesota
- Did Bundt cake originate in Minnesota? • Curious Minnesota
- Listen: Searching for Snoopy: What happened to all the 'Peanuts' statues in St. Paul? • Curious Minnesota
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Curious Minnesota
Curious Minnesota, a Star Tribune community-driven reporting project, puts readers' inquiries at the center of our newsroom's reporting.
