Twin Cities

Twin Cities Lakes

The Twin Cities is a beautiful area. It’s also an area that has quite a bit of water around. Of course the cities are divided by the great Mississippi River, but there are a variety of different lakes that are in the area as well. There is a chain of lakes in the area, and there are five different lakes that are quite popular. Some of them include parks and recreational opportunities as well. The names of the five lakes include Lake Calhoun, Lake Nokomis, Lake of the Isles, Lake Harriet, and Lake Hiawatha. Here’s a closer look at these lakes and what they have to offer those in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul areas.

Lake Calhoun

You’ll find that Lake Calhoun is one of the lakes that makes up the Chain of Lakes in the area. It is a very popular place for a variety of different activities, including swimming, fishing, walking, roller skating, jogging, wind surfing, sailing, and even canoeing. It’s about 3.2 miles around the entire lake, great for people who want to run, walk, or cycle. There are also three beaches that are supervised on the lake as well. You can rent watercraft on the lake by going through the Wheel Fun Rentals company right there. There are also gondola services available as well. Right on the lake you’ll even find that there is a nice restaurant – the Tinfish Restaurant. Over the past 100 years, there have been quite a few great improvements to the area. Originally this lake was known as the Lake of the Loons, “Lake Medoza.” However, the name was changed to honor John Caldwell Calhoun, who was a United States Senator, then later Vice President serving with President Monroe.

Lake Nokomis

Another lake you’ll find in the Minneapolis park system is Lake Nokomis. This is a sailing lake, just like Lake Calhoun. The park along the lake offers a community center, ball diamonds for baseball, concessions, canoe racks, sailboat racks, paths to walk, and two different beaches that are well supervised as well. They now offer a special playground system that allows kids between the ages of five and twelve to play. This system is made to help kids become more agile, to help with coordination and balance, and to help with strength in the upper body as well. During the warm months, often there are sailboat races on the lake and people can rent watercraft as well.

Lake of the Isles

The Lake of the Isles is another lake that happens to be a part of the Chain of Lakes as well. Millions of people end up visiting these lakes every single year. People come to bike, picnic, enjoy the scenery, bike, canoe, and more. During the winter months, many people come to this lake to go ice skating. There is a dog park located by the lake as well where people can bring their dogs to enjoy some time out and about. This lake was engineered, and was made in the early 20th century. It was originally a very shallow lake but it was turned into a wonderful lake and a beautiful park as well. The area has been renovated and turned into a lovely park. Wetlands have been enhanced, the plants have been restored, and paths have been reconstructed. It is definitely a lovely place to enjoy if you love the water.

Lake Harriet

Lake Harried is part of the chain of lakes and is very picturesque. There are 344 acres that are all water, as well as 67 land acres in the park as well. This lake is known for the great walking and biking trails, and many different water based activities take place. In the band shell located by the lake, various summer concerts take place as well. This is the 5th music facility to be put in this area. The first one that was built back in 1888 ended up being totally destroyed in a terrible fire. The trailers for skaters, bikers, and runners are almost three miles long. There is a small totlot available as well for young children. You’ll also find a concession building available and a well available where you can get water.

Lake Hiawatha

Last of all is Lake Hiawatha. This lake is beautiful and the park around it has beautiful trees to enjoy. The entire park is 234 acres, although the lake is only 52 acres large. Over the years this has been taken from a swamp to be a beautiful park that people in the area can enjoy. Some of the improvements that have been done in the past few years include adding boulders, ornamental trees, perennials, shrubs, and a special flagstone path as well. There is a playground that takes up eight acres, there is a beach, athletic fields, and even tennis courts. On one side of the lake there is a special golf learning center and a golf side as well.

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Twin Cities Minnesota

Interested in visiting the state of Minnesota? If so, you definitely won’t want to miss taking the time to visit the twin cities. These cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis are two of the biggest and most visited cities in the entire state. So, you definitely won’t want to miss them. Of course there are those that are not entirely familiar with these cities, their long history, and how exciting they can be. Here’s a closer look at these two cities, what defines them, their history, and the cities as they are today.

The Twin Cities

So, you may be wondering what exactly the twin cities refers to. Well, the “twin cities” are comprised of the huge metro areas of both Minneapolis and St. Paul. Between the two cities there are many sporting events, cultural productions, and many different avenues of entertainment as well. Both of the cities in MN have many different museums that people can tour as well. The two cities come together and definitely make up a huge metro area that includes many things to do, for visitors and locals alike.

Separated by the Mississippi River

There is one thing that basically sets the twin cities apart – the Mississippi river. This river runs right in between the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Not only is the river the divider between the two cities in Minnesota, but the river is also a place where a huge amount of recreational activity takes place as well. Even the history of the two cities is based around the river, so the Mississippi river definitely plays an important part for both of the twin cities.

History of St. Paul

When it comes to the twin cities, it’s a great idea to take a look at the history of St. Paul. This city happens to be the second largest city that is in the state of Minnesota. This city was spurred off of the Fort Snelling, which was a military presence that was in the area. It was actually the first presence in the area for the U.S. military. It was located on the Mississippi River and was first established back in 1819.  The fort was actually established in the area so that the Americans could establish their own dominance over the fur trade on the Minnesota and the Mississippi rivers.

One bootlegger who was a retired fur trader decided to move his operation down the river a bit and he put it on the North bank. It eventually got the name of Pig’s Eye. Later the area would formally get the name Saint Paul, which was suggested by a priest in the area. The area is basically the gateway on the river towards the Midwest, and many steamboats found their way through the area. For some time the town was a railroad time as well and is often known as “The Last City of the East.”

History of Minneapolis

On the other hand, of the twin cities, you also have Minneapolis, which also has a rich history that originated in much the same way. It is the largest city in the state and it too originated from Fort Snelling. However, this city had a lot to do with Saint Anthony Falls as well, which gave the power needed for various flour and saw mills that were run. Once the land in the area was able to be settled, there were two different towns that were established. On the west side was Minneapolis, and on the east side was Saint Anthony. Later in 1872 these two towns would become one city. The industry in the area was mainly based on milling and soon the city was the top center of flour production. It earned the common name, “Mill City.”

It also began to become quite big in the railroad and banking industry as well. In fact, still today this city is a center in the banking industry. The area still has two of the biggest milling companies in the world, the Pillsbury Company as well as the General Mills company, although the two have now merged together.

The Cities Today

Today you will find that both of the twin cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, are growing cities. The skylines have definitely changed over the years, with tall buildings easily seen from the Mississippi River. There are now parks, museums, and various modes of entertainment to be found in both of the cities. However, as you cross the river, you will find the two cities to be quite different. In fact, you may even find that they are competitive. With the rich history and unique culture, they are definitely worth visiting if you venture into Minnesota.

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