2026-05-01T22:52:18+00:00 Zend_Feed_Writer https://mnenvironments.carleton.edu/ Minnesota Environments https://mnenvironments.carleton.edu 2014-11-04T15:01:56+00:00 2019-08-13T12:59:07+00:00 https://mnenvironments.carleton.edu/items/show/28 Charlie Kilman , Ben Pletta and the Minnesota Environments Team Gooseberry Falls State Park, situated on the bank of Lake Superior, embodies the shift of land use from extraction to recreation and reveals that the conservation mindset has always been present within the history of Minnesota’s tourism industry. The history of the park represents how Minnesota’s culture has come to coexist with the natural environment. Gooseberry Falls is a carefully manicured park containing miles of guided walkways and bridges fashioned to allow human interaction with the park’s landscape. Apart from its tourist-friendly infrastructure, the ecosystem of the park functions as naturally as any forestland in northern Minnesota. In terms of its creation, the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the park in 1937 in order to make America’s natural environment more accessible for human enjoyment, and to allow the government to cash in on recreation. The romanticization of nature prevalent in the tourism industry is echoed through the imagery of Gooseberry Falls. A painted postcard from 1945 displays the grandeur of the falls in vibrant colors. In addition, the iconic north shore drive bridge that usually looms in the background of the falls is decidedly absent, which demonstrates the park’s desire to create an idealized form of nature void of human presence. Compared to the reality of the falls in a photograph taken in 1930, it is clear that the postcard is using a sentimentalized image of the falls through color and the absence of human touch to attract the consumer to the vista. Indeed, the reality of the falls contains a high amount of human alteration, especially with the man-made bridge constantly hovering over the natural flow of the falls. Before Gooseberry Falls became a state park, it was primarily a source of timber for the logging industry. In 1900, a logging company built its headquarters at the mouth of the Gooseberry River on Lake Superior, but by the 1920’s the pine had all but disappeared. Much like Bay and Cass Lakes, the use of the land constituting Gooseberry Falls has been both destructive and regenerative; however, no amount of preservation can revert the landscape back to its original state. So, in consideration of Gooseberry Falls, Star Island, and the Ruttger Family, has tourism fostered an effective industry that promotes ethical land use and conservation? For more (including 4 images), view the original article. 2014-11-04T14:46:39+00:00 2019-08-13T12:59:07+00:00 https://mnenvironments.carleton.edu/items/show/26 Maja Black , Sarah Goodman and the Minnesota Environments Team “Acid rain was the first environmental issue where it became crystal clear to everybody that we can’t address this as a problem in isolation. In the past, we looked at a problem and would say, ‘okay - the Cuyahoga River caught on fire; well [therefore] we have to reduce the emissions that are going into the Cuyahoga River.’ It’s a fairly geographically limited, tiny package. But acid rain, the air moves everywhere: one day it’s blowing this way and one day it’s blowing that way, and there are sources on both sides of the border. “ - Dr. Gregory Pratt, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency To experienced organizations committed to protecting Minnesota’s natural resources, acid rain presented a major but, ultimately, manageable threat. The citizenry of Minnesota took forceful action through the democratic process, and seemed to value environmental protection over their pocketbooks. Perhaps the most exciting and hopeful result of this political action was that it worked. The air quality is better today than it was in 1980 when the danger was first recognized. The threat of acid rain was recognized, combated, and to an extent, curtailed. This remarkable accomplishment is indicative of an environmental awareness and a proactive electorate. This is an example of what can be achieved when people recognize a threat to their environment and well-being, and take concerted democratic action to alter the course of events. Furthermore, Minnesotans chose to make personal and economic sacrifices to benefit the environment, costing themselves to protect the nature around them. This seems like a teachable moment in which one state confronted a national environmental problem and effected positive environmental changes. In setting our sights on new environmental issues, Minnesota’s acid rain story serves as a valuable reminder of the power of civic action taken against an environmental obstacle. For more (including 1 sound clip), view the original article. 2014-11-04T14:08:27+00:00 2019-08-13T12:59:07+00:00 https://mnenvironments.carleton.edu/items/show/18 Takuya Amagai , Sahree Kasper and the Minnesota Environments Team The mills of Minneapolis had a humble beginning, but they soon emerged as a world-renowned flour powerhouse. On their path to fame, the mills struggled to tame St. Anthony Falls and to mill and market the coarser varieties of spring wheat that grew in Minnesota. The mills and St. Anthony Falls formed a close-knit connection; the mills would not have without the falls, and the falls would not have been reinforced without the mills. Because the state’s harsh winter climate eliminated soft winter wheat it as an option for Minnesota wheat farmers, they grew spring wheat which they could plant in the spring and harvest in the fall. Yet hard spring wheat created challenges for the mills. Because it had a brittle husk, the wheat produced a darker and coarser flour than the more popular winter wheat. It was also difficult to mix evenly, resulting in flour that soured more quickly than the flour produced from softer winter wheat varieties. To solve these problems Minneapolis millers applied and adapted two innovations. The first, called a “middlings purifier,” blasted air through the flour, removing the undesirable bran and husks from the valuable flour, making the final product less coarse and lighter-colored. The second, a process called “gradual-reduction,” replaced the traditional millstones made of stone with roller mills made of porcelain or iron. These new rollers successfully mixed the gluten and the starch, which gave the flour a longer shelf life. With the unique challenges of milling hard spring wheat solved, sales skyrocketed - along with the reputation of Minneapolis millers. In 1870, there were thirteen flour mills by St. Anthony Falls, versus a total of five hundred other mills throughout the state. That year, the Minneapolis mills produced 200,000 barrels of flour. As wheat production shifted from southeastern Minnesota to the northwestern part of the state, the Minneapolis mills became more central to the wheat economy. With its direct connection to the Mississippi River and its proximity to the Great Lakes, Minneapolis became a hub for flour. By 1884, Minneapolis was the world’s leading flour miller. In 1890, the Minneapolis mills produced a record seven million barrels of wheat. Even though less than four percent of the country’s mills were in Minnesota, these mills produced nearly a fourth of the nation’s flour. It was the golden age of flour milling in Minneapolis, fueled by the falls and by innovations in the mills. For more (including 6 images), view the original article. 2014-11-04T13:54:36+00:00 2019-08-13T12:59:07+00:00 https://mnenvironments.carleton.edu/items/show/13 Justin Berchiolli , Isaac Shapiro and the Minnesota Environments Team The first municipal water pump opened in 1867 primarily for the fire department’s use. This pump was located along a canal that fed mills on the west bank of the Mississippi River just north of the city limits. As Minneapolis’ population quadrupled throughout the 1870s, city officials expanded the water system beyond the original pump. In 1871, the city bought an old stone building above St. Anthony Falls and transformed it to a pump house which catered to businesses and residents rather than fire departments. Both pumps took water directly from the Mississippi River. With access to piped-in water, as opposed to well water, the average personal consumption grew to 50 to 100 gallons per day. This exponential increase in water-use overwhelmed the previous system of cesspools and outhouses for handling wastewater. Even before this marked rise, the cesspools and privies were already in a poor state. Unless lined perfectly with cement, bricks or other sealants, waste from the cesspools would seep into the groundwater supply. The issues with the original waste management system were exacerbated by the increase in wastewater. To ease the pressure on this system, Minneapolis developed sewer systems. The original sewage pipes were located in a old stream bed which sits under present day Washington Avenue. These pipes delivered waste directly to the Mississippi River. This system of using the same source for both water supply and waste repository, known as the two-pipe system, was common throughout budding American metropolises. While low population density allowed this system to flourish in its early stages, as populations rose its imperfections became exposed. For more (including 2 images), view the original article.