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.
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.
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.
Why did Minneapolis bury Bassett Creek?
The waterway was used as an industrial dumping ditch. Then city leaders tunneled it out of sight.
Listen: Emptying state institutions was supposed to help fix mental health care. What happened?
The Curious Minnesota podcast discusses how the system for community mental health care did not get fully built.
Ask a question now: What are you curious about, Minnesota?
Help us answer questions that matter to you.
Why did Minnesota erase much of its German culture?
Despite its "uff da" reputation, the state has more German than Scandinavian ancestry.
Curious Minnesota
'A total unicorn': How Pine City, Minn., became a pioneer in rural Pride
The nearly 20-year-old East Central Minnesota Pride has grown from a small picnic to a major event.
Curious Minnesota
Listen: How did gambling develop into a major industry in Minnesota?
The Curious Minnesota podcast discusses how gambling had been largely illegal in the state until half a century ago.
- How did gambling develop into a major industry in Minnesota? • Curious Minnesota
- Why did the Minneapolis Lakers basketball team move to Los Angeles? • Curious Minnesota
- Listen: What Minnesota inventions have shaped modern life? • Curious Minnesota
- Searching for Snoopy: What happened to all the 'Peanuts' statues in St. Paul? • Curious Minnesota
- Why do so many Minnesota homeowners get free roofs after a hailstorm? • 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.