Curious Minnesota
What do you wonder about the people, places and culture of Minnesota? Listen to our community-driven reporting project, which invites listeners to ask questions that our newsroom researches and answers.
Minnesota Star Tribune
Show overview
Curious Minnesota has been publishing since 2020, and across the 6 years since has built a catalogue of 143 episodes, alongside 1 trailer or bonus episode. That works out to roughly 40 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run ten to twenty minutes — most land between 13 min and 18 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-US-language History show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 5 days ago, with 17 episodes already out so far this year. Published by Minnesota Star Tribune.
From the publisher
What do you wonder about the people, places and culture of Minnesota? Listen to our community-driven reporting project, which invites listeners to ask questions that our newsroom researches and answers.
Latest Episodes
View all 143 episodesThe incredible story of a 40-ton grain elevator that crossed a Minnesota river
Why do loons sometimes charge swimmers?
The forgotten quarry history behind Sandstone, MN's bluffs and climbing cliffs
How did meat raffles become a Minnesota tradition?
Why Wisconsin (wrongly) claims to have more lakes than Minnesota
This mysterious tiny building in Minneapolis has a heartwarming backstory
Can you eat the weeds in Minnesota lakes?
Will MN ever get a new state park?
Solving the mystery of downtown Minneapolis’ mummies
Who were the Minnesotans on board the Titanic?
What’s the science behind ice thickness and when is it safe to drive on a lake?
Back in the 1970s, a Canadian ice researcher developed a formula to determine how thick lake ice needed to be for logging trucks to drive across. It helps inform the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' ice safety guidelines today. Reporter Kim Hyatt talks with host Erica Pearson about the history and science of ice roads.
The story behind Basshenge, one musician’s monumental ode to his instrument
You’ve heard of Stonehenge in England ― but what about Minnesota’s own Basshenge? Reporter Alicia Eler shares its story with host Erica Pearson. The 2001 piece of public art celebrates an instrument — the double bass. Located off Hwy. 11 west of International Falls in the northernmost part of Minnesota, it was created by a musician who spent his later years in the area.
What’s the history of the Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory and the Whipple Building?
The Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, the federal government headquarters for U.S. Immigration Court and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, isn’t part of Historic Fort Snelling, but it sits on a small, unincorporated swath of land known as the Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory. Reporter Chris Vondracek talks with host Erica Pearson about the troubled history of that land, including the first arrival of the U.S. government to this area.
Introducing Essential Minnesota
A special treat for Curious Listeners: Check out the latest episode of the Minnesota Star Tribune's newest podcast, Essential Minnesota. Even with the announcement that Operation Metro Surge is coming to an end, many Minnesotans are still in hiding. Our reporters visit with one family who has been wondering when it will be safe to come out again.
What's the history of the abandoned Cold War station in Finland, MN?
An abandoned Air Force station on Lookout Mountain above Lake Superior has become a ghost town. But during the Cold War, it was seen as a crucial spot to watch the skies in case of a Russian attack. Reporter Christa Lawler talks with host Erica Pearson about the station and Minnesota's once-secret Cold War history.
How 'Bachelormania' once swept the town of Herman, Minnesota
“Wanted: A Few Good Women.” That’s how a 1994 Associated Press story about the west-central Minnesota town of Herman began. The tale of the town with 78 bachelors and fewer than a dozen unmarried women became an international media sensation. Jenny Berg caught up with some of those erstwhile eligible bachelor farmers and shares their stories with host Erica Pearson.
The coldest day in Minnesota history
The coldest day ever recorded in Minnesota was Feb. 2, 1996. Casey Darnell joins host Erica Pearson to talk about what happened when temperatures plunged to a record low of minus 60 in Tower, about 90 miles north of Duluth.
How did Minnesota become home to the world's first shopping mall?
Southdale in Edina became the first fully enclosed shopping mall in the world when it opened in 1956. Its architect had a vision to thwart the cold and create an indoor town square where it was always 75 degrees. Southdale spawned thousands of suburban shopping malls across the country, shaping an era of American life. Host Erica Pearson makes a visit.
How did Mayor Hubert Humphrey change Minneapolis?
Hubert Humphrey was Minneapolis' mayor before he headed to the U.S. Senate and White House. Reporter Eleanor Hildebrandt talks with host Erica Pearson about how his time as mayor shaped the city.
Why do so many spam calls come from Norwood Young America, MN?
Your phone rings. It’s a number you don’t recognize, but it’s a Minnesota area code. The caller ID location reads Norwood Young America. If you’ve gotten these spam calls, you’re not alone. Casey Darnell shares the likely story behind the calls with host Erica Pearson. Plus: Is Norwood Young America really home to Minnesota's oldest summer festival?