St. Anthony Falls, The Mill District and Joseph

The lumber and wheat milling industries, and later the textile industry, were powered by the only true falls on the Mississippi by Francis Turbines.  Laid on a bed of sand and sandstone is a layer of limestone.  Above the limestone is cobbles and dirt and sand and, of course, the river.  Damming the river prevented the gradual upstream progress of the falls, estimates of four feet a year, as sand was eroded away undermining the limestone.  Locks were installed and are presently operated by the Army Corp of Engineers.  Tours of the locks are suspended (sequestration?).

In the mid-1800’s Mill A’s flower-dust explosion was felt 7 miles away (it was thought to be an earthquake), killed 18 and destroyed half a dozen nearby buildings.  The remains are now the Mill Museum; to the right of the grain elevators.  To the left of the grain elevators is the Endless Bridge of the Guthrie Theatre.

And tonight, a performance of “Joseph and the Amazing Multicolored Dreamcoat” at the Chanhassen dinner theatre.  Fabulous!