20th Century Scandinavian Life in Minneapolis and St. Paul

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject Urban and Regional Planning, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, course: Urban Studies Senior Thesis, language: English, abstract: Garrison Keillor’s comedic portrayal of the typical Minnesotan as a Scandinavian with unique accents and customs in everyday life compared to the ordinary American is not entirely fiction. The dominance of Scandinavian influence in Minnesota continues to remain a solid belief. Legacies of Norwegian and Swedish immigrants still pervade the social, political, and physical landscape of this state. This paper looks to understand how these first ground breakers of the city created their communities and rooted important institutions and buildings. In the urban environment of Minneapolis and St. Paul, strong remnants of Scandinavian influences are especially seen. We might draw lessons of knowing one of the first ethnic stories in the history of this area. How did the lives of early Scandinavian immigrants influence the residential urban villages, architecture, and commercial districts of the city and what does this information tell us about the struggles of new ethnic groups.