The Twin Cities, Minnesota

The term "Twin Cites" refers to the two cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The cities are located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. The large stone bluffs that define the Mississippi River valley in this area were ideal for maintaining military control over the territory. In 1825 Fort Snelling was erected on a bluff overlooking the confluence of the rivers in order to keep the British and Canadians at bay. The fort attracted other settlers who formed Minneapolis at the edge of the military controlled land. This location along the river also had a waterfall, allowing Minneapolis to harness its power and develop into a milling center for the midwest. Saint Paul was built 11 miles down river at the head of navigation for the Mississippi, which allowed it to act as a main shipping/distribution center and point of migration. For a short time, the twin cities was one of the few places the Mississippi could be crossed by rail. Like many Northern cities that grew up with the Industrial Revolution, Minneapolis and St. Paul experienced shifts in their economic base as heavy industry declined, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. By the 1980's Minneapolis and St. Paul were frequently cited as former Rust Belt cities that had made successful transitions to service, high-technology, finance, and information economies.