St. Paul: An Urban Biography

by Bill Lindeke

A concise history, featuring stories that are familiar, surprising, and sure to change the way you see Minnesota's capitol city.

How did the city of St. Paul come to be where and what it is, and what does that show us about the city today? In eight place-based chapters, Bill Lindeke provides intriguing insights and helpful answers. He tells the stories of the Dakota village forced to move across the Mississippi by a treaty—and why whiskey sellers took over the site; the new community's close ties to Fort Snelling and Winnipeg; the steamboats and railroads that created a booming city; the German immigrants who outnumbered the Irish but kept a low profile when the US went to war; the laborers who built the domes over the state capitol and the Cathedral of St. Paul; the gangsters and bootleggers who found refuge in the city; the strong neighborhoods, shaped by streets built on footpaths and wagon roads—until freeway construction changed so much; and the Hmong, Mexican, East African, and Karen immigrants who continue to build the city's strong traditions of small businesses.

This thoughtful investigation of place helps readers to understand the city's hidden stories, surrounding its residents in plain sight.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

179 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Paul Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short, breezy, and careless.

In general, the book is a true account of the history of our city, but at 157 pages far, far short of "an urban biography," whatever that may mean. The author did not do his own research:He was given a research packet by Minnesota Historical Society. And that packet was, apparently, studded with errors.
Bill Veeck did not found the Saint Paul Saints. The photo of Carver's Cave was taken in Fountain Cave, miles away. And on and on. Many, many assertions of fact, or "fact," have no citations, so if you wonder, "How does he know that?" you can get no answer.

Carelessly written and carelessly edited.

[Chris Moates · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saint Paul and any major city that has been around for 150 years or more is going to have complexities that can't be appropriately tackled in 157 pages. The book does pack in a lot of interesting historic detail and addresses many of the historic wrongs. But it often seemed like only one perspective would be addressed, especially at the front and back ends of the book, and because of that unevenness, made the book difficult to finish. A lot of depth was missing, too, especially in really getting to know more than a handful of individuals, the layout of the streets, and the rich architectural history of the city. And I always chuckle when someone has to mention movement of people out of the city to the suburbs as a bad thing, but when you look at a lot of urban development historically, many people were essentially moving out of the city when personal and transportation resources allowed them to, especially with the mainstreaming of the automobile in the 1920s but even prior to that with trolley line extensions.

[John Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third in the Minnesota Urban Biography series (after Duluth and Minneapolis) and I have read them all. I have enjoyed Bill Lindeke's writing in MNPost, an online newspaper with statewide Minnesota news. He is both a geographer and a St. Paul resident and his affection for his home town comes through well in this book. The previous two books in the series seemed much more critical about their histories. While he brings out times when the City did not live up to its promise, one can sense how much he appreciates its unique character. A short, enjoyable and worthwhile read.

[Austin Wu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book, interesting and accessible to lay audiences. An engaging overview of Saint Paul's local history without devolving into the lazy habit of American 'local history' simply devolving into trivia about old white businessmen and their fancy houses - darker elements, such as the displacement and murder of Indigenous peoples, racial/ethnic segregation, and disinvestment from the city on the basis of race and class are all discussed within its pages.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty straightforward, chronological history of St. Paul. It's detailed enough to be interesting, but brief enough to not be overwhelming. I especially appreciated the attention paid to racial dynamics—whether it was history I knew, like treaties with the Dakota in the 1850s or the bulldozing of neighborhoods like the West Side Flats and Rondo, or history I wasn't aware of, like cross burnings in the Mac Groveland neighborhood, the impact of redlining, and riots along Selby Avenue.

[Bill Peake · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthy introduction to the colorful past of my present and future home. There are so many injustices done to so many people who have been discounted in too many ways. St. Paul has a future where the inequities of yesterday are bared and known. May the future we grow together right the wrongs and offer an ability for all to thrive! Bill Lindeke’s book is a foundational step in that direction!

[Corey Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, concise, sorely needed history of Saint Paul, Minnesota. The author does not shy away from the mistakes of the past, but there is still a lot to feel good about. This should be required reading for all residents of the city.

[BACsop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding, concise, interesting, well-written history of St. Paul. Worth a read, especially if you have lived or passed through the city.

[Carol Kluznik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am from St. Paul so I found this facinating

[Anthony Molaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful, but short, history of Saint Paul. I appreciated the emphasis on social justice.

[Zak Yudhishthu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short read sweeping through the history of Saint Paul. Great for a general primer on Saint Paul history, and lots of fun and interesting little stories throughout.