Last week, I found myself driving down Broadway Avenue in North Minneapolis. Now, unlike Chicago, Seattle, and many other cities where the northern areas are fancy schmancy and gentrified, in Minneapolis it's the opposite- most of south Minneapolis is the "better" part. South Minneapolis is where I and pretty much everyone I know grew up.
I realized as I drove down Broadway Avenue, that in the 23 years (3 years in LA and 1 year abroad, adds up to 27 total) I have lived in Minneapolis, I have never actually driven all the way down this thoroughfare of the north side. It's like a different city/country/planet. As I drove, I was dumbfounded that the Chain of Lakes Harriet, Calhoun, and Isles were merely 5 miles away. Discount furniture places with sloppily hand-painted signs on splintering wood. Half the buildings on nearly every street abandoned and boarded up. Four young guys on a street corner, all in wheel chairs (is it overly presumptuous to assume they had all been paralyzed in gun-related incidents?). And weirdest of all, a boarded-up gas station with the sign posting Unleaded for $1.00.
I tried to take a picture of the sign, but the light turned green and I missed it. Somehow I imagine that if I go back soon, the sign will not have changed. I mean, the last time gas was $1.00 even was in about 1998. So, clearly, this gas station has been closed for around 10 years--why is it just standing there like that? How is there a part of Minneapolis, supposed liberal bastion of progressive values and egalitarianism, that has been so ignored. Ignored by the City Council; ignored by the mayor; ignored by the news; ignored by me.
Maybe borne of my upper-middle class liberal guilt over not realizing just how impoverished and abandoned this part of my city is, I have a new found interest in North Minneapolis--in its history. It can't have always been like this, right? I mean, it's an older part of the city, close to downtown, so there must have been a time when it was lovely and bustling and thriving. I am going to do some sleuthing and learn some more about the other side of my beloved city.
This increased awareness of North Minneapolis also made me wish I was still in college, so I would be motivated to do real research on the city; and maybe create a photojounalistic essay or anthropological analysis. As it is, probably I will just google "history of North Minneapolis." But, I am definitely going to go back at get a picture of the gas station.
2 comments:
Hmmm, interesting. My Mom grew up in that neighborhood. I think when she was young it was probably more working class, but not a fancy neighborhood.
Seems like all of the "bad" parts of town out here are on the East side - East LA, East Palo Alto, East Oakland, East San Jose, to name a few. I wonder why that is?
the north end of the city WAS a very good part of town. i don't know the demographics exactly but there are many wonderful homes in the area- many of which are now in disrepair and foreclosure.
i know that there was a strong community with strong religious communities. I have talked to friends who grew up there is the late 20s and 30s and they have described a far different place than it is now.
our own sid hartman talks about his youth there and selling papers.
as to proximity to downtown it reminds me of queen anne hill in seattle without the hill and nice ambience
jl
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