Erica Pearson

5 days ago | startribune.com | Erica Pearson

By Erica Pearson The little landmark on the Mississippi River was built in 1987. The Minnesota Star Tribune The iconic lighthouse that was formerly a part of Boom Island Park is now the southern focal point of the restored Hall's Island. (Jeff Wheeler/The Minnesota Star Tribune) For a landlocked state, Minnesota has an outsized share of lovely lighthouses - from stunning Split Rock overlooking Lake Superior to the Lake City Marina light, the only operational lighthouse on the Mississippi River.

1 week ago | startribune.com | Erica Pearson

By Erica Pearson Development took off, and most of the neighborhood's homes were built in the three decades that followed. There is one home, however, that was never built but still sparks plenty of local curiosity because a street still bears its name: Jones' design for a magnificent residence he called "Rustic Lodge." He created the plans - including a log exterior and a skylight decorated with antlers - for a woman named Nellie Mead, according to Balcom. Only a foundation was built.

1 month ago | startribune.com | Erica Pearson

More than 120 years after its founding, St. Paul's Como Zoo is home to a menagerie of hundreds, including Samson the gorilla, Ivy the young giraffe and an anaconda called Xena. But the state's oldest zoo began almost by accident in 1897, with three whitetail deer. Those deer have been on Max Murphy's mind recently, as he plans a move from St. Paul's Lowertown to Como Park.

1 month ago | startribune.com | Erica Pearson

By Erica Pearson Before 1969 regulations, burn barrels were a part of city life in Minnesota. The Minnesota Star Tribune March 28, 2025 at 11:30AM When John Wood thinks about the chores he did as a kid in 1960s Minneapolis, one job sticks out. He and his older brother would take out their family's household trash and burn it in a barrel in their driveway, he said. His neighbors all did the same thing, sending clouds of stinky smoke into the air.

2 months ago | startribune.com | Erica Pearson

Is the IDS Center really Minnesota’s tallest building? Ranking Minneapolis' skyline gems is more complicated than it may seem. The sun sets on the city skyline, showing silhouettes of Capella Tower and the IDS Center. (Anthony Soufflé/The Minnesota Star Tribune)Minneapolis has one of the most impressive skylines in the Midwest, with two buildings rising above the others: IDS Center and Capella Tower. Which one is taller?