The city of Minneapolis, Minnesota is located on both sides of the Mississippi River. Here are two circa 1908-10 postcards with birdseye views of Minneapolis and the Mississippi River. I wish the first one listed the actual location. It isn't a commonly seen view, and I am unable to identify it. I like the way it shows curves in the river. The river looks much straighter from ground level.
The second view has a label that identifies it as "View from Court House." The Court House was in downtown Minneapolis on the west side of the Mississippi River. The tower of the Court House was one of the few places tall enough to allow such an expansive birdseye view.
More early twentieth century postcard views of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis can be seen on my postcardy.com website here.
Addendum:
Here is a 1980s postcard showing an area similar to the second postcard above. This view is from the IDS Center, the tallest building in Minnesota. The street that leads into the curved bridge is the same street that runs toward the river in the card above. The bridge is the Third Avenue Bridge which was built 1914-18. The tower of the old Milwaukee Road Depot can be seen near the center of both postcards.
Addendum:
Here is a 1980s postcard showing an area similar to the second postcard above. This view is from the IDS Center, the tallest building in Minnesota. The street that leads into the curved bridge is the same street that runs toward the river in the card above. The bridge is the Third Avenue Bridge which was built 1914-18. The tower of the old Milwaukee Road Depot can be seen near the center of both postcards.
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| View from the IDS Center looking toward the Mississippi River and St. Anthony Falls Photo by B. Sherve |
Addendum 2: Identification of location of first postcard above "BIRDSEYE VIEW OF MINNEAPOLIS AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER"
I thought the most likely location was a view from the old Exposition building showing some buildings on East Hennepin Avenue, but I had trouble finding an old picture to confirm it. A 1912 view looked like a possibility, but the angle made it hard to really identify the distinctive shapes of the buildings.
Eventually, I found a 1950 image of that clearly shows the distinctive shapes of two of the buildings shown on the postcard. This is identified as "Midland Furniture, East Hennepin near Second Street Southeast, Minneapolis". (source:MNHS)
These buildings are no longer there. A 1970 image shows that the buildings had been modified and housed Kromes's Furniture Store at 111-117 East Hennepin Avenue (source: MNHS). In this view, part of Nye's Polonaise Room is shown across the street. Nye's is scheduled to close in 2015, so that the site can be redeveloped.
I thought the most likely location was a view from the old Exposition building showing some buildings on East Hennepin Avenue, but I had trouble finding an old picture to confirm it. A 1912 view looked like a possibility, but the angle made it hard to really identify the distinctive shapes of the buildings.
Eventually, I found a 1950 image of that clearly shows the distinctive shapes of two of the buildings shown on the postcard. This is identified as "Midland Furniture, East Hennepin near Second Street Southeast, Minneapolis". (source:MNHS)
These buildings are no longer there. A 1970 image shows that the buildings had been modified and housed Kromes's Furniture Store at 111-117 East Hennepin Avenue (source: MNHS). In this view, part of Nye's Polonaise Room is shown across the street. Nye's is scheduled to close in 2015, so that the site can be redeveloped.
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