Ep. 50 - Saint Paul, USA
Episode 50! It's been almost a year of adventuring to some of the coolest places around the world. In this special milestone episode we explore a part of the world I've called home for a good chunk of my life: Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. Join me on a tour of my stomping grounds to discover some of the fun things to do and learn some of the unique history of the incredible city.
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Transcription:
*Intro music*
Hi! Welcome to episode 5-0; that’s right, episode 50 of The Friday Take Five. I wanted to kick off today’s episode with a thank you. Thank you to everyone over the past almost 1 year that has taken the time to listen to me talk about places around the world that I just think are awesome. If you’re listening to the show for the first time - Welcome! The Friday Take Five is a podcast where we take five minutes each Friday to adventure, discovering some of the best places and stories from around the world. I’m Mark, the host, and I do my best each week to ensure you’ll walk away with a renewed appreciation for history and a new travel destination to add to your bucket list. We’ve got another great destination on tap for the week, so without further ado, let’s jump in.
*Transition music*
It’s the 50th episode of The Friday Take Five, and so I wanted to do something a little special. Often when we think about travel and adventure, we think about far away places. Though the feature of today’s episode might be quite a haul for some of our listeners; it’s pretty darn close to home for me.
Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the U.S. is close to home for me because well, it is home. Saint Paul is the capital city of the state of my home state of Minnesota, and the city itself has been where I’ve lived for the greater part of the last 5 years.
Despite the cold and long winters of Minnesota, it’s currently 7 degrees F or -14 C as I record this episode, Saint Paul is a pretty alright city. We’ve got great architecture, fun things to do, awesome food to eat, and a history that is most definitely unique.
Kicking things off with architecture, the city of Saint Paul definitely has some winners. Sitting atop cathedral hill, which is, of course, a hill that overlooks downtown Saint Paul, we have an absolute beauty in the Cathedral of Saint Paul. As the 3rd largest cathedral and 6th largest church in the US, the building and its Beaux-Arts style is a wonder to behold. If you make it to the city I highly recommend stopping by. Looking up to the cathedral from down below is the state capitol building. Another design wonder, the building boasts the 2nd largest unsupported marble dome in the world, just behind Saint Peter’s Basilica. If you haven’t seen it, I’d recommend taking a minute to google the Minnesota state capitol building. It’s pretty freaking cool.
Now let’s touch on some of the cool things to do here. Throughout the winter there are fun events like the annual Saint Paul Christmas markets and the winter carnival, but the summer months are where I think the city shines. Across the city there are some truly incredible bike trails, an awesome farmer’s market, the Mississippi river and Minnesota’s 10,000+ lakes are easily accessible for tubing, kayaking, and more.
I’m also thankful for the fact that despite not being the biggest city in the world, we still have some pretty great food spots. Right now, some of our favorites are Tongue-in-Cheek, a self described “Eating, Drinking, and Cavorting Establishment” with unique mouth watering options that cater to a range of different interests, Estelle for some awesome Italian options, and A-side Public house, known for its approachable and incredible farm to table eats.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the history of how Saint Paul became Saint Paul. The city of Saint Paul is the byproduct of the fur and whiskey trade of the 1800s. The nascent US founded Fort Snelling, formerly Fort Saint Anthony, a few miles south of what is now downtown Saint Paul, to stave off British and French influence in the fur trade in the region. Around the same time, the trade of whisky began to take off. Commanding officers of the fort kicked those involved in the whiskey trade off the land controlled by the fort.
One of those traders, French Canadian fur trader turned bootlegger Pierre “Pig’s Eye” Parrant, took his operations along the river to an area known as Saint Paul’s West 7th neighborhood. His settlement was called “L'Œil de Cochon”, French for Pig’s Eye. More people began settling there, and eventually, they ended up renaming the settlement Saint Paul a few years later in honor of the apostle Paul. Before long, the city that went from Pig’s Eye to apostle became the capital of the Minnesota territory / turned state that I know and love today.
Though I love traveling and getting out to see the world, it’s also great to remember that there are adventures and awesome stories in our own backyards. I hope with this episode I got you to add Saint Paul to your bucket list, but more importantly I hope I also inspired you to reflect on your surroundings and explore your own city. We’ll be back soon with another story from around the world, but until then, enjoy the adventure around you.
*Transition music*
Hey there! Thanks for going on another adventure with me in episode 50. If you haven’t already, be sure to give the show a 5 star rating on podcasting platforms, and share this episode with a friend. Have your own stories about St. Paul, feedback on the show or suggestions for new episodes? I’d love to hear it so follow me and DM me on socials @FridayTakeFive or email me at thefridaytakefive@gmail.com. Stay curious, stay adventuring, and have a great weekend!
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