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Historic Photos
Construction of the City Hall and Courthouse building was a feat to say the least. Huge blocks of granite -- some weighing as much as 26 tons each -- were transported by horse and wagon from Ortonville, Minnesota. The downtown Minneapolis landscape also has changed significantly since the building's inception in the late 1800s. As time has passed and events have occurred, the building has endured as a lasting icon for Minneapolis and Hennepin County. Peruse the historic photo archive for a look into the founding and life of the City Hall and Courthouse as well as some close-ups of key building features.


Image Gallery: Historic Photo Archive
Residential View of City Hall and Courthouse Noted as its most prominent feature, the clock tower of the City Hall and Courthouse can be seen in the far distance from this view looking north up Park Avenue. Father of Waters Mississippi, or the Father of Waters as he is better known, has graced the rotunda of City Hall and Courthouse since 1904. Sculpted from the largest piece of marble taken from the famed Carrara quarries in Italy, he weighs over 14,000 pounds. Read more about the Father of Waters by clicking here.  City Hall and Courthouse A familiar view of the City Hall and Courthouse from the northwest. As seen in the photograph, the magnificent structure dwarfed surrounding buildings, such as the row houses to the west and across the block. It remained the tallest building in Minneapolis until the construction of the Foshay Tower in the 1920s.  Hennepin Avenue Suspension Bridge The predecessor to the present Hennepin Avenue bridge, the early suspension bridge connecting what is now downtown to St. Anthony.
See all 24 images.


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Last modified on 11/14/2007 4:20:35 PM