These 10 Candid Photos Show What Life Was Like In Minnesota In the 1920s
By Betsy Rathburn|Published July 15, 2019
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Betsy Rathburn
Author
Betsy is a Minneapolis-based writer who's lived in Minnesota for 20 years. If you know of any amazing Minnesota restaurants, nature areas, or other attractions, feel free to let her know about them at brathburn@onlyinyourstate.com or on Twitter @betsyrathburn.
The early 20th century was a time of great change across the United States. The decade that exemplifies this period of change best is perhaps the 1920s. Also known as the Jazz Age, this time of economic prosperity following World War I led to revolutions of industry, culture, and politics. Here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesotans were not left out of the loop. The following 10 candid photos show just what Minnesotans were up to throughout the 1920s. The photos show that though nearly 100 years of changes have unfolded since the 1920s, some things – our love for fishing or the state fair, for example – never change. Take a look:
This photo of a 1920s train was shot in Park Rapids, Minnesota. It shows that the logging industry was still in full force. Who knows where these logs ended up?
Trains weren't the only vehicles that transported logs. This photo shows a haul being driven by a team of oxen. Driving alongside an early automobile, the photo shows that cars weren't yet as ubiquitous as they are now.
Logging wasn't the only thing that affected Minnesota's forests in the 1920s. This photo shows the damage dealt by the Ross Lake Fire in 1922. The devastating fire burned hundreds of acres of hardwood forest.
Elsewhere in Minnesota, people gathered by the hundreds in towns small and large. This photo shows off a typical market day in the small east-central Minnesota town of Rush City.
Just like now, the Twin Cities were full of entertainment. This street scene from 1921 shows horse-drawn carriages outside the New Lyric Theater in Minneapolis. Black Beauty is on the marquee.
Horse-drawn carriages were rapidly replaced by cars and trollies. This shot shows Hennepin Avenue looking north. It was just as busy then as it is today!
Here, a group of children gathers around to learn about tooth care at the 1920 state fair. There may no be many clowns at the fair today, but kids still love attending!
Finally, this 1920s photo shows an event by the League of Women Voters. The 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote in the U.S., is in 2020.
What do you think? Had you seen these photos of Minnesota in the 1920s before? For more early photos of Minnesota, take a look at our article about the oldest photos taken in Minnesota.
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