Minnesota Unraveled: Pulling on the Threads of Minnesota History

At the Bell Museum of Natural History in Saint Paul, the lives of beavers across 2 million years are captured in two scenes. One is set in the Ice Age and showcases a giant beaver, an animal the size of a small black bear. The other is set in the early 1900s at Lake Itasca and captures the more familiar modern beaver chomping on wood and building a dam. Together, these scenes spark big questions: Why have beavers been important to Minnesota’s history since the Ice Age? How have they shaped the landscape and human activity? And how did we get from the giant beaver to the beaver we know today? To explore these questions, Dr. Chantel Rodríguez draws on multiple ways of knowing. Fossils, archival records, ecological science, and Indigenous storytelling reveal a complex narrative of megafauna, community relationships, environmental change, and global trade. Through conversations with paleontologist Nicole Dzenowski, environmental historian Hayden Nelson, and traditional ecological knowledge expert Michael Waasegiizhig Price, this episode examines not just what happened, but how we come to understand it.

According to the history books, boxing faded from the spotlight decades ago. But in Minnesota, the gloves never came off.  Host Dr. Chantel Rodríguez talks with longtime friends Sankara Frazier and Harry Davis Jr., who carry forward the legacy of their fathers – legendary coach Harry Davis Sr. and boxer Stanley Frazier – through their work at Circle of Discipline. And she speaks with Lisa Bauch, a trainer and entrepreneur whose Uppercut Gym helped open the sport to women and newcomers alike. Historian Gerald Gems helps trace the roots of the sport and its arrival in Minnesota. Together, they reflect on how boxing endures in Minnesota, not just as a sport, but as a way to build confidence, discipline, and community.

Walk into almost any bookstore in October and you’ll see displays stacked with books on witchcraft, ghostly encounters and the paranormal. Look a little closer, and you’ll notice a familiar name on many of their spines: Llewellyn Worldwide. But did you know the world’s largest New Age publisher calls Minnesota home? In this episode, host Dr. Chantel Rodríguez and her guests Sandra Weschcke and Dr. Murphy Pizza explore how a Minnesota visionary turned a fascination with New Age spirituality into a global publishing powerhouse, and how that journey sparked the growth of New Age Religous Movements in the Twin Cities.

Chicago and New York usually get the spotlight when it comes to Puerto Rican communities. But Minnesota? That might surprise you. Puerto Ricans are actually the state’s second-largest Latinx community, with more than 20,000 people calling it home. And for these Puerto Rican Minnesotans, music is a powerful way to stay connected to their heritage.  In our opening episode of season two, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodríguez explores this link with her guests. José Antonio Zayas Cabán is a multiple Grammy®-nominated saxophonist, whose latest work interweaves the voices of Puerto Rican storytellers and music. She also speaks with Tearra Oso, a bomba artist and culture protector who teaches and enhances one of Puerto Rico’s oldest musical traditions. Together, they reflect on how Puerto Rican Minnesotans have told their history through music, cultivating ties to both Minnesota and Puerto Rico, and finding harmony in that complexity.

We are continuing our journey across the North Star state to follow the threads that pull us into the past and reveal our interconnected stories. This season, we’ll shine a light on the histories of boxing and the foodways of the Iron Range.  We’ll take you along to a Minneapolis jazz club and discover how members of the Puerto Rican community use music to tell their stories. And we’ll explore the important role beavers have played in shaping the Minnesota landscape, from the ice age to today.  These topics, and many more, will start hitting your feed on October 9.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Think of your favorite meal. It’s so much more than just what you see on the plate. It’s the history of the ingredients, the recipes passed down from family members, the memories you have with the tastes and smells of it all. For the Hmong community in Minnesota, food sits at the intersection of community tradition, culture, and history.  In this episode, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez speaks with three Hmong community members: Chef Yia Vang, of the restaurant Vinai, Pakou Hang, co-founder and executive director of the Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA), and Zongxee Lee, a Hmong herbalist. In each conversation, guests share the role food and foodways have played in their families, and the ways they’re looking to carry that forward for future generations.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Many histories of the LGBTQIA+ community are focused on metropolitan areas, but a recent mapping project has elevated the stories of a group of Lesbian feminist cooperative farms in rural Minnesota in the 1970s.  In this episode, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez explores how living off of the land gave Lesbian Feminists a sense of freedom, safety and community. Chantel spoke with two guests: Leila Stallone, a researcher who works on the  The Greater Minnesota Two-Spirit LGBTQIA+ History Map Project, and Meadow Muska, a photographer who documented life on the farm. Together, they share stories about how the decision to move into rural areas and build cooperative farms was an act of self-determination, community building and defiance.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. Rivers loom large in our past and present – as places for community connection, routes for trading and spaces for recreation.  They carry an untold number of stories about the people, the water, and animals that call Minnesota home.  But how do we go about learning these stories?  In this episode, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodríguez dives into the rivers of history to explore how people’s relationships to rivers changed over time and how the river itself has been altered by human activities. To answer these questions, Chantel spoke with historian John Anfinson, environmental archaeologist David Mather, as well as Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe member and indigenous archaeologist Selena Bernier.  Each guest shares a unique perspective on river history – from making the Mississippi more navigable in the 19th century, to Native peoples’ use of mollusks, to Native copper carrying communities.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. Many places around the world are famous for their love of cycling—think Amsterdam in the Netherlands, or Portland, Oregon. But head to Como Lake in St. Paul, or the Mill Towns Trail in Northfield on a sunny spring day, and you’ll find flocks of cyclists taking advantage of the weather and the well-loved bike paths. How did biking find a place in the hearts of Minnesotans? And how did the robust biking infrastructure in the state come to be? In this episode, host and historian Dr. Chantel Rodríguez explores the evolution of the bicycle in the late 19th century, as well as the cycling craze that followed. Chantel also examines how biking transformed mobility for both women and people in rural areas of the state, as well as the safety and structure of streets themselves. To gain insight into these questions, Chantel spoke with historian and bicycle planner Peter Bird, founder of Tamales y Bicicletas José Luis Villaseñor, and former city councilwoman and longtime Northfield resident Peggy Prowe.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. America in the 1960s was a landmark decade for civil rights. But the passage of the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the Voting Rights Act (1965) neither completely, nor immediately, addressed the issues facing diverse communities throughout the country. The Black Power Movement—as well as empowerment movements in the Mexican American and Native American communities—sought to address societal and structural  inequalities with more immediacy. Minneapolis’s North Side neighborhood is a community where all three groups' struggles against the structural forces that sought to disenfranchise them intersected. But what exactly connected these groups and their movements? How did they come to join together for the betterment of their collective community? In this episode, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez explores the histories of these social movements for freedom and equality, as well as the forces that sought to divide and destroy these communities. To gain more insight, Chantel spoke with James Curry, exhibit curator at the University of Minnesota’s Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center. Chantel also spoke with Nick Estes, member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and assistant professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota; and Jimmy Patiño, teacher, historian, and researcher in the Department of Chicano and Latino Studies at the University of Minnesota.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. Driving through the rural expanse of southwestern Minnesota, there are a lot of things you might expect to see, such as corn fields, cattle, and the quaint main streets of small town America. But, if you find yourself in Worthington, Minnesota, you might be surprised to find the warehouse-sized footprint of a meatpacking facility, along with a rainbow of different cultural restaurants and grocers dotting the main drag. Why is a meatpacking plant so far from a major city center like the Twin Cities? And who are the residents of Worthington whose businesses comprise such a diverse town center? In this episode, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez delves into the historical context of the meatpacking industry, including its migration from urban centers to rural areas. Chantel also explores how meatpacking’s history of relying on immigrant labor has evolved over time, and how the cultural landscape of rural towns such as Worthington were shaped by global forces. To dig into these questions, Chantel spoke with professor of history Roger Horowitz. To hear their personal stories and connections to the industry, Chantel also sat down with Worthington meatpacking workers Antonio Morales and Leonardo Duarte, as well as Leonardo’s daughter, Andrea Duarte-Alonso.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. In 1880, a court case rocked Minneapolis society, and ruled the newspaper headlines. It was the case of Leon Belmont, a man accused of fraud. Authorities claimed that he was a woman wearing men’s clothing, passing herself off as a man. Why so much uproar over this particular case? And was it for the reasons we’d expect? Historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez explores what life looked like in late 1800s Minneapolis, why fraud might’ve been top of mind, and how historians make responsible histories. To get more insight into these questions and more, Chantel sat down with public historian Lizzie Ehrenhalt and PhD candidate Myra Billund-Phibbs.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. The Midwest—and Minnesota in particular—is known for its roadside attractions, from the world’s biggest ball of twine (made by one person) to the world’s largest boot. But drive through the Northwoods town of Bemidji, Minnesota, and you’ll find towering statues of a legendary lumberjack Paul Bunyan and his pal— Babe the Blue Ox—looking over the lake shore. This episode, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodríguez probes the history—and myths—behind these statues. How did they end up there, and why does Paul Bunyan’s story linger in popular culture and what does it tell us about the logging industry? To better understand these questions and more, Chantel speaks with librarian and educator Jennifer Kleinjung, as well as Kasey Keeler, associate professor at the University of Wisconsin.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. Women’s basketball is having a moment in the United States—in fact, Minnesota’s own WNBA team, the Lynx, have won four championships and even made it to the finals in 2024. But while sports have empowered women in modern society, the history of basketball—not unlike the history of women in this country—is, well, complicated. Peek into the far corner of the Minnesota History Center’s exhibit on girlhood, and you’ll uncover another layer to that history—the relationship between Native communities and basketball. In this episode, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez dives into the intimate and complex history of Native peoples and what came to be known as rez, or reservation, ball. How did Native people develop a deep, communal connection to something that was introduced as part of an effort to destroy that very sense of community? To better understand these intricacies, Chantel talks with historian and former ball-player Syd Beane, along with former player and coach Brook LaFloe and documentary filmmaker Leya Hale.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. Buffalo once roamed across Minnesota in the thousands. Now, the Minnesota Bison Collaborative is working to bring them back. It’s a trickier proposition than you might think. It requires community involvement, prairie restoration, and careful monitoring of it all. This episode, host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez talks with natural resource manager Ferin Davis Anderson and conservation biologist Mary Mallinger about the ins and outs of bringing bison home to Minnesota. Publishing note: Our next episode will be available January 23, 2025

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. Think “buffalo” and you probably think “Wild West,” “Yellowstone”, or “Great Plains.” In this two-part episode, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez uncovers why you should also think “Minnesota”. The history of bison in the North Star State is a long one, but not one that’s well-known.  Through conversations with Native natural resource manager Ferin Davis Anderson (enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa/Ojibwe/Anishinaabe/Mitchifs in North Dakota), conservation biologist Mary Mallinger, and historian Pete DeCarlo, Chantel fills in the picture of bison’s history with Minnesota’s prairies – and people.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. Hot dogs, deep fried oreos, and thrill rides – all things you can find at Minnesota’s State Fair. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find stories more interesting than the latest food on a stick. Tucked in the History and Heritage Center are two placards highlighting “baby competitions” that once took place on the fairgrounds. This episode, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez unpacks the complicated, nuanced history of Better Baby competitions. What were they, where did they come from, and what were they hoping to achieve? To get the answers, Chantel sits down with public historians Laura Leppink and Sarah Pawlicki.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about Minnesota Unraveled! Please fill out our survey ⁠here⁠. Dotted throughout the Twin Cities are fallout shelter signs. Chances are you’ve seen one of these black and yellow signs attached to a very sturdy building. Have you wondered: What purpose did they serve? Why were fallout shelters needed to begin with? What was it like to live in the atomic age? For this second episode of MN Unraveled, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez explores the history of fallout shelters. What starts with a question about the origin of fallout shelter signs becomes an exploration of the family and the American way of life. She dives into this history with author Dave Kenney and historian Elaine Tyler May.

If you’re in the West Side of St. Paul, there’s a chance a splash of color will catch your eye – one of the neighborhood’s many murals. Where did they all come from? Do they have a shared heritage? And who are the artists behind them? For this first episode of Minnesota Unraveled, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez delves into the West Side’s rich history, and why Chicano art is at its heart. She talks with Ralph Brown, a longtime resident and co-founder of the West Side Community Organization. To gain more insight to the works of art themselves, she sits down with renowned Chicano artist, Jimmy Longoria.

Introducing Minnesota Unraveled, a new podcast from the Minnesota Historical Society. Each episode, historian and host Dr. Chantel Rodriguez uses her training to investigate unsung stories of Minnesota history, and how that history plays out for Minnesotans each and every day.