Loonacy

Loonacy

We get a bit looney as we discuss the magnificent Gavia Immer, better known as the Common Loon. How did this unique water fowl beat out its far more popular avian competition—including the Scarlet Tanager, the Robin, the Goldfinch, and Meadowlark—to become the official state bird of Minnesota? And can they really shoot lasers out of their eyes? We'll answer at least one of those questions. To see photos of loons, loonlets, other birds, and lots of loon-inspired flags and other designs, check out our shownotes here. [https://www.minnesotaunknown.com/post/ep-13-loonacy]

Leeann Chin

This week we’ll be looking at the fascinating life and incredible legacy of Leeann Chin—chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and inventor of the cream cheese wonton. We’ll follow her story from 1930s China to her arrival in 1950s Minnesota, years during which she received nothing but discouragement from others, to her eventual triumph as a business mogul and culinary star, in part thanks to a fateful encounter with none other than actor Sean Connery. To see images related to this episode, find links to other resources, and see our sources cited, check out our show notes here. [https://www.minnesotaunknown.com/post/ep-12-leeann-chin] *** During this episode, we play several excerpts from an interview Leeann Chin gave to Twin Cities Public Television in 1992. You can find that full interview here. [https://www.tptoriginals.org/minnesota-portraits-a-conversation-with-leeann-chin/]

Monument Madness!

Minnesota has no shortage of quirky monuments, statues, and roadside oddities. But which of these kitschy monuments is truly the best in the state? That’s what we asked YOU, the people, to decide! We’ve recently concluded Monument Madness 2026, a contest to decide which is the best roadside monument in the great state of Minnesota. Starting with a bracket of sixteen monuments, we put these roadside marvels head-to-head and solicited comments on social media and votes on our website in a thrilling single-elimination tournament. In this slightly unhinged episode, we adopt the persona of 1930s newscasters and share the exciting match-by-match results of this tournament as well as the fascinating history behind each contender. You can view images of each of the monuments described here. [https://www.minnesotaunknown.com/post/ep-11-monument-madness] We are also pleased to announce that we have commemorative art prints celebrating the top finalists for sale here! [https://www.minnesotaunknown.com/category/all-products]

Is Fort Snelling on Stolen Land? (Part 2 0f 2)

How did Fort Snelling come to be built at Bdóte, a sacred site at the center of the homeland of the Dakota people? Join us for part two of our two-part examination of just how, exactly, the US came to claim this site. After delving deep into the backstory and setting the scene in our last episode, here we'll follow the 1805 mission of Lt. Zebulon Pike and take a close look at the supposed treaty that he negotiated. We'll find out why this treaty—usually taken to be the first purchase of land by the US in what is now the state of Minnesota—is about as legally dubious as treaties can get. *** (Content warning: topics discussed include racism, colonialism, genocide, land dispossession, and the desecration of graves.)

Is Fort Snelling on Stolen Land? (Part 1 of 2)

Bdóte, the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers, has been a site of incalculable spiritual, cultural, and historical significance to the Dakota people for centuries. However, today this sacred landscape is contained within an area officially known as the Unorganized Territory of Fort Snelling. So how, exactly, did the area of Bdóte come to be claimed by the US government? It’s a story that has been told many times quite simply, but the truth is far more messy and complicated. Join us as we unpack the tangled and controversial history of this site. In this part one of two, we’ll explore the larger context needed to make sense of this event, and then learn how a rogue army general’s traitorous conspiracy to sell half of the United States to the Spanish government inadvertently set into motion the sequence of events that would eventually lead to the establishment of Fort Snelling. Then, in our next episode, we’ll take a close look at the signing of an 1805 treaty that remains the basis for the government’s land claims, and follow the consequences of this event all the way up to the present day. It's a truly international and cross-cultural story, spanning centuries, with surprising twists and turns, and it is at the very foundation of all Minnesota history as it has unfolded for the past two hundred years. *** Maps! This is an episode that involves a lot of geography, so if you're someone who benefits from maps, here are a few that may be of some use. [https://www.minnesotaunknown.com/post/ep-09-is-fort-snelling-on-stolen-land-part-1-of-2]