Comments on: This Thread Is Open For Comments

By: Bdillion

Bdillion — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 01:39:41 +0000

Traditionally Minneapolis is divided in 4 qudrants. If you want to know what quadrant you are in look at the street signs. If the street suffix is S you are in South Mpls. N in North, SE in South East and NE in North East. The Eastern Quadrants are East of the River and the North South Divide is At Hennepin Ave downtown Since Hennepin turns the divide in Brenmar is Cedar Lake Rd I think.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sat, 06 Aug 2005 04:47:40 +0000

A visiting couple with grandchild in stroller, stopped at our yard sale last week and commented how they love the area (SE Powderhorn Neighborhood) as it always feels so “downhome.” I wasn’t sure what to make of the comment. The tone almost sounded like she was going to say “quaint.” The discussion had been partly about the neighborliness of the area, and how everyone talks to everyone and knows there neighbors.
I still think of myself as new here but its been at least 13 years in this neighborhood… I love the changes that have happened on Lake Street and am trying to start using the “Midtown” term more, as its exciting to be near it. I take visitors there when they come to town.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 19:19:43 +0000

Phil, Frogtown is the area West of downtown St. Paul, around University/Dale and beyond.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 18:52:00 +0000

key words being lives outside the city . They know as much about South Minneapolis as I know about, say, Maple Grove — I think its full of snobby xenophobic people. I live a block off Lake Street; I have awesome neighbors, many older that have lived there for 30 years — a couple days ago I was talking to my alley neighbor who has lived in the same house for 36 years and he told me his kids are constantly trying to get him to move to Lakeville, because it is such a “better” place than “bad” Minneapolis, but he will have none of it, he loves where he lives.

Which got me thinking about why some people live in the urban environment and some absolutely shun it — and it seems to me to be about being tolerant of other people. Maybe I’m wrong, but it seems to me that many folks head for the suburban hills, shut themselves in, turn on the tube to get their entertainment of what happened in big-bad south minneapolis for the day. People living outside the city have absolutely no context for what happens in the city, other than what they see on their if-it-bleeds-it-leads news shows. The next time someone says “Oh, South Minneapolis is sooo bad” I encourage you to ask a) what part of South Minneapolis and b) what information is that based on — what was your last experience in “South” Minneapolis?

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 12:20:52 +0000

When I moved to Mpls in early 2004, everyone I know who lives outside the city told me to avoid south Minneapolis at all costs. Even people who don’t live in the cities ask me if I ever go on Lake Street or tell me how they got lost once in south Minneapolis and were scared ****less. I think south Minneapolis has a very negative perception.

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 00:38:24 +0000

What is ‘Frogtown’?

By: Bek

Bek — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 23:39:26 +0000

I’d have to agree- I always thought of North Minneapolis as the frightening, don’t even walk around in the daytime lest you be shot or mugged, area…I’d never heard South Minneapolis was considered a hot crime spot. So, what we learn is all of Minneapolis is a crime ridden, drug haven?

By: soelo

soelo — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 17:36:39 +0000

People think of south Minneapolis as a crime ridden, drug haven where murders take place.

I think of North Minneapolis this way, not South.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 16:27:53 +0000

To Clarify, there are Communities made up of smaller Neighborhoods, as the map by Rex illustrates. Such as someone that lives in King Field Neighborhood in the Southwest Community. It gets confusing when sometimes when the community and neighborhood have the same names: I live in the Longfellow Neighborhood of Longfellow Community. And, yeah, as already discussed, then we have our nicknamed areas –Uptown and Wedge, ect.

Which brings me to Kevin’s point: you are right that the term “South Minneapolis” in media is used for a very specific purpose — it automatically brings a connotation to the viewers/readers mind to help “sell” the story. Kevin seems to be upset that Uptown was associated with this, but it seems to make more sense to be upset that we are being manipulated in the first place — as already demonstrated “South Minneapolis” is a pretty large, undefined place, and to use it to associate it with crime to manipulate is a load of crap . . . As a side note, if you take a look at Minneapolis crime maps (available through the city web) you’ll see that “Uptown” is a pretty hot spot for crime.

By: adam

adam — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 16:24:29 +0000

People think of south Minneapolis as a crime ridden, drug haven where murders take place.

Do people really think this? If so, where do they live? I wager it's nowhere near south Minneapolis and any distinction between neighborhoods within would be lost on them anyway. Also, how could the city possibly rename areas to adhere to some sort of public perception? This would be impossible to define and remain a moving target at best.