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Mill City Museum wants your vote
The public can vote for the downtown Minneapolis museum daily through Feb. 12.
MINNEAPOLIS — For the second year in a row, the Mill City Museum has been nominated for the “Best History Museum in the Nation.
The downtown Minneapolis museum has been named among 20 nominees for a USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel award.
Officials want to get the word out so they can get the top prize this year. In 2023, the museum came in fourth place on the list. The public can vote for the downtown Minneapolis museum daily through Feb. 12.
“History lovers can also support the museum online by sharing the hashtag #MCMTop10 on social media,” Tuesday’s news release stated.
The Mill City Museum opened in 2003 and it was built within the ruins of the Washburn “A” Mill, which had closed in 1965.
The old mill — which in the 19th century was the biggest flour mill in the U.S. — had been named a National Historic Landmark in 1983 but a fire gutted the vacant building in 1991.
A short time later, the Minnesota Historical Society announced plans to build a museum within the limestone and concrete walls of the old mill along the mighty Mississippi.
The museum showcases the rich history of the flour milling industry, the Mississippi River, and the city of Minneapolis. At one point, the city of Minneapolis was considered to be the “Flour Milling Capital of the World.”
Visitors can experience “Minneapolis’ growth through interactive exhibits,” along with walking tours, multimedia shows, works from local artists and scenic views atop the Koch Rooftop Observation Deck.
“We are doubly honored to receive this nomination as we celebrate 20 years of welcoming visitors to Mill City Museum,” said Mill City Museum Site Manager David Stevens in a news release. “We are so grateful for all the support received from Minnesotans last year. This recognition of the great work our staff does to tell the rich history of Minneapolis is tremendous.”
The museum also displays free special exhibits in the Mill Commons area. Visitors can currently check out Spirits Dancing Photographs of the Night Sky by Travis Novitsky until April 7.
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Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
