A Day in Minneapolis
A Day in Minneapolis
June 6, 2017
By Austin Smith in Travel, Photography
photography by Austin Smith
The day started with a brief tour-by-photography of Minneapolis City Hall.
The first time I photographed Minneapolis City Hall was before the Grain Exchange's Instameet hosted by MNCommunity and Preserve Minneapolis. Before I entered into the Grain Exchange I was able to take a quick photo of the clock tower.
The Rotunda
The "Father of Waters" carved by Larkin G. Mead
The rotunda hosts an articulate centerpiece to say the least. It originated as a 44 pound block of marble imported from the Carrara quarries in Italy. The "Father of Waters" is a marble mammoth with a weight at the base of more than 14,000 pounds.
The second floor's stained glass middle piece consists of three figures who each represent a key element to society. The leftmost figure clutches a dove, which symbolizes peace, the center figure represents justice with a book and sword, and on the right side the figure represents community through a beehive.
After I photographed other details, such as the ceiling:
I left to continue the adventure and to discover the next photograph stop.
Hennepin Avenue Bridge
The next stop happened to be on and off of Hennepin Avenue Bridge at only .08 of a mile away.
The bridge's stairway down to the Mississippi riverfront was a more than welcome sight as I hadn’t yet photographed the Grain Belt sign.
Milkweed in the Wind
photograph by Austin Smith
I managed to spot a dirt trail down through dense woods to a sandy shore while I hugged the paved footpath next to the river. The river shore looked how one could expect with easy to spot garbage along the sand and empty plastic bottles that bobbed up and down in the water.
It was this sight that made me turn away from the water and notice the beauty of hundreds of milkweed seeds that floated effortlessly with the wind.
Boom Island Park
I knew I had something to photograph for certain after I crossed the Plymouth Bridge and onto Boom Island park. The park features a marina, a lighthouse, and a cool little bridge that arches over the mouth of the marina.
In The Loop Coffee Co.
In The Loop Coffee Co. is a fantastic coffee shop located in, probably, the North Loop neighborhood. My favorite thing about the place is the self-serving water. It's ice cold from the dispenser and you don't have to bother anyone. I was so thirsty that I feared the idea of repeatedly asking for refills, but not at In The Loop. At In the Loop you get to down your lovely glass containing water and fill it all at your own accord.
