The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the first and second largest cities in Minnesota, will host SIA's 42nd annual meeting. The development of these cities is closely tied to the Mississippi River, which runs through both. St. Paul was a well-established trading center with an active riverboat landing and the beginnings of railways (Minnesota's first steam locomotive arrived there in 1861) by the mid-19th century. Minneapolis' St. Anthony Falls spurred sawmills and a flour milling industry that gave rise to industry giants Pillsbury and General Mills.
Tours of the greater metropolitan area will highlight such industrial heritage sites as the historic home of James J. Hill, the Empire Builder, who founded the Great Northern Railway; the family-owned and fully integrated Faribault Woolen Mill, established in 1865; Northfield Woodworking Machinery, making custom machinery since 1920; Mill Ruins Park and Mill City Museum in the St. Anthony Falls district; and the 1929 Ford Dam, which provided hydroelectric power to the recently abandoned Ford Motor Co. plant. A narrated riverboat cruise will allow attendees to view historic bridges, locks, forts and mills from the water.
The
conference hotel is the restored 1910 St. Paul Hotel, just across Rice Park from the 1915 Minnesota Club, site of the opening reception. The
Saturday night banquet will be in a most unusual venue--the Wabasha Street Caves. Originally hollowed out for silica mines, the caves were re-used for mushroom farming and cheese storage and then for the Castle Royale Night Club in the 1930s.
STUDENT TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIPS.
The SIA awards travel scholarships to help full-time students and professionals with less than three years of full-time experience to offset some of the expenses of attending annual conferences. To apply, send a letter of interest demonstrating a commitment to IA and a letter of reference to Patrick Harshbarger, SIA Scholarships, 305 Rodman Rd., Wilmington, DE 19809; phsianews@aol.com. Deadline for applications is Mar. 31, 2013.
