Pictures from a trip to Chicago in Summer 2001.

The most inland freshwater port in the world, Duluth sits on the far southwestern corner of Lake Superior, across from its smaller Wisconsin counterpart, Superior (also featured in this album). The incredibly hilly city has a population of 86,918 (2000) and was for a long time the largest city outside of Minneapolis or St. Paul. However, Rochester and Bloomington have since caught up to and surpassed Duluth, though its status as the shipping point for Minnesota's iron industry and the gateway to the North Shore make it an important (and beautiful) city.

incredibly hilly city has a population of 86,918 (2000) and was for a long time the largest city outside of Minneapolis or St. Paul. However, Rochester and Bloomington have since caught up to and surpassed Duluth, though its status as the shipping point for Minnesota's iron industry and the gateway to the North Shore make it an important (and beautiful) city.

Eau Claire is a town of 65,000 in western Wisconsin, about 85 miles east of the Twin Cities. It is the largest city in the Chippewa Valley area, and has one of the larger U of W campuses in the state. These pictures were taken in late July 2001 on a trip to Eau Claire to visit my friend, a student at the U of W. Very hard to find pictures on the internet of this small city.

These pictures were taken in late July 2001 on a trip to Eau Claire to visit my friend, a student at the U of W. Very hard to find pictures on the internet of this small city.

Affluent suburb to the southwest of Minneapolis, population of approximately 55,000. The photos in this album were taken around the Eden Prairie Center (shopping mall) and Southwest Transit Station.

NOTE: These photos were originally apart of an LRT study for a proposed Eden Prairie Center stop for the proposed Southwest Corridor.

NOTE: These photos were originally apart of an LRT study for a proposed Eden Prairie Center stop for the proposed Southwest Corridor.

Fond du Lac is the county seat of Fond du Lac County on the south side of Lake Winnebago, about an hour north of Milwaukee. Total population is approximately 37,000 in 2000.

Wisconsin's capital city, with a population of slightly over 200,000 and the head of a metro area over half a million strong. This medium-sized city has won many awards for being one of the most livable places in the United States. It is also well-established as a college town as well; the U of W occupies an extensive campus here to the southwest of downtown.

livable places in the United States. It is also well-established as a college town as well; the U of W occupies an extensive campus here to the southwest of downtown.

Pictures from various trips to Milwaukee, the largest city in the state of Wisconsin. It's population is about 594,000 people, while the metro encompasses over 1,500,000 people, including my older brother and his family. Special thanks for Paul Thomas for participating on some of the labeling for the pictures. His captions are identified by a "[PT]".

brother and his family. Special thanks for Paul Thomas for participating on some of the labeling for the pictures. His captions are identified by a "[PT]".

The second part of my Milwaukee album. Special thanks for Paul Thomas for participating on some of the labeling for the pictures. His captions are identified by a "[PT]".

Rochester is the home of the Mayo Clinic and the fourth largest city in Minnesota. Population is about 85,000 and it heads a small metro area of about 125,000 in Olmsted County. By car, it is about an hour south of the Twin Cities down Highway 52.

hour south of the Twin Cities down Highway 52.

Two inner-ring suburbs bordering St. Paul, Roseville has approximately 33,000 people and Falcon Heights roughly 5,000 people. The former is a major commercial center for the east metro while the latter is the technical home of the Minnesota State Fair and University of Minnesota- St. Paul Campus.

latter is the technical home of the Minnesota State Fair and University of Minnesota- St. Paul Campus.

Stillwater is Minnesota's oldest town, along the St. Croix River facing Wisconsin. This town of 15,000 is also the Washington County seat. It is currently included in the Twin Cities Metro Area, at the far eastern reaches.

the far eastern reaches.

A town of 60,000 on the outskirts of the Milwaukee metropolitan area, Waukesha is the county seat of Waukesha County, now a big suburban county. This is one of the few larger towns that have any sort of character to it.

of character to it.

Things that just can't fit in an existing album go here. This is a wild card type of album.

The biggest attraction in Minnesota, Mall of America sits at the intersection of Highway 77 and Interstate 494 in Bloomington. Near the airport, it attracts millions of foreign visitors each year. It has over 4 million square feet and encompasses everything from an underground aquarium to an enclosed theme park called Camp Snoopy. It's motto: "There's a place for fun in your life".

has over 4 million square feet and encompasses everything from an underground aquarium to an enclosed theme park called Camp Snoopy. It's motto: "There's a place for fun in your life".

Held at the very end of summer, the Minnesota State Fair draws together over 2 million people a year to the fairgrounds located in Falcon Heights, a small suburb adjacent to Saint Paul. The fair is famed for its reputation for putting everything on a stick. These pictures were taken in late August 2001, the year of the deep-fried candy bar on a stick.

famed for its reputation for putting everything on a stick. These pictures were taken in late August 2001, the year of the deep-fried candy bar on a stick.

Sometimes, I feel like goofing around with pictures in Photoshop, which I'm slowly beginning to learn...thanks to studio. Being blessed with having it on my desktop and laptop, why not test out some of its features on some of my favorite pictures and see the results?

of its features on some of my favorite pictures and see the results?

An annual summer event and one of the most popular, the Renaissance Festival runs in southern Shakopee weekends for August and September. A variety of authentic goods are for sale, alone with exotic dishes and performances of many types. A real interesting experience.

dishes and performances of many types. A real interesting experience.

Photos from the 2004 Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association (SARPA) Garden Stroll on Sunday June 27th, 2004.

Photos from the 2005 Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association (SARPA) Garden Stroll on Sunday June 26th, 2005.

Photos from the 2007 Summit Avenue Residential Preservation Association (SARPA) Garden Stroll on Sunday June 24th, 2007.

NOTE: There was no Garden Stroll event in 2006.

Pictures around one of the largest campuses in the country. There are two separate campuses for each of the Twin Cities, both very well connected and integrated.