The gutted interior of the Great Lakes Bar (101 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis), July 10, 1960.

Interior of the California Wine Shop (29 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis), July 10, 1960. In his documentary of life on Skid Row, the self-proclaimed “King of Skid Row,” John Bachich, recalled that bottles of wine could be bought “corked” or “uncorked” at California Wine Shop, near his own Sourdough Bar. While most of Skid Row’s residents did not have problems with alcohol, a minority were chronic alcoholics who served as frequent fodder for the Minneapolis Tribune’s investigative journalists.

A hallway inside the Pioneer Hotel, July 6, 1960. “Cage Hotels” were essentially plywood cubicles with chicken wire covering the tops to prevent would-be thieves. The Pioneer Hotel rented out rooms by the week and month at rates much cheaper than most apartments, albeit with few. While the people who used these boardinghouses were often classified as homeless, many actually lived in the same room for decades. Photograph by Dick Palen.

: “Cage Rooms” at the Standard Hotel (114 Hennepin Avenue South, Minneapolis), June 29, 1960. At the turn of the century, chicken-wire sub-ceilings were a common feature in cheaper boardinghouses in cities with a large temporary workforce. While Minneapolis banned the construction of new “cage hotels” in 1918, many lasted right up to the Gateway’s demolition. Some tenants who were evicted had been in their rooms since the 1920s.

Cars in the parking lot of the Valhalla Café (105 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis) June 15, 1960.

The diner side of the Valhalla Café (105 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis), June 15, 1960. Along with dives, “greasy spoons” serving diner fare like corned beef hash, Salisbury steak, and fruit pie were a Gateway mainstay. When later asked about his living situation, one former Skid-Rower bemoaned the fact that in his new home, he couldn’t find a replacement for his regular diner order: pork chops with apple sauce.

Bar scene at the Valhalla Café (105 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis) June 15, 1960. On this side of the café, patrons could purchase a shot of warm brandy for thirty-five cents in 1960, fifty cents for a double. Salty diner food promoted strong sales of Hamm’s and Grain Belt beer.

Men posing near a large Christmas tree to be put up between the fountain and pavilion building in Gateway Park.

Unnamed man on the corner of Washington Avenue, 1959.

The Brody Loan Company at 115 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis, 1950s. Customers could pawn dress clothing and jewelry at the store or use them as collateral for payday loans. Photograph by Dick Palen.