Black and white photograph of Minneapolis Street Railway streetcar tokens, 1947.

Minneapolis Street Railway streetcar tokens

Minneapolis Street Railway streetcar tokens, 1947.

Black and white photograph of the interior of Thomas Lowry's private streetcar, c.1900.

Interior of Thomas Lowry's private streetcar

Interior of Thomas Lowry's private streetcar, c.1900.

Black and white photograph of the first electric street cars in Minneapolis, c.1889.

First electric street cars in Minneapolis

First electric street cars in Minneapolis, c.1889.

Black and white photograph of a Grand Avenue Streetcar, St. Paul, c.1910.

Grand Avenue streetcar

Grand Avenue streetcar, St. Paul, c.1910.

Twin City Rapid Transit Company and Electric Streetcars

Horse car and cable car systems in the Twin Cities spurred urban growth and gave residents more mobility. The coming of the electric streetcar in 1889 had an even greater impact. With cars that could travel faster and farther, the system grew to become one of the nation's finest public transportation networks before the dominance of automobiles and buses in the 1950s.

Black and white photograph of able cars on the hill before the Selby Tunnel was dug, c.1895.

Cable cars on the hill before the Selby Tunnel was dug

Cable cars on the hill before the Selby Tunnel was dug, c.1895.

Black and white photograph of a six-bench open car and trailer on the Selby Avenue line, St. Paul, 1894.

A six-bench open car and trailer on the Selby Avenue line

A six-bench open car and trailer on the Selby Avenue line, St. Paul, 1894.

Cable Cars of the Minneapolis and St. Paul Street Railway Companies

Before Minneapolis and St. Paul upgraded their street railway systems from plodding horse cars to modern electric trolleys, both cities flirted with the use of cable cars. Costly to build, only two lines operated in St. Paul before both cities converted to electric streetcar systems.

Color image of Filling Stations, 1940. Lithograph on paper by Alexander Oja.

"Filling Stations"

Filling Stations, 1940. Lithograph on paper by Alexander Oja.

Black and white scan of "On the motor – the new conductor announcing the streets." Minneapolis Journal, April 20, 1889.

"On the Motor – the New Conductor Announcing the Streets"

"On the Motor – the New Conductor Announcing the Streets." Minneapolis Journal, April 20, 1889.

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