05/25/2024
Here is my third then-and-now photo of Loring Park area. This side-by-side photo compares the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis in the late 1950s to the one I took yesterday.
One thing's clear: the Basilica's timeless architecture has stood the test of time, but Hennepin Avenue itself underwent a major transformation with the construction of Interstate 94. It's fascinating to imagine the avenue continuing its straight path directly to the Basilica, surrounded by auto showrooms.
Per Bud Greene the two cars closest to the camera in the old photo are from the late 1950s, suggesting the picture was taken around then or possibly the early 1960s.