this post was submitted on 25 Feb 2025
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[–] m_f@discuss.online 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Minneapolis got the nickname Mill City because of how many flour mills it had. They were quite dangerous because the flour particles would ignite from any errant sparks. One mill blew up and was turned into a museum:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mill_City_Museum

The first Washburn A Mill, built by Cadwallader C. Washburn in 1874, was declared the largest flour mill in the world upon its completion, and contributed to the development of Minneapolis. On May 2, 1878, a spark ignited airborne flour dust within the mill, creating an explosion that demolished the Washburn A and killed 14 workers instantly. The ensuing fire resulted in the deaths of four more people, destroyed five other mills, and reduced Minneapolis's milling capacity by one third. Known as the Great Mill Disaster, the explosion made national news and served as a focal point that led to reforms in the milling industry. In order to prevent the buildup of combustible flour dust, ventilation systems and other precautionary devices were installed in mills throughout the country.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Now, consider the energy contained in flour dust. Consider what you eat. Consider that half of America is fat as hell. Hmmm... It's not called a staple crop without reason!

[–] shani66@ani.social 4 points 1 week ago

Don't know if this is 'trivia' or just, like, a history lesson but; my little village used to be a major name in rails. We were a major stop for industry and even travel, but certain politicians decided austerity was the way to go for some stupid reason and the town collapsed in almost a single generation because they didn't update the infrastructure.

Granted it probably wouldn't have lasted too much longer anyway because rail died in America, but still.

[–] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 4 points 1 week ago

We have a street named after former mayor Harry Baals.

His son is trying to say it's pronounced "Bails" but no one is going for it.

[–] finkrat@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

Nice Try FBI 😎

[–] dwemthy@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

There are three street names in Chicago that rhyme with "vagina"

AnswerRegina, Paulina, and Lunt

[–] toynbee@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

According to my brother, who used to live there, there's also a well known building called "the vagina building."

[–] LallyLuckFarm@beehaw.org 2 points 1 week ago

We've got the shoe factory from Jumanji (1995) and the school from the book The Tommyknockers.

[–] superduperpirate@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

We have a street named Kobayashi. Not after a Japanese astronaut, but rather after a rice farmer who came over in the late 1800s or early 1900s to teach rice farming to the locals.

[–] toynbee@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

The only trivia I know about my town is that it's named after a hymn that was commonly hummed around town by its residents.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Pensacola was the first European settlement in America, until a hurricane wiped De Soto's colony off the map. Suck it St. Augustine, we were here first!