A nighttime photograph of the scene after a head-on crash between two locomotives in October, 1945.

This image forms part of our Minneapolis and St. Paul Newspaper Negative collection. Additional photographs in this series may be available in the library, please view the finding aid here.

For more information or to purchase a photograph of this item, view this photograph in our collections database.

A warning sign from “Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway Co.” intended to be applied to railroad car doors equipped with charcoal heaters: “WARNING / Poisonous Fumes / HEATED CAR” and additional text printed in red and black ink on yellowish white. Circa 1900-1950.

For more information or to purchase a photograph of this item, view this sign in our collections database.

A railroad signal lantern, made of iron and painted black, with three lenses, two blue and one red. Manufactured by the Adams and Westlake Company, Chicago, Illinois, early 20th century.

For more information or to purchase a photograph of this item, view this lantern in our collections database.

An 1883 stereoview photograph showing the Stone Arch Bridge under construction in Minneapolis.

For more information or to purchase a photograph of this item, view this photograph in our collections database.

A radiophone in high impact plastic casing with telephone receiver fitted into handle on top. Manufactured by Motorola, Inc., Chicago, Illinois and used by The Soo Line railroad in the 1960s.

For more information or to purchase a photograph of this item, view this phone in our collections database.

A sign with skull and crossbones reversed out in white on black and the words “DANGER / KEEP OUT / GAS FUMES”. They were intended for posting on boxcar exteriors. Latest date 1960.

For more information or to purchase a photograph of this item, view this sign in our collections database.

A fifty nine piece picnic set used as a lunchbox by Morris Brown (died St. Paul, 1949), an African American porter for the Pullman Company railroad line, on trips to Seattle, circa 1920-1949.

For more information or to purchase a photograph of this item, view this lunchbox in our collections database.

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Come to the Gale Family Library at the Minnesota  Historical Society during regular library hours to see the new display on Minnesota Menus!

It is the time of year when people’s thoughts turn to food, and we have a fabulous collection here documenting foodways over time. In this exhibit we chose to focus on menus from the railroads; banquets; hotels; and restaurants. It is fascinating to see what people ate and how much it cost; the graphic design component of many is exceptional as well.

While the menu collection is available for research any time, this is a rare opportunity to see together many of the items so expertly discussed in Debbie Miller’s article in this quarter’s Minnesota History magazine. Come see the menus for yourself, and then purchase your copy of the magazine in the Museum Stores to learn more!

Men test driving a new “Rail Truck” made by Coordinated Transportation Inc. of Minneapolis.

Photographed by a Minneapolis newspaper photographer on October 11, 1937.

For more information or to purchase a photograph of this item, view this photograph in our collections database.

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Tintype of a man, woman and child seated on handcar in 1881.

For details, view this photograph in our collections database.