Tour poster: Flour & Stone: Power on the Mississippi
Red Thread OriginalMinneapolis
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Self-guided podcast audio tour

Minneapolis

Flour & Stone: Power on the Mississippi

Urbanism, Infrastructure & InnovationHistory & Memory
Distance
3.9 km
Duration
122 min
Route
7 stops

Step into Minneapolis's Mill District, where the wild currents of St. Anthony Falls turned raw Midwestern wheat into a global industrial empire. Explore grand stone ruins, massive rail arches, and world-record flour mills transformed into artist lofts, public parks, and cultural venues.

Tom Bennett
Your guide Tom Bennett Urbanism, Infrastructure & Innovation
Audio sample

What awaits you on this Red Thread tour

Step into Minneapolis's Mill District, where the wild currents of St. Anthony Falls turned raw Midwestern wheat into a global industrial empire. Explore grand stone ruins, massive rail arches, and world-record flour mills transformed into artist lofts, public parks, and cultural venues.

Your in-app experience

This is how the Red Thread app brings your tour to life.

Red Thread guides you through the city's stories that you won't find in any guidebook. Authentically and compellingly told by our experts and locals.

Home
01

Home

Get inspired and choose a story that fits your location and your mood.

Search for tours directly
02

Search for tours directly

Use the map to find tours in your city or at a specific address.

Redeem in the app
03

Redeem in the app

Redeem purchased tours or City Passes in the app using a voucher code or QR code.

Start well prepared
04

Start well prepared

Explore the route, stops, and many additional features for your experience.

Listen where it happened
05

Listen where it happened

Hear the stories where they happened.

Ask your guide
06

Ask your guide

Get extra context, deeper details, or useful tips nearby.

Collect discoveries
07

Collect discoveries

Build your travel passport and explore fascinating insights.

Itinerary

1

TOUR START

St. Anthony Falls Water Power Park

The natural engine of Minneapolis, featuring the only major natural waterfall on the Mississippi River.

St. Anthony Falls Water Power Park

Image by Myotus on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

0.41 km • 6 min
2

STOP 2

Pillsbury A-Mill (A-Mill Artist Lofts)

Once the largest flour mill in the world, now converted into affordable artist live-work lofts.

Pillsbury A-Mill (A-Mill Artist Lofts)

Image by Bmzuckerman on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

0.73 km • 11 min
3

STOP 3

Stone Arch Bridge

A 19th-century railway engineering marvel built by James J. Hill to transport wheat and flour globally.

Stone Arch Bridge

Image by Eric Kilby on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

0.57 km • 9 min
4

STOP 4

Water Works Park at St. Anthony Falls

Innovative park design unearthing mill ruins while centering Indigenous Dakota culture and ecology.

0.55 km • 8 min
5

STOP 5

Mill Ruins Park

An open-air archaeological park exposing underground canals, wheel pits, and masonry mill foundations.

Mill Ruins Park

Image by Gabriel Vanslette on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

1.14 km • 18 min
6

STOP 6

Mill City Museum (Washburn A Mill)

Built inside the burnt-out shell of the Washburn A Mill, chronicling dust explosions, flour, and urban rebirth.

Mill City Museum (Washburn A Mill)

Image by w_lemay on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

0.54 km • 8 min
7

END

The Depot Minneapolis (Historic Milwaukee Road Depot)

A 1899 train depot and long train shed restored into a multi-use hotel, event space, and recreation complex.

The Depot Minneapolis (Historic Milwaukee Road Depot)

Image by Bohao Zhao on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Where the tour takes place

Starting point and rough tour area – the exact route unfolds in the app.

Good to know

  • Ideal for History buffs, architecture enthusiasts, urban explorers, design lovers
  • Best time Daytime or early evening before sunset
  • Comfortable Footwear You will walk on uneven stone, historic cobblestones, and paved river trails.
  • Weather Gear The wind off the Mississippi River can be brisk even on warm, sunny days.
  • Museum Hours Check Mill City Museum hours in advance if you plan to explore the interior exhibits.
  • Dining Reservations If you plan to eat at Owámni restaurant, book your table weeks in advance.
  • Your voucher You can redeem your voucher for two years from purchase. Once redeemed, you have 14 days of access and can enjoy the tour as often as you like during that time.

Your guide

Tom Bennett
Audio sample
0:000:00

Tom Bennett

  • Urbanism, Infrastructure & Innovation
  • Northern England

Architecture and urban planning professional. Explains the city's hidden systems – from mobility to water pipes – clearly and vividly.

Explore Minneapolis at your own pace

Your podcast audio tour through Minneapolis

  • Hear the stories of Minneapolis right where they unfold
  • Explore 7 hand-picked stops across 3.9 km – at your own pace
  • Atmospheric storytelling, carefully researched and always ready in the app
  • Your voucher stays valid for two years; after redemption you have 14 days of access
Now only €5.99 incl. VAT

One-time purchase – no subscription, no ongoing commitments.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to the tour after buying?

You see your voucher code right after payment – and you also receive it at the email address you entered at checkout. Redeem that code in the Red Thread app; that's where the tour starts.

When does my access start?

Only when you redeem the code in the app, not at purchase. From redemption you have 14 days of access to the tour.

Do I need the Red Thread app?

Yes. The free Red Thread app turns your tour into a vivid experience: with audio, a map, and thoughtful prompts, it guides you from place to place in an engaging and entertaining way. It's available free for iOS and Android.