Minneapolis was born as a center of grain commerce due to its location on the banks of the Mississippi. The river cuts through the downtown, formerly dividing Minneapolis from the city of St. Anthony. What was St. Anthony is now NE and SE Minneapolis.

The name "Minneapolis" (meaning The City of Lakes in a mash-up of Dakota and Ancient Greek) refers to the five fair sized (2-4 mile circumference) lakes. The city's excellent parks department maintains walking and biking paths around the lakes, offering residents a place to exercise or stroll. Personal sailboats may be buoyed on three of these lakes. The Lake Harriet Bandshell offers seasonal concerts.

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