Join author Drew M. Ross as he discusses his book, Becoming the Twin Cities: Swindles, Schemes, and Enduring Rivalries, with Tom Weber, author of Minneapolis: An Urban Biography.

Why haven’t Minneapolis and St. Paul merged into one city? Whether motivated by visionary ideals, commercial gain, or political ambition, many have tried to unite Minneapolis and St. Paul—and all have failed. In Becoming the Twin Cities, author Drew M. Ross examines why this merger never came to be.

This book uncovers the nineteenth-century history of scheming and self-dealing, social rivalries and political grudges, and utopian idealism and personal ambition that explain how the Twin Cities became the separate cities with different governments and distinct personalities that we know today.

Drew Ross is a writer, editor, and researcher. For his writing on local history, he won the 2024 Solon J. Buck Award from the Minnesota Historical Society. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Tom Weber, an award-winning writer, journalist, and radio host, is the author of 100 Things to Do in the Twin Cities Before You Die.

Copies of Becoming the Twin Cities and Minneapolis: An Urban Biography will be available to purchase at the event (limit 2 per attendee). This event is free. Access to the museum and historic fort requires purchase of site admission. Registration is recommended, but not required.