The population of St. Paul is about 272,000, but it has managed to hold on to the charm of a small town. Its Grand Avenue is a busy shopping street, but the shops are tucked into old houses that give the neighborhood a friendly hometown feeling. St. Paul contains many preserved and refurbished buildings, many of which date back more than 100 years.

The heart of the city, however, has always been the Mississippi River. The Dakotas called it "the place where the waters meet," a reference to the spot where the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers come together. For hundreds of years the river has been the primary means of transportation, and the route for all commerce and communication. It's interesting to explore the mighty Mississippi in the state where it begins, and visitors can do so by taking a trip with the Padelford Packet Boat Co. It's Minnesota's oldest and largest riverboat company, founded by Capt. William Bowell, whose ancestors came to America in 1630.

One of the things you'll see from the river is the St. Paul skyline, which is dominated by the Cathedral of St. Paul and its large Renaissance-style dome. The dome represents the idea of a portal to heaven. The interior is painted with gold leaf and bright colors designed to draw your eyes heavenward. The church houses the local bishop's chair, known in Latin as a cathedra, which marks it as a cathedral. No matter how big or small the building, a church with a bishop's chair is always a cathedral.

As in most cities, the saintly citizens of St. Paul have been balanced by a fair number of sinners, especially during Prohibition. Ironically, it was the push by politicians to enact the tough legislation forbidding the importation, manufacture or distribution of alcoholic beverages that did more to encourage criminal behavior than anything ever produced by drinking in moderation.

During the early 1900s, St. Paul was notorious as a safe haven for gangsters. At the time, the chief of the St. Paul Police Department was John "the Big Guy" O'Connor. His brother, Richard "the Cardinal" O'Connor, was an alderman and the head of the St. Paul Democratic Party. They decided that it was not fiscally responsible to spend city money on catching gangsters. So they came up with what they called "The O'Connor Layover System." Crooks who came to St. Paul and abided by three simple rules would not be arrested; extradition papers from other police departments would mysteriously get lost and the FBI would not be informed. The three rules were: 1) Do not commit any crimes within the city limits of St. Paul. Go over to Minneapolis all you want; we do not care. 2) Give a little kickback to the policeman's fund. 3) Check in and tell us where you're staying so we can call and warn you of any trouble. The system was very effective. In fact, the good citizens of St. Paul were so safe that if a purse snatcher stole from someone, the gangsters would take care of him.

These days, St. Paul is the center of state government, devoted to the no-frills, straightforward preservation of its past. Minneapolis has become the center for big business and the immediate introduction of everything that is new.

Minneapolis grew up around St. Anthony Falls, using the water as a powerful source of energy. Water power could run mills -- the mills that ground wheat and made Minneapolis the flour-milling capital of America.

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