Streetcars were a defining feature of what it meant to live in Minneapolis and St. Paul in the early 20th Century. The elimination of the streetcar system in the 1950s, in favor of buses, dramatically reshaped life in the Twin Cities. A number of unusual characters played a role in that switch — several of whom went to prison.
On the latest episode of the Curious Minnesota podcast, Hannah Sayle and Eric Roper discuss organized crime's impact on Twin City Rapid Transit Company during this period.
Further reading:
Was organized crime behind the demise of the Twin Cities streetcar system? (Nov. 2021 Curious Minnesota story)
Minnesota History magazine article about what occurred after the 1960 convictions
