12/31/2012 MinneCulture

The History of Nicollet Island, Part I
Produced by Jessica Folker

Nicollet Island is the only inhabited island in the Mississippi River, and this leafy Minneapolis oasis has attracted a colorful crowd: gilded-age tycoons, train-riding vagabonds, hippies, and well-known musicians have all called the Island home. In the first of this two-part documentary, producer Jessica Folker explores the Island's more distant past, beginning with its days as a safe place for expectant Dakota women. Christopher and Rushika Hage--a resident couple whose love for the Island spawned two books on its illustrious history--offer stories about mosquito-plagued pioneers, murderous maids, beer caves, and disastrous events that affected the entire city.