Welcome to the Minnesota Public Radio Archive
Below you will find ever evolving curated collections highlighting diverse, historically relevant, and special interest content. Each collection contains audio stories of a particular subject, represented in chronological order. Explore our state and its people!
Click on "About" to find a detailed informational guide on further utilizing this site.
Women in the 1970s
MPR Archive presents Women in the 1970s, a collection of memorable Minnesota moments that were a part of the momentous social changes, including the Second-wave Feminism movement and the ERA battle. From the swearing in of the state’s first female Supreme Court justice, to the “Willmar 8,” a breadth of stories on how women influenced this decade of change.
Wait 10 Minutes - Minnesota's historic weather events
Minnesotans seem to have something between a pastime and an obsession when it comes to weather, which stands to reason: living here offers a little bit of everything and a LOT of a few things (if you don’t know what I am alluding to here, you must spend your winters elsewhere). MPR Archive has curated a chronological representation on some memorable weather events. What is striking is that underlying in these stories of the extreme cold, heat, water, and wind, are the voices of Minnesotans as they are both persevere and remain humble to the power of Mother Nature.
Mainstreet Radio
Created in 1987, Mainstreet Radio held a mission of reporting specifically from rural Minnesota to all of Minnesota. With an introductory staff of Rachel Reabe, Leif Enger, and John Biewen, the group developed both long and short form news features as part of MPR Journal and Morning Edition broadcasts. As the years progressed, Mainstreet Radio expanded both in reporter contributions and programming, with memorable work from the likes of Mark Steil and Catherine Winter, amongst others. Beginning in the 1990s, Mainstreet Radio presented a monthly two-hour special, focusing on issues outside the Twin Cities metro. The varied Mainstreet Radio programming ran into the mid-2000s.
Amy Klobuchar: A Profile
With her announcement of a 2026 gubernatorial run, MPR Archive presents a chronological look at Amy Klobuchar over the years. The American Democrat politician and lawyer is currently representing Minnesota in the United States Senate.
Poems, Poets, and Poetry
Poetry is an undercurrent in Minnesota. There are easily as many poets as there are lakes and they all meander different paths, like the state’s tributaries. The MPR Archive celebrates poetry by presenting a sampling of literary verse. Some are home-grown, such as Carol Connolly, Robert Bly, and Ed Bok Lee. Then there are the traveling wordsmiths, the likes of Donald Hall, Joy Harjo, and Nikki Giovanni, who’ve shared their work to an intrigued North Star State audience. This collection is as causal or deep as you wish to explore, just like the water.
Award Collection
Since our beginning, the stations and programs affiliated with Minnesota Public Radio and later American Public Media, have endeavored to create quality programming for the community and audiences we serve, in keeping with our mission of public service. We have been honored that so many of the talented individuals and teams and their programs have won prestigious industry and audience awards; the MPR Archive is proud to highlight and present these winners in a way that celebrate the award recipient along with the subjects, stories, and communities that demonstrate public media's meaning and impact.
