Carleton and Macalester: How similar?

bclintonk
Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:06:30 +0000

1190:

Macalester’s setting is obviously quite different but just maybe a little less different than has been suggested. Its “semi-urban” location in a pretty residential neighborhood of St. Paul offers the perk of significant safety



Hey, wait a minute: just because it’s safe and pretty doesn’t mean it’s not “urban.” Some cities are safe and pretty. The particular section of Saint Paul where Macalester is located happens to be one of them. But it’s also a lively, diverse area: the Twin Cities’ oldest African-American community, settled by runaway slaves in the 1860s, is just a mile or so away, and the largest concentration of Asian immigrants in the region is a similar distance. Macalester itself is located right on Grand Avenue, one of the liveliest streets of (mainly locally-owned) shops, boutiques, and restaurants in the Twin Cities, and it’s smack between the two downtowns, with easy access to both. This is about as “urban” as you’re going to get in the Twin Cities. I’m sorry, just because a city works doesn’t make it something other than a city.