F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul in 1896 and lived at multiple addresses near Summit Avenue during his time in Minnesota. After the birth of his daughter Scottie in 1922, he and wife Zelda moved to Great Neck, New York. This Long Island location would become the setting for his 1925 masterpiece, The Great Gatsby--regarded by critics as the Great American Novel. In it, Midwesterner Jay Gatsby tries to reinvent himself and leave his past behind. Although Fitzgerald moved away from Minnesota early in his career, he returned again and again to his life experiences in St. Paul through his fiction, establishing the city as a literary mecca. Two local Fitzgerald scholars, Joel Pace and Dave Page, spoke to producer Susan Gray about how Fitzgerald's years in St. Paul influenced his writing.

Established in 1871, Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis has been described as the most beautiful cemetery in the country. Audio Producer Susan Gray spoke with cemetery staff and educators to uncover stories of Minnesota's history through the artists, political figures and business leaders who are buried there.

Before Minnesota became the third state to abolish the death penalty in 1911, legislators instituted the nation’s first law to make executions secret. Created to "protect the public’s morals," the midnight assassination law required that hangings occur at night behind prison walls and banned reporters from attending. But when a St. Paul reporter snuck into the botched hanging of convicted murderer William Williams and revealed to gruesome details to the public, things changed. In this audio documentary, KFAI producer Susan Gray talks with death penalty scholar John Bessler and Twin Cities historian Larry Millet on what was the last hanging in Minnesota.

In the late 19th century, insane asylums were built across the country in response to a national outcry over the treatment of the mentally ill. More than 75 asylums were designed using Dr. Thomas Kirkbride’s Moral Treatment Plan, which claimed mental ailments could be alleviated with beautiful architecture and serene landscaping. The former State Hospital in Fergus Falls, Minnesota is one of the few remaining intact Kirkbride hospitals in the country. KFAI producer Susan Gray spoke with preservation supporters to learn about the building's historical significance to Fergus Falls, and the treatment of people with mental illness. * *When this story first aired early in 2013, the building was destined for the wrecking ball. In June of 2013 the city accepted a proposal to begin a renovation project with Historic Properties, Inc., a Georgia based Real Estate Development Company. The plan, Historic Kirkbride, includes an upscale hotel, spa, apartments, shops and a makerspace.

When Minneapolis officials shut down a scandal sheet publisher for printing malicious and defamatory material it sparked our country's first debate on whether the government can punish the press for printing unpopular ideas. Called the first great press case, the surprising 1931 Supreme Court decision in Near vs. Minnesota continues to guide our democracy today. Audio Producer Susan Gray spoke to media and legal experts who unveil the cast of characters who played a role in creating this important jurisprudence.