If you look at "Land of Amber Waters" by Doug Hoverson, he discusses the problems the Gluek family had with owning so many saloon properties. The land lost much value during the Great Depression.

The Gluek's beer sign was just an advert for a saloon. The brewery would pay for your build-out, as long as you carried their beer. It's not the big Gluek's on Sixth Ave N.

I drive to work every weekday morning on the street in the foreground, Fourth Street. Of the major buildings clearly visible in this photo, only two remain -- in the upper far left, at the corner of Fourth Street and First Avenue. For the rest, if they survived until the 1950s, they were destroyed in the Gateway Area urban renewal program. Ironically, some of the structures erected in their place have themselves been torn down, including a Ritz Hotel and the '50s era Minneapolis Public Library.

More information on the Metropolitan building can be found in "Twin Cities Then and Now" by Larry Millet. This photo is used in the book.

Gluek's owned many bars throughout Minneapolis. This one served the financial district, the one on N.6th served warehouse and railroad employees.

Nothing yet on the "barrels".

Update: I have found earlier and later photos of the Metropolitan Building with objects in the 3rd floor, and only the 3rd floor, windows. Some are square, some rectangular. Advertising? Still looking.

The broad street going vertically in the photo shows far less evidence of the horses' various evacuations. While the street going left to right shows a whole lot of the watering of the lily. It appears that the horses, probably whilst hooked up to their drays and cabs, had a lot of time on their hooves.

Interesting how often dogs appear in the urban photos. I guess it would be fairly safe, until autos literally overran them.

I suspect the tall black extension on the chimney near the center of the photo is to get the smoke above the windows of the Metropolitan building. Hopefully it has guy wires to support it, if not it doesn't look to be very stable in a breeze. Are any wires visible in the high resolution version? It would be hard to guy something in all directions that is on the corner of a building unless they used an adjacent building for some of the guy wire anchors.

It looks like there might be the top of another chimney extension in the bottom center of the image.

I was curious about the round things also, if they are indeed barrels, what purpose do they serve in the middle of a window?

[Maybe they say "beer here." - Dave]

Gluek's Bar and Restaurant is still in Minneapolis, though it is now located about 4 blocks due west on 6th St. N (as opposed to 4th St. S and 2nd Ave. S, where is is seen here).

Also, judging by the photographer's position, taking into account height, the viewing angle in relation to the river and the Metropolitain's location on 2nd Ave S and 3rd St. N, this photo was likely taken atop the then yet unfinished Town Hall building (completed c. 1906).

The amount of horse pee in the streets (esp. at the stables lower left) is both awesome and horrifying. Or is that the result of the Dept of Sanitation cleaning up afterward? In any case I guess it kept the dust down.

Perhaps the keeper and knower of all things Minneapolis (James Lileks) will weigh in.

Or perhaps he has, is "Jimmy Longshanks" a pseudonym??

[Lileks's username on Shorpy is, as far as we know, "Lileks." - Dave]

Yep - they tore it down as part of a huge urban renewal project. Had a hard time doing it too. That place was solid! In order to maximize interior light, it had a huge atrium and the walkways had glass floors. Beautiful ironwork too.

Can anyone identify the light colored circular items in the windows on the third floor of the building on the right side of the photo?

[Barrels. - Dave]

Check out the laundry hanging out to dry. Even in the middle of the business district, it looks like there are some residential units....possibly someone living above their first floor store.

That is the large building in the center, also known as the Metropolitan building. Sadly, it was razed in the early 60s. This view is looking north, with the Mississippi River at upper right. The first bridge is Plymouth Avenue, the second is Broadway.

[Seems to be "Guaranty Loan." - Dave]

I live in Minneapolis and I don't recognize anything! My, how times change!!!!

That certainly is a large crowd of people on top of the turret on the building in the center. I wonder if it is an observation post or if they are gathered for a special event.

[Something tells me they're always up there. - Dave]