Minnesota Strip, Former red-light district on Eighth Avenue between 42nd and 57th Street, Manhattan, United States
The Minnesota Strip is a stretch of Eighth Avenue in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, running from 42nd Street to 57th Street. The blocks along this corridor are lined with shops, restaurants, and commercial buildings that make it look like a typical busy New York avenue today.
In the 1970s, this stretch of Eighth Avenue became known as a gathering point for young people arriving from Midwestern cities who were living on the streets. By the 1990s, a combination of policing and urban renewal had transformed the area into the commercial corridor it is today.
The name Minnesota Strip came from the many young people who arrived here from Minnesota and other Midwestern states during the 1970s. The name stuck long after the street changed, and today it serves as a quiet reminder of that period in New York City history.
The strip runs along a main Manhattan avenue and is easy to reach on foot from several subway stations nearby. The sidewalks near 42nd Street tend to be crowded at most hours, so moving through this area takes some patience.
A 1980 television film documented the lives of young people in this area, bringing the story of the strip to a wider audience across the country. Several punk and rock musicians also referenced this street in their lyrics, giving the place a small but lasting mark in music history.
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