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Mrs. Gorbachev visit 25 years ago a special moment for Mpls. family

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Mikhail Gorbachev and Gov. Rudy Perpich
Gov. Rudy Perpich greeted Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev on the lawn of the governor's residence in St. Paul, Minn., in 1990, as Raisa Gorbachev, Lola Perich looked on.
Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society

Twenty-five years ago Wednesday, Minnesota was in the international spotlight because of a pair of unlikely visitors.

Then-Gov. Rudy Perpich invited Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to visit, and Gorbachev took Perpich up on the offer.

Gorbachev and his wife Raisa were in town June 3, 1990, for just a few hours for several carefully planned stops at various sites, including the home of the Watson family in Minneapolis.

They were chosen to play host to Raisa Gorbachev during her visit.

MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Steve Watson about the anniversary. All these years later, the Watsons still live in that same house in south Minneapolis.