Nearly fifty years ago, it became possible to constructE. coliminichromosomes using recombinant DNA technology. These very small replicons, comprising the unique replication origin of the chromosomeoriCcoupled to a drug resistance marker, provided new opportunities to study the regulation of bacterial chromosome replication, were key to obtaining the nucleotide sequence information encoded intooriCand were essential for the development of a ground-breaking in vitro replication system. However, true authenticity of the minichromosome model system required that they replicate during the cell cycle with chromosome-like timing specificity. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to constructE. coliminichromosomes in the laboratory of Charles Helmstetter and, for the first time, measure minichromosome cell cycle regulation. In this review, I discuss the evolution of this project along with some additional studies from that time related to the DNA topology and segregation properties of minichromosomes. Despite the significant passage of time, it is clear that large gaps in our understanding oforiCregulation still remain. I discuss some specific topics that continue to be worthy of further study.