Marshall Terrace in Minneapolis in Hennepin County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Park Planning and the Grand Rounds

Photographed By McGhiever, August 15, 2023

1. Park Planning and the Grand Rounds Marker

Inscription.

Park Planning and the Grand Rounds. .

"This section of the Grand Rounds is of outstanding importance to the city, but more particularly so to the East Side... A very interesting feature of this drive is the wonderful view it affords of the network of railroads and shops on the north; thence winding through Columbia Park over the hills through what is destined to be Northeast's most desirable residence district..." Minneapolis Tribune, September 5, 1924

. Cleveland's Vision Planning for Northeast Minneapolis parks began early in the city's history. In 1872, landscape designer H.W.S. Cleveland (1814-1900), a Massachusetts native then working in Chicago, was invited to address Minneapolis and St. Paul leaders about a united system of parks. Cleveland called for preservation of the cities' natural attributes including the Mississippi River, lakes, and native forest. The Mississippi River gorge, downriver from the Falls of St. Anthony, was the centerpiece of his vision for a system of drives linking the city's parks and lakes, and the foundation of the future Grand Rounds., Cleveland's Suggestions for a System of Parks and Parkways for the City of Minneapolis (1883) included a proposal for a riverside park north of 18th Avenue N.E., an area that he described as "comparatively level land, bare of trees and offering no topographical features of special interest, but affording the best opportunity I have anywhere seen for the construction of an extensive driving park of an entirely different character from any of the other tracts that have been proposed." This park, intended for horse racing, was never realized., Map of Minneapolis Showing Park System as Recommended by Prof. H.W.S. Cleveland, 1883. The city limits were extended to 37th Avenue N.E. in 1887., The Grand Rounds, 1926., Minneapolis and its Grand Rounds, linking lakes, river, and parks, 2014.,

St. Anthony Boulevard will open a large tract of fine rolling land for residential purposes and the improvement is bound to be of immense benefit to the entire East side of the City. Minneapolis Morning Tribune, November 12, 1922

. St. Anthony Boulevard, looking southeast from Columbia Park, ca. 1930. The new boulevard crossed Deming Heights and Stinson Boulevard, leading to the future site of Gross Golf Course., St. Anthony Boulevard (Parkway) In 1910, the Park Board announced it would build the eastern link of the Grand Rounds as a drive along the southern boundary of Columbia Park from 5th Street and 31st Avenue N.E. to Central Avenue. The board purchased 61 acres of undeveloped land between Columbia Park and Stinson Boulevard, spanning four miles, for the route they named "St. Anthony Boulevard." At the eastern terminus, nearly one mile of the boulevard crossed Armour and Company property originally intended for development as a stockyard; Armour donated the land for park use., The original boulevard design called for a 32-foot wide roadway and 40-foot planting buffer strips, but this grand scale was never realized. Grading across the former brickyards of Marshall Street, west of the park, began in 1917. The segment east of Marshall Street was opened in 1921; in 1924 the boulevard was dedicated between the Camden Bridge and East Hennepin Avenue. The city's "Boulevards" were renamed "Parkways" during the mid-1970s, after park improvements were made by landscape architects Eckbo, Dean, Austin, and Williams., Improvement Plans for Saint Anthony Boulevard, 1917. Theodore Wirth, Minneapolis Park Superintendent and Alfred C. Godward, City Engineer, designers., Columbia Park Bridge (1896), in ca. 1940., Columbia Park Bridges Hazardous at-grade railroad crossings challenged the early development of Columbia Park and St. Anthony Parkway. In 1896, the Soo Line completed a steel-ribbed, lattice-arch bridge over the tracks in the center of Columbia Park. Closed to automobile traffic in 1958, it is known today as the Columbia Park Bridge. Soo Line bridges also edge Columbia Park at 5th Street N.E., and at Columbia Parkway., Looking south on 5th Street N.E. from the Soo Line bridge, Columbia Park at left, 1957., Lost Sandy Lake Sandy Lake, at the heart of the park, appears on all early maps of the area. Such marshy lakes would have been attractive to Indians hunting and fishing near the river. Early Northeast Minneapolis residents used the lake for swimming and skating: in 1892 the Park Board called it "40 acres of spring water." In 1894, a commissioner proposed a name change to Lake Menomin, the Ojibwe word for wild rice (manoomin). A resident remembered the lake around 1900:

"...Sandy Lake was a real body of water, bordering the Soo shops on the north and taking in all the tract now occupied by the Columbia golf grounds. There were two boats there and some fish."

"This section of the Grand Rounds is of outstanding importance to the city, but more particularly so to the East Side... A very interesting feature of this drive is the wonderful view it affords of the network of railroads and shops on the north; thence winding through Columbia Park over the hills through what is destined to be Northeast's most desirable residence district..."
Minneapolis Tribune, September 5, 1924

Cleveland's Vision
Planning for Northeast Minneapolis parks began early in the city's history. In 1872, landscape designer H.W.S. Cleveland (1814-1900), a Massachusetts native then working in Chicago, was invited to address Minneapolis and St. Paul leaders about a united system of parks. Cleveland called for preservation of the cities' natural attributes including the Mississippi River, lakes, and native forest. The Mississippi River gorge, downriver from the Falls of St. Anthony, was the centerpiece of his vision for a system of drives linking the city's parks and lakes, and the foundation of the future Grand Rounds.

Cleveland's Suggestions for a System of Parks and Parkways for the City of Minneapolis (1883) included a proposal for a riverside park north of 18th Avenue N.E., an area that he described

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as "comparatively level land, bare of trees and offering no topographical features of special interest, but affording the best opportunity I have anywhere seen for the construction of an extensive driving park of an entirely different character from any of the other tracts that have been proposed." This park, intended for horse racing, was never realized.

Map of Minneapolis Showing Park System as Recommended by Prof. H.W.S. Cleveland, 1883. The city limits were extended to 37th Avenue N.E. in 1887.

The Grand Rounds, 1926.

Minneapolis and its Grand Rounds, linking lakes, river, and parks, 2014.

St. Anthony Boulevard will open a large tract of fine rolling land for residential purposes and the improvement is bound to be of immense benefit to the entire East side of the City.
Minneapolis Morning Tribune, November 12, 1922

St. Anthony Boulevard, looking southeast from Columbia Park, ca. 1930. The new boulevard crossed Deming Heights and Stinson Boulevard, leading to the future site of Gross Golf Course.

St. Anthony Boulevard (Parkway)
In 1910, the Park Board announced it would build the eastern link of the Grand Rounds as a drive along the southern boundary of Columbia Park from 5th Street and 31st Avenue

Park Planning and the Grand Rounds (right) at the Northtown Railyard Overlook image. Click for full size.

Photographed By McGhiever, August 15, 2023

2. Park Planning and the Grand Rounds (right) at the Northtown Railyard Overlook

N.E. to Central Avenue. The board purchased 61 acres of undeveloped land between Columbia Park and Stinson Boulevard, spanning four miles, for the route they named "St. Anthony Boulevard." At the eastern terminus, nearly one mile of the boulevard crossed Armour & Company property originally intended for development as a stockyard; Armour donated the land for park use.

The original boulevard design called for a 32-foot wide roadway and 40-foot planting buffer strips, but this grand scale was never realized. Grading across the former brickyards of Marshall Street, west of the park, began in 1917. The segment east of Marshall Street was opened in 1921; in 1924 the boulevard was dedicated between the Camden Bridge and East Hennepin Avenue. The city's "Boulevards" were renamed "Parkways" during the mid-1970s, after park improvements were made by landscape architects Eckbo, Dean, Austin, and Williams.

Improvement Plans for Saint Anthony Boulevard, 1917. Theodore Wirth, Minneapolis Park Superintendent and Alfred C. Godward, City Engineer, designers.

Columbia Park Bridge (1896), in ca. 1940.

Columbia Park Bridges
Hazardous at-grade railroad crossings challenged the early development of Columbia Park and St. Anthony Parkway. In 1896, the Soo Line completed a steel-ribbed, lattice-arch bridge over the tracks

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in the center of Columbia Park. Closed to automobile traffic in 1958, it is known today as the Columbia Park Bridge. Soo Line bridges also edge Columbia Park at 5th Street N.E., and at Columbia Parkway.

Looking south on 5th Street N.E. from the Soo Line bridge, Columbia Park at left, 1957.

Lost Sandy Lake
Sandy Lake, at the heart of the park, appears on all early maps of the area. Such marshy lakes would have been attractive to Indians hunting and fishing near the river. Early Northeast Minneapolis residents used the lake for swimming and skating: in 1892 the Park Board called it "40 acres of spring water." In 1894, a commissioner proposed a name change to Lake Menomin, the Ojibwe word for wild rice (manoomin). A resident remembered the lake around 1900:

"...Sandy Lake was a real body of water, bordering the Soo shops on the north and taking in all the tract now occupied by the Columbia golf grounds. There were two boats there and some fish."

Lake levels changed, however, and the Park Board reported in 1910 that it was then "absolutely dry and will never be a satisfactory sheet of water." In 1914, the "low, wet meadow" of Sandy Lake was drained and the board installed sewer tiles for future playfields. Part of the lake bed became the Columbia Golf Course; in 1928 a Northeast businessman proposed an airfield on a remaining portion. His unrealized plan was to link Northeast Minneapolis with air fields in Fargo, St. Cloud, and Fergus Falls.

Sandy Lake in 1903.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Parks & Recreational Areas • Roads & Vehicles • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1872.

Location. 45° 1.646′ N, 93° 16.141′ W. Marker is in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in Hennepin County. It is in Marshall Terrace. Marker is at the intersection of St. Anthony Parkway and California Street NE, on the right when traveling east on St. Anthony Parkway. The marker is at the Northtown Railyard Overlook. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Minneapolis MN 55418, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Columbia Park and Golf Course (here, next to this marker); Northtown and the St. Anthony Parkway Bridge (here, next to this marker); New Bridge Planning Process and Design (here, next to this marker); The 1925 Bridge and the Warren Truss (a few steps from this marker); River, Railroad and Industry (a few steps from this marker); Prairie to Brickyard: The Landscape of Northtown (a few steps from this marker); Carl Ripken, Sr. (approx. ¼ mile away); MLB ★ Minnesota Twins Rod Carew All★Star Field (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Minneapolis.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 23, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 23, 2024, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 46 times since then. Photos: 1. submitted on April 23, 2024, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. 2. submitted on April 20, 2024, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.