More Park Mysteries
I haven’t been able to write much here for the last month, because I’ve been working on other writing projects. Gotta make a living! I have plans to write very soon on the politics of the purchase of Minnehaha Falls, the philosophy of landscape architect and park commissioner Phelps Wyman (I promised more long ago!), two more remarkable people who donated land to the Minneapolis park system, and the extraordinary Minneapolis park commissioner who, among other things, wrote a book that was plagiarized by martial artist Bruce Lee. I’ll also publish my list of “Lost Minneapolis Parks.”
Excellent stories all. And all still part of our city’s life.
Until I get to it…
Adrienne was the only minneapolisparkhistory reader to correctly name a park property shown on the 1897 map of Minneapolis that is no longer a park. She named Meeker Island—an excellent find. Now she is enjoying a free subscription to minneapolisparkhistory.com.
The other two park properties depicted as parks in 1897 that are no longer were Hennepin Avenue South from Loring Park to 31st Street and Lyndale Avenue North from Western Avenue to Farview Park. Both were still parkways in 1897, but were turned over to the city in 1905 when it became evident that they would always carry too much traffic to be the parkways the park board had envisioned.
That was a tough question because the green in those parkways is a little hard to see on the map.
So I’ll give you three new questions, all based on photos.
Name the three park properties from which the following photos were taken. MPRB employees are eligible to win, too! All photos were taken May 30, 2012.
Bonus question: Where did all the dirt come from to make this hill?
It’s not completely clear who the priest hopes to “save” here.
One of the best skyline views of Minneapolis.
Usual great prize of free subscription to minneapolisparkhistory.com for the first correct answers.
David C. Smith
Minneapolis Park History 
We have another winner! Thank you, Michael Haas. The official title of the parkway is Ridgway Parkway. Michael is right on the location, between Hillside Cemetery and I-35.
As for the dirt to make that enormous hill, I don’t know where it came from. I really was hoping someone else knew. But I’ll investigate.
It must have been a great place to sled.
Enjoy your prizes Michael and MaryLynn.
I just recieved this message from Michael Haas with his answers for our mystery photos.
1. St. Anthony Park in NE. I’ve climbed up that hill and sledded down many times. I’ve always wondered where the dirt came from, but maybe it had something to do with the i-335 project?
2. The back side of the pioneers monument, which wasn’t too visible until it was moved across the street to BF Nelson park, or whatever they’re calling it.
3. Must be ridgedale parkaway park, near the cemetery there.
I enjoy your blog. I hope I win in the non-park employee division.
Michael Haas
MaryLynn Pulscher already provided an instant winning answer. Well done! All three photos correctly identified. To be fair, she’ll get the prize set aside for MPRB employees and we’ll extend our fabulous prize offer to the first correct answer from the general public, too. MaryLynn notes that the site from which the skyline photo was taken is an excellent place to watch soaring red tail hawks.