Steaming Across Lake of the Isles
Miss Robbinsdale, The 1954 Aqua Queen
Peter's GrillParkwood Knolls
In 1949 the Edina city council was hoping to replicate the success of the Country Club neighborhood in the bluffs and hills on the city’s western edge. One of the Country Club Districts pre-eminent builders, Carl Hansen managed to persuade the city to view the lush rolling meadows to the west as a pastoral, [...]
Building St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Edina
Here’s a little footage of the 1938 construction of St. Stephen’s church on West 50th in Edina. Saint Stephen’s 75th anniversary is coming up next year. This film was made by village recorder, Ben B. Moore. The movie also features a glimpse of the old Wooddale School, a quieter 50th Street and 1930′s construction equipment.
Swell Shopping at Southdale
Groundbreaking for Southdale took place in 1954. 800 construction workers were used to build the two-story, 800,000 ft shopping mall. When it was completed two years later at a cost of cost twenty million dollars, the mall had 5,200 parking spaces and room for 72 tenants. Southdale was developed by the Dayton’s and their [...]
A Minneapolis and St. Paul Amalgamation
A municipal proposal for the Twin Cities. (1981). A History of the Minneapolis St. Paul Amalgamation The question of amalgamation was first proposed in public plebiscites, held in 2020 and 2038, the issue was defeated despite the advocacy of various local politicians. A similar initiative to merge Crystal and New Hope passed with a sound [...]
DOCOMOMO Presents: Modernist Sacred Spaces Tour
DOCOMOMO US MN Presents: Modernist Sacred Spaces Tour DOCOMOMO stands for DOcumentation and COnservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the MOdern MOvement. DOCOMOMO promotes the study, interpretation and protection of the architecture, landscape and urban design of the Modern Movement. WHO: DOCOMOMO US MN WHAT: Modernist Sacred Spaces Tour WHERE: Churches across Minneapolis and [...]
Swamp of the Day
A wide spot in the Minnehaha creek between Edina and St. Louis Park. This photo is take from a trail that nobody ever uses on the south side. You can get there from Todd Park.
Melody Lake
It isn’t every day I come across a body of water in Hennepin County I’ve never seen before. Today I was pleasantly surprised a little snake shaped body of water called Melody Lake in Edina. The best way to get a peek at it is to visit the park located at 5501 Melody Lake Drive. [...]
Highway 100
The original construction of Highway 100 started in 1935, as a New Deal project. The project was a cooperative venture between the Works Progress Administration and the Minnesota Highway Department, and was the largest WPA project in the state. The demand for the highway came out of growing pains in the Twin Cities during the [...]
Noko’s Amatuer Iphone Photo of the Day
Edina fire hydrants are just beautiful this time of year! What do you call those little purple flowers? Bee Balm?
Swamp of the Day
If you ever find yourself driving down Interlachen and are looking for a diversion take a left on Rolling Green and have a look at how the other half lives. I’ve always wondered about the evolution of the “mansion”. The Rolling Green neighborhood probably has about three dozen or so fine homes that were built [...]
Edina Mills Then and Now
The Edina Mill was one of the first of six gristmills to be built on the Minnehaha Creek in Hennepin County, Minnesota between 1855 and 1876. Located in present day Edina, the mill site was discovered during an expedition from Fort Snelling to Lake Minnetonka in 1822. Although the original mill structure was demolished in [...]
Swamp of the Day
Water lillies, lotus and pickerel climb over each other behind this cake eater’s cabin in Edina.
