The SECIA History Group was recruited by the City of Minneapolis to develop information for the Minneapolis Diagonal Trail kiosks found along Stinson Blvd and 18th Ave SE. That historical information can also be found here:

Kiosk at Stinson Blvd and E Hennepin Ave
Kiosk at 18th Ave SE and E Hennepin Ave
Kiosk at 18th Ave SE and Elm St SE

Used to be here

2nd Ward Park - now Van Cleve Park

Aurora Park

Belle St/Ave - now in SE Minneapolis Industrial Area

Blanchards - 25th & Talmage Aves SE

Chambers St/Ave - now in SE Minneapolis Industrial Area

Columbus School - Winter & O Sts

Dearborn St/Ave - now in SE Minneapolis Industrial Area

Divison St. - now E. Hennepin Ave.

General Mills Research Laboratories - 2010 E. Hennepin Ave.

Mattox Grocery - 1000 SE 26th Ave (now Tea Leaf Gallery)

Stimart Shoe Shop - 22nd & Como Aves SE

Tuttle Street - now 16th Ave

Over a century of changes at Van Cleve Park

Annual Reports:

Annual Reports from 1891 on refer to skating rink in the winter at the park. From 1893 on, there are references to “taking down the skate house” or “removing the warming house to the park toolyard,” indicating that this was a temporary seasonal warming house.

1900: shows that, to date, $17,257.83 has been spent on “improvements” at Van Cleve Park and $14,974.69 has been spent on “maintenance.”

1906 Annual Report mentions that “dilapidated fences” were removed at Van Cleve Park and that this “greatly improved the appearance.”

1907 Annual Report lists the following improvements at Van Cleve Park, for a total cost of $1,053.90: new sidewalks, grading and filling, planting, seeding and turfing, “gymnastic apparatus, etc.”

Proceedings of meetings of the Board of Commissioners --A timetable of Park Board events from 1890 - 1961

Thank you to the following history contributors, and especially to Jennifer Lee, for all her efforts over the years!

Candee, Van Cleve Park Recreation Center

David Berger

Jocelyn Brekken, Augsburg College

Manly Berry

Jay Clark, U of M

Paul Densmore, Augsburg College

Di's Print

Katie Dishman, General Mills

Edwin Elwell, Jr.

Kelli Fifield, Tea Leaf Gallery

Katie Fournier

Elmer Frobom

Kristine Gaetke, Augsburg College

Aaron Hertzberg, U of M

Larry Hiscock, Harrison Neighborhood Association

Larry Homstad, BBD Holdings

Hope Lutheran Church

Aaron Isaacs, Minnesota Transportation Museum

Harvey & Audrey Johnson

Kristin Kaspar, Augsburg College

Christopher Kimball, Augsburg College

Bob Laudon

Dave Lee

Susanne Maeder

Sarah McGarry, Augsburg College

Joan Menken

Wendy Menken

Greg & Shirley Mueffelman

Penny Petersen

Rachel Ramadhyani, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

Lois Skinner, Tuttle Community School

Jon Souer, Como Evangelical Free Church

Southeast Christian Church

Lorna (Haas) Stanga

Joe & Jean Stimart

Scott Tankenoff, Hillcrest Development

Ruth Towner

Joe Tschida, Minneapolis Public Schools

Paul Van Cleve

Bruce Zacherson

CONTACT US:

612-676-1731

secomo@secomo.org

SECIA Homepage

updated: March 12, 2008