Prospect Park, Minneapolis
Encyclopedia
Prospect Park is an historic neighborhood within the University community
of the U.S. city of Minneapolis, Minnesota
. The area is bounded by the Mississippi River
to the south, the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota
to the east, the Burlington Northern railroad yard to the north, and the Stadium Village
commercial district of the University of Minnesota
to the west. The neighborhood is composed of several districts which include the East River Road area.
An urban village once served by streetcar, Prospect Park is now a combination of multiple districts and uses. Families live in single-family homes on Tower Hill while University students reside in apartment housing in the western districts. Estate homes of the early to mid 20th century line East River Road. The SouthEast Industrial Area (SEMI) in the north contains light manufacturing, rail yards and remnant grain silos. University Avenue
houses a mix of retail and restaurant businesses from the Stadium Village area.
and the Colonial Revival styles. The Minneapolis Board of Education constructed the Sidney Pratt Elementary School in 1898.
Thomas Lowry
's interurban commuter train served the neighborhood with its stop at Malcolm Avenue until eventually the intercity line between Saint Paul and Minneapolis along University Avenue was opened. The Franklin Avenue Bridge
also eventually carried a line.
is corroborated by Google Earth as the highest ground. The tower, designed by Frederick William Cappelen
, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
on the Minneapolis City Council
. The neighborhood association, PPERRIA (www.pperr.org), founded in 1901, is the oldest neighborhood association in the city of Minneapolis.
Near the south end of the neighborhood on Bedford Street is the Malcolm Willey House
, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
and named after a University administrator. The historic significance of the house played a large part in preventing its destruction when Interstate 94
was built in the 1950s. The current goal of the neighborhood is to establish an "urban-village" feel — that is, a somewhat self-contained feel in the context of a larger city. Prospect Park also has a few surviving houses from the 19th century.
The neighborhood is home to two community centers, Pratt Elementary School and Luxton Park.
The Witch's Hat Water Tower is rumored to be the inspiration for Bob Dylan
's, "All Along the Watchtower
," as the tower was clearly visible from Dylan's home in nearby Dinkytown.
University, Minneapolis
University is a community in Minneapolis. It is composed of six smaller neighborhoods. It also contains the University of Minnesota campus and the Mid-City Industrial Area, which isn't assigned to an official neighborhood....
of the U.S. city of Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. The area is bounded by the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to the south, the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
to the east, the Burlington Northern railroad yard to the north, and the Stadium Village
Stadium Village, Minneapolis
Stadium Village is an area of Minneapolis, Minnesota near the East Bank campus of the University of Minnesota. While not an official neighborhood of Minneapolis, the area is an important commercial district that serves university students with many bars and restaurants. There are plans to...
commercial district of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
to the west. The neighborhood is composed of several districts which include the East River Road area.
An urban village once served by streetcar, Prospect Park is now a combination of multiple districts and uses. Families live in single-family homes on Tower Hill while University students reside in apartment housing in the western districts. Estate homes of the early to mid 20th century line East River Road. The SouthEast Industrial Area (SEMI) in the north contains light manufacturing, rail yards and remnant grain silos. University Avenue
University Avenue (Minneapolis-St. Paul)
University Avenue in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region of Minnesota begins near the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul and extends westward into neighboring Minneapolis, where it passes the University of Minnesota, and then turns north to pass through several suburbs before ending in Blaine,...
houses a mix of retail and restaurant businesses from the Stadium Village area.
History
In 1874, real estate tycoon Louis Menage (b. 1850) began plotting new subdivisions along Minneapolis' southern boundaries. Menage petitioned the City Council to accept his Prospect Park plats in 1884. Construction lasted into the 1910s as topography and geographic isolation made building difficult. Houses were designed in the popular architectural styles of the period, especially the Queen AnneQueen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
and the Colonial Revival styles. The Minneapolis Board of Education constructed the Sidney Pratt Elementary School in 1898.
Thomas Lowry
Thomas Lowry
Thomas Lowry was a lawyer, real-estate magnate, and businessman who oversaw much of the early growth the streetcar lines in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding communities in Minnesota...
's interurban commuter train served the neighborhood with its stop at Malcolm Avenue until eventually the intercity line between Saint Paul and Minneapolis along University Avenue was opened. The Franklin Avenue Bridge
Franklin Avenue Bridge
The Franklin Avenue Bridge, officially the F.W. Cappelen Memorial Bridge, carries Franklin Avenue over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was designed by Frederick William Cappelen, assisted by Kristoffer Olsen Oustad, both of whom were among four important Norwegian-American...
also eventually carried a line.
Geography
The site of the Prospect Park Witch's Hat Water Tower, constructed in 1913, is often cited as the city's highest point and a placard denotes the highest elevation at 951 feet (289.86 m), but a spot at 974 feet (296.88 m) in or near Deming Heights Park in Northeast MinneapolisNortheast, Minneapolis
Northeast is a defined community in the U.S. city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, composed of 13 smaller neighborhoods whose street addresses end in "NE". Unofficially it also includes the neighborhoods of the University community which have "NE" addresses, and the entirety of the Old Saint Anthony...
is corroborated by Google Earth as the highest ground. The tower, designed by Frederick William Cappelen
Frederick William Cappelen
Frederick William Cappelen was a Norwegian-born architect and civil engineer who held the office of Minneapolis City Engineer.Frederick William Cappelen was born in Drammen, Norway...
, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Demographics
The neighborhood is demographically diverse. Tower Hill extending south to the river contains families and retired empty-nesters. The Glendale Housing project southeast of 27th Avenue SE and University Avenue SE contains 700 families with the average household income slightly above $9,000 and 32% of residents living at or below the poverty level. On the former industrial areas of the west and north are newer student housing apartment buildings for both undergraduate and graduate students.Government
Prospect Park is entirely within Minneapolis' Ward 2, currently represented by Cam GordonCam Gordon
Cam Gordon is an American politician and member of the Green Party of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is an elected member of the Minneapolis City Council....
on the Minneapolis City Council
Minneapolis City Council
The Minneapolis City Council is the governing body of the City of Minneapolis. The City Council is composed of 13 single member districts, called wards. Barbara Johnson is president of the council. The council is dominated by members of the DFL Party with 12 members. The Green Party has one member...
. The neighborhood association, PPERRIA (www.pperr.org), founded in 1901, is the oldest neighborhood association in the city of Minneapolis.
Arts and culture
The neighborhood has an annual "Ice Cream Social" on the first Friday after Memorial Day, a get-together for the neighborhood with food, music and other entertainment. It is the one time of year when the interior of the Witch's Hat water tower is opened to the public, allowing for a panoramic view of Minneapolis from the top.Near the south end of the neighborhood on Bedford Street is the Malcolm Willey House
Malcolm Willey house
The Malcolm Willey House is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. It was designed by the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and built in 1934. Wright named the house "Gardenwall".Malcolm Willey was an administrator at the University of Minnesota...
, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
and named after a University administrator. The historic significance of the house played a large part in preventing its destruction when Interstate 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
was built in the 1950s. The current goal of the neighborhood is to establish an "urban-village" feel — that is, a somewhat self-contained feel in the context of a larger city. Prospect Park also has a few surviving houses from the 19th century.
The neighborhood is home to two community centers, Pratt Elementary School and Luxton Park.
The Witch's Hat Water Tower is rumored to be the inspiration for Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's, "All Along the Watchtower
All Along the Watchtower
"All Along the Watchtower" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song, which has been included on most of Dylan's greatest hits compilations, initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Over the past 35 years, he has performed it in concert more...
," as the tower was clearly visible from Dylan's home in nearby Dinkytown.
See also
- Neighborhoods of MinneapolisNeighborhoods of MinneapolisThe city of Minneapolis, Minnesota is officially defined by the Minneapolis City Council as divided into eleven communities, each containing multiple official neighborhoods. Informally, there are city areas with colloquial labels...
- University community of MinneapolisUniversity, MinneapolisUniversity is a community in Minneapolis. It is composed of six smaller neighborhoods. It also contains the University of Minnesota campus and the Mid-City Industrial Area, which isn't assigned to an official neighborhood....