| Dayton's
Bluff District
Forum June
2007
Volume 20, No. 4 |
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Walk the Bluff - Make Friends - Live
Long and Prosper
Perched high above downtown St. Paul on Dayton’s Bluff sits an Eagles Nest. But this particular nest isn’t the kind that houses the beautiful birds that soar majestically overhead. Quite the contrary, the Eagles that inhabit this nest are more interested in helping others soar.
The St. Paul chapter of the Federal Order of Eagles is located on Maria just south of Third Street in Dayton’s Bluff’s Historic District. Aerie Chapter 33, the groups official designation, is the oldest Eagles Club in Minnesota. It’s charter dates back to 1898. The group has been situated at its current location, 287 Maria, since the early 1990’s. The headquarters, a one-time movie theatre, includes a barroom and attached meeting hall complete with a stage and, once remodeling is complete, a full kitchen. Aerie chapter 33 boasts more than 150 full members. Many of them are Dayton’s Bluff and East Side residents. The club’s activities include everything from Friday night Karaoke and Saturday afternoon Bingo to annual picnics and corn feeds. But, as all the members emphasized, the real mission of the Eagles is its charity work. “The Eagles are all about people helping people,” said longtime member and Dayton’s Bluff resident John Burns. “We try to do things that people like,” added current president Carroll Partridge, or “Bird” as he is known to just about everyone. Indeed, the club has proven itself to be extraordinarly proficient at helping others. Aerie 33 raises thousands of dollars every year for a number of worthy causes. There is even a tote board hung above the clubhouse bar tracking this current year’s fund raising. The money raised goes to everything from child abuse prevention to cancer research. The group holds raffles and potlucks to help raise funds. Recently, Aerie 33 was able to donate a substantial check to a group aiding the families of service men and women overseas. “The whole chapter worked real hard to raise the money,“ recalls Bird, “but it was worth it when we saw the happiness it brought to those families. They gave us all pins engraved with a big ‘thank you.’ We were real proud.” The Eagles have no political or religious affiliations and membership is open to anyone who wants to pay the twenty-five dollar a year membership fee. Their events, such as the popular Friday night Karaoke and Saturday afternoon Bingo games are open to everyone. And on any given Friday night it’s not uncommon to find people of all ages and backgrounds waiting their turn at the Karaoke microphone. Good times and good works are the true inhabitants of this Dayton’s Bluff Eagles Nest. Looking for Beautiful Front Yard Gardens Dayton’s Bluff has many beautiful gardens and they can be entered into a garden contest this summer. You can enter your neighbor’s garden, a garden you see in your travels or your own garden. The Community Neighborhood Housing Services is working with the Community Councils in Dayton’s Bluff, Payne/Phalen, the North End, the West Side, and with the Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood Housing Services to get nominations for neighborhood gardens. The gardens should be in the front yard and/or on the boulevard. Front yard gardening has many benefits including giving the gardener opportunities to talk with neighbors, promoting well being, safety and beauty, and also helping improve the curb appeal of your property. Dayton’s Bluff‘s nominated gardens will receive a sign for their gardens that says “Saint Paul Looks Up to Dayton’s Bluff”. The signs will be created by neighborhood youth. Everyone who is nominated is a winner and for the very best garden there will also be a grand prizewinner. Gardens can be nominated until July 20, 2007. Email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org or call Karin at 651-772-2075 to receive a nomination form. Dayton's Bluff Community Meeting
The next Community Meeting is Thursday, June 7, 2007 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the meeting room at the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council, 798 East 7th Street at the corner of 7th and Margaret. The Dayton’s Bluff Community Council holds its Community Meeting on the 1st Thursday of each month. The purpose is to work with block clubs and neighborhood residents on problem properties, criminal and nuisance behavior, code enforcement issues and any other neighborhood issues, concerns, or new ideas for improvement in Dayton’s Bluff. If you would like, you can email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org or call Karin at 772-2075 with addresses of problems before the meeting. If I have the addresses of problems ahead of time I can get them to the police and NHPI (code enforcement). Then they can bring information about the problems to the meeting. Remember, it’s always on the 1st Thursday of the month. All Dayton’s Bluff residents are welcome to attend. If you need more information email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org or call Karin at 651-772-2075. Got
Trash? Put It Where It Belongs
Dayton’s Bluff Community Council Greenspace
Committee members, Dayton’s Bluff Achievement Plus Elementary School
and Metropolitan State University collaborated to take on the
“Trash Can Project”. Class training lasts 8 weeks and includes topics such as operations management, marketing, financial management, one to one assistance with creating a successful business, and preparing a business plan, plus 8 hours of one on one time with the instructor. Those who successfully complete the course and locate their businesses in target neighborhoods are eligible for ongoing business support services. Some examples of businesses started by people who have previously taken this course include graphics, landscaping, photography, food service, restoration of wood furniture and works of art, custom floral design for weddings and events, and exterior and interior painting. The course is sponsored by the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council and the Neighborhood Development Center. There is a small registration fee based on a sliding fee scale. The next session will start in September and class size is limited. Please call Karin at 651-772-2075 or email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org for an application. Dayton's Bluffer Takes a Hike at 96-Years
Young By Garry Fay
 Will Johnson Will Johnson is 96, walks Dayton’s Bluff with vigor and weaves a rich tapestry of tales of living an exciting healthy life here on the Bluff. Saturday May 5th found Mr. Johnson with a group of walkers that spent several hours exploring our neighborhood’s natural jewels. Dayton’s Bluff Take a Hike is a regularly scheduled hike that starts at 10:30 a.m. the first Saturday of every month. It starts from the pavilion at Earl St. and Mounds Blvd. in Indian Mounds Park and runs down the park into the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and then up through Swede Hollow. This month it took two and a half hours. I called Will for an interview a few days later and he had just come back from a walk through Swede Hollow and was getting ready for a practice with the “Marion Singers”. He spun a story that reveled in the past and noted the improvements of the present. The number one improvement for Dayton’s Bluff walkers being that now Swede Hollow is accessible from the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary area. He says that everything has so changed - much of it for the better. It was hard to find many of the landmarks of his youth in the Swede but he remembers them well. He told me of a few… There was a ski jump off of Bates Avenue. It was located where a walking path led to a horse barn near Hamms. The ski jump was cleared all the way down to the creek. His club had 121 people. The skiing in the Hollow led to a lifetime of skiing including Vale and Beaver Creek in Colorado. Will noted that there was a free ride between the two in those days and that he skied all over. I’m sure that the jump could be made today but nature has overgrown much of that area. Where once there was a campfire and several caves now there is the park. The lower cave Will said was used to spawn mushrooms and a bit of drinking went on in that cave too amongst friends. The second cave was up near where Phalen Creek started with a waterfall. In those days there was a rotting ladder about the Drewey Lane area. Now there some 150 steps up to the Hamms Mansion Site and Overlook where one can spy both downtowns of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Will is the last of nine siblings. Several were buried at Fort Snelling as well some cousins of French Canadian / English heritage, who were professional hockey players like Bob Collette of the Hollywood Millionaires. Some tales of public figures were started but Will only had five minutes to talk. Seems that Ladybird Johnson had donated some scrap iron and metal that was deposited down on 3rd and Robert but some folks complained about the “eyesore.” President Johnson and Jimmy Conners came in and out the conversation. Seems that there were more tales bubbling up in his memories than one could find in a bottle of Hamms Beer. “You can walk every which way.” Will told me, meaning that he feels a huge sense of freedom as he walks about the Bluff. “It keeps you in shape – that walking.” At 96 years he should know. In fact, he says in recalling Saturday’s hike, “I stood up the whole way.” The hike took over two hours so this was no small feat. The “Walk the Bluff” program that sponsors this hike also has many tours mapped out of various historical, natural/gardens and architectural routes both on-line and in print. Block Clubs and walking groups are creating more tour maps with their local places of interest that start in their neighborhoods. Time and distance specific walks are available also. We design specific walks according to our members’ desires. We lead tours all over the Bluff at various hours and plan for more successful walks. Our goals are to increase the walkability of the Bluff by making it safer, with more friendly walking routes and hence put and keep more walkers on the Bluff. We know that walking reduces stress, improves health and calms traffic. So get out and Walk the Bluff just like Will. Friends of Will’s walk Lake Phalen’s 3.2 miles but according to him nothing beats the nature and serenity of the walks through the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Swede Hollow where nature abounds and draws one into an inner calm. Bird watching is one of Will’s passions and there are always birds to spy in activity down there. The mallards are nesting, song birds singing, herons, geese, hawk and eagles feed and fly. Deer run freely below Obbs Bar on the east end of the Indian Mounds Park. Dayton’s Bluff has some jewels of nature where one can find solitude, reduce stress, increase your health and find focus in joyful walking. Come join Will and others: walk the bluff and enjoy! Dayton’s Bluff Take a Hike starts at 10:30 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month. Our starting place has been the Indian Mounds Park Pavilion at Earl Street and Mounds Blvd. since 1990. Our 2007 dates are: 2 June, 7 July, 4 August, 1 September, 6 October, 3 November and 1 December. For more information e-mail Garry@DaytonsBluff.org, call 651-1772-2075, visit 798 East 7th Street, St. Paul MN 55106 or search www.DaytonsBluff.org for Walk the Bluff. Going Green in Dayton's Bluff A garden speaks volumes to both the owner and
those who view it. It is no secret that gardening provides a calming
effect from working the land to enjoying ones’ bounty. Generally ten to fifteen Dayton’s Bluff people go on the tours looking at the beauty and getting new ideas for their gardens. If you would like to have your garden on a tour or have one of these tours in your area call Karin. Enter
City Wide Garden Contest To receive a nomination form email blooming@ci.stpaul.mn.us or call 651-632-2454. The deadline for nominations is July 20, 2007. For more information visit http://www.stpaul.gov/depts/parks/environment/gardens/blooming.html The First Lutheran Church/Greening Dayton’s Bluff Plant Sale and Exchange will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2007 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, 463 Maria. First Lutheran’s plants sale will include perennials and annuals. The Plant Sale also includes pre-orders for hanging baskets and other specialties, which can be picked up for Mother’s Day gifts, on Sunday, May 13! Order forms will be available in the Church Office. Pre-orders are due in by Sunday, May 6. Call 651-776-7210 for more information. There will also be a wonderful open selection for purchase on the 19th. The Fourth Annual Greening Dayton’s Bluff Plant Exchange has joined with First Lutheran’s Annual Plant Sale making it bigger and better than ever. If you have plants in your garden that you have too many of or do not like any longer, dig them up and bring them to the plant exchange and take home something you would rather have in our garden. Please label your plants and bring them to the Exchange. This year the First Lutheran Church plant sale will benefit Bay Lake Camp’s scholarship fund, which enables people of all ages to attend camp programs who would not otherwise be able to enjoy time on the island. Bay Lake Camp seeks to provide opportunities for youth and their families to celebrate God’s creation on a 60 acre island in north central Minnesota. For more information email Karin@DaytonsBluff.org or call Karin at the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council, 651-772-2075. Dayton's
Bluff Home Tour Was a Big Success
By Karin DuPaul The 2007 Home Tour was a great success. Hundreds of people toured the eight sites in Dayton’s Bluff, which included five homes, condo units and the Mounds Theatre. The weather made it a prefect weekend for the Home Tour. Visitors came from all over the Metro area and even a few people from out of state. There is a group from one of the western suburbs that comes every year to the Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood Tour because they enjoy seeing Dayton’s Bluff and all of the wonderful homes. A number of visitors took advantage of the Grand Opening of Eddie’s Place, a rib and chicken take-out restaurant, at 1047 Hudson Road and had ribs for lunch on Saturday. Others stopped at the Swede Hollow Café at 725 East 7th Street, which was recently on the Best Of list in the City Pages. This year we had some wonderful homes with many unique features. The home on East 6th Street had been beautifully redecorated. Visitors marveled at the copper kitchen sink, the beautiful colors and the wonderful landscaping. In the back yard has a pond, gazebo, gardens and the grand carriage house that once sat near Rice and Marion Streets. Otogawa-Anschel Design did an exceptional job on the kitchen and baths in the house on Wilson. In the kitchen they have beautiful tiles, marble countertops, cabinets that follow the old line of the abandoned staircase, and a small appliance garage. The master bath has a soaking tub, a large shower and a LG machine that is both an electric washer and dryer. The house on Minnehaha has beautiful woodwork including an outstanding stairway. There is an inviting deck in the back of the house with wonderful perennial gardens which include Dutchmen’s Birches and other great plants. One of the homes on the 1100 block of East 5th Street was featured in a 1999 article about problem properties in the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. Today it is a very nice comfortable family home with a large yard for family activities. The home on Mound Street has beautiful hardwood floors, a remodeled kitchen and wonderful living and dining rooms with a very nice fireplace and beautiful woodwork. The condos on East 4th Street are now all finished and ready for new owners. They offer a historic building with a modern interior and very comfortable 2 bedroom units. The Mounds Theatre was a big hit. It was built in 1922, had live performances until the 1930’s and movies into the 1960’s. Then it was used for storage until it was donated to the Portage for Youth, a non profit organization for young women, in 2001.Visitors got an opportunity to walk on the stage and even visit the projection booth. Some visitors remember seeing movies there many years ago and other were seeing it for the first time. All of them marveled at the beautiful renovation. The beautiful Seeger family homes on the 600 block of East 5th have been converted into condos. Some of the units have outstanding views of downtown and the Mississippi River. Visitors were heard saying they had no idea what a wonderful neighborhood Dayton’s Bluff is, and how they loved the beautiful homes and the picturesque views. Some of the homes had over four hundred visitors. We had thirty-one volunteers help with the Home Tour. Without them the tour would not have gone so smoothly. It was a very good Home Tour this year. Now we are starting to plan for next year. The Food Giveaway takes place on the third
Saturday of the month at Mounds Park United Methodist Church, Earl and
Euclid Streets. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. The Food Giveaway is from 10:30
a.m. to 12:00 noon. Come and receive a free bag of food, no
questions asked. Letter to
the Editor I’m back in the Bluff and happy to be home. I’ve written letters to this paper before, but this time I am not going to just gripe. Well, not totally. I’m going make a complaint and then offer a possible solution. Does the sound of multiple garbage trucks ever get to you? Well, I for one don’t like it. I thought maybe I just needed to grin and bear it—then again, I seldom grin. But there may be hope. I was recently reading the St. Paul newspaper and it had an article on a woman who had an idea and went around asking people to agree to make a deal with a single hauler. That way there would only be one truck, once a week, picking things up, making for a quieter neighborhood. To her surprise, it was fairly easy to get people to agree to the approach. Around ninety percent of the homes signed up. They even were able to get a group rate that reduced their cost a bit. What a great idea. I hope someone or many someones in Dayton’s Bluff will try to do something similar. Maybe it could be a block club project organized by the Community Council. It might take a little discussion to decide what kind of deal people wanted to cut. Many of the people in this article wanted to hire a small, family run company even if it might be a little more than contracting with one of the recently formed conglomerates that have been buying out the locals. I’ve been sending my check to a Chicago address. Who knows, maybe its owned by Tony Soprano. Others wanted to make sure that the hauler took things to the Ramsey County Newport facility that does some recycling. I personally would hope to find a company that wouldn’t start roaring along at six in the morning. Sure, it might take a few hours of talking to one another, but the results may be well worth it. How about it Forum readers? I’m hoping that by the next issue of this paper some people may be reporting that they have had meetings on the subject and are strongly considering setting up a block or even multi-block agreement. Your sometimes cranky but now hopeful neighbor, G. B. LeRoy Amazing Grace Assembly of God 463 Maria St. Paul, MN 55106 651-776-7210 1 block North of Metropolitan State University Sun 8:00 am – Free Community Breakfast 9:30 am, - Worship service Sun 10:45 am - Education for all ages Handicapped accessible ALL ARE WELCOME!
Mounds Park United
Methodist Worship times are subject to
change. Please call ahead to confirm.
There's
a New Block Club in the Neighborhood The topics ranged from stray dogs and graffiti to neighborhood swaps and Halloween celebrations as Dayton’s Bluff’s newest block club held it’s first meeting on May 9th. More than a dozen residents gathered at the Mounds Park United Methodist Church on Earl and Euclid to talk about issues concerning the quality of life here on Dayton’s Bluff. Many of the participants are residents of the one thousand block of Wilson Ave. but the group also included residents from Earl, Euclid and Conway. Daniela Bell, one of the primary organizers of the new block club, is a new resident of the neighborhood, having moved here with her husband Eric Foster this past winter. She sees big benefits in organizing a block club. “It’s important to get to know your neighbors and to work together to make this an even better neighborhood,” said Bell. Indeed, most of the participants are newer residents of the neighborhood. Many are young couples with young children reflecting a trend many longtime Dayton’s Bluff residents have noticed in recent years. Dayton’s Bluff has become an ideal location for folks looking for all the benefits of city living without the steep real estate prices so pervasive in some other city neighborhoods. “We couldn’t find another unique home we liked within our price range in any other neighborhood,” said one meeting participant. It was evident that with these new residents has come a renewed interest and a renewed energy in addressing quality of life issues in our neighborhood Karin DuPaul, Dayton’s Bluff’s Community Organizer, started the meeting by giving some general guidelines and suggestions on how to organize a block club and what results to expect. She covered everything from the proper procedures to report a suspected drug house to who to contact to report a loose dog. One issue DuPaul emphasized was the need to document problem properties and notify the proper authorities. If there’s a problem house on your block you need to write down the who, what, and when, be it a loose dog or be it suspected drug dealing, and then report the problem to the police. “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” said DuPaul. “If you call once and nothing happens, call again,” she added. “And have your neighbor’s call,” DuPaul advised, “There really is strength in numbers.” Some quality of life issues beyond crime prevention were also discussed. One very interesting idea that was raised at the meeting was organizing neighborhood swaps. A kind of localized version of the very popular internet site “Craig’s List” at which individuals exchange goods and services person to person many times using a barter system instead of cash purchases. Conway resident David Shelton mentioned that during his neighborhood organizing efforts one of the things people on his street reacted most enthusiastically to was this neighborhood swap idea. When the night ended it was decided that another block club meeting would be held next month, hopefully again at the Mounds Park United Methodist Church. Eric Foster volunteered to start work creating a website for the new block club. Though the site is still in the early planning stages, Foster envisions it as a “place to use as a discussion forum and exchange ideas and issues with your neighbors.” Anyone who wishes to participate in the next meeting of this new block club is welcome. Though the club started on the one thousand block of Wilson, everyone in the area is encouraged to participate. Meeting attendee and lifelong Dayton’s bluff resident Greg Cosimini echoed this sentiment. “At one time we had a block club that included everyone between Earl and Forest, and from Hudson Road to 3rd Street,” said Cosimini. Many at the meeting believed that a block club like this could go a long way in creating a real deterrent to nuisance properties and local crime and help build a stronger sense of community here on Dayton’s Bluff. If you’re interested in more info on this new block club or any other Dayton’s Bluff block club or if you wish to form your own block club, contact Karin DuPaul at the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council 651-772-2075. Streets
of the Bluff... And Other Good Stuff - Part III Back by popular demand is a continuation of the articles on the origins of our community’s street names. As stated before, these have been inspired by the publication of Don Empson’s newly updated and expanded book The Street Where You Live: a Guide to the Place Names of St Paul. We have been adding our own touches and additional information to cover things there was not room for in the book. Think of the articles as a sort of lengthy book review. We got to Maple Street last month and will finish this month. Street Where You Live also tells about how the street system has changed over the years and how names have been somewhat frequently changed. For instance, both in 1872 and 1940 the City Council decided to make quite a few alterations. Of course, as new developments were built, new streets were laid out and added to the list. If you missed any of the earlier names—they have been in alphabetical order—you can find them on-line by going to www.Daytonsbluff.org. The Dayton’s Bluff Community Council page will be at the top of the list. Then click on “News” and there will be a place to look at or download past issues.
Margaret Street: It used to be Pearl Street, but no one seems to know why. The name was changed in 1872 and it could be for a person but, as Empson points out, Margaret is derived from the Latin word for Pearl. Margaret Playground, one of the oldest in the city, was given its name because of its location on Earl and Margaret. Maria Avenue: In 1857 Lyman Dayton named this street after his wife. As you may remember, Bates was her maiden name. A native of Rhode island, she was born in 1811 and came to St. Paul with Lyman in 1849. When her husband died in 1865, she left the house they built in 1854 and moved to another in Dayton, Minnesota, located near the city of Anoka. She later married a Mr. Nell, many years her junior, who was said to have been the gardener of their St. Paul home. For those of you who are new to the area most older residents pronounce the street “mah-rye-ah,” but doing so means you have to patiently tell people how to spell it when ordering something in the mail. Maury: This small street between Greenbrier and Bates, was the last in Dayton’s Bluff to ever be paved. It is named after Matthew Maury, a naval officer and ocean traveler who died in 1872. He wrote several volumes on the seas, including an early work that helped explain the role of tides and winds that cut down travel time. Someone at the time must have had a naval interest, because several other East Side streets, such as Preble, were also named for naval heroes of the era in this 1857 plat. Mendota: Originally labeled Oak, the name was changed, along with many others, in 1872 by the City council. Mendota is a Dakota word meaning mouth of the river, but it is unclear why this particular name was chosen for an area not all that near the Mississippi. Minnehaha: Empson points out that this was one of the earliest surveyed section lines that runs through any number of neighborhoods. Its 1857 name, also given to a small waterfall in Minneapolis, refers to a character in poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “The Song of Hiawatha.” There was once a plan to link East Minnehaha with its western counterpart, but delays and then 35E kept that from happening. Mound Street: As you might guess, this designation came from its proximity to the famed Indian Mounds. When it was laid out as part of the Suburban Hills addition in 1856, there were over thirty of these early burial mounds and now only six remain. Mounds Boulevard: As Indian Mound Park (not a typo-that’s what it used to be called) was laid out, there was a great clamor to create a major road that would make it easier to get to the popular amenity. Mounds Boulevard was created. It replaced Hoffman Street in the lower bluff and was eventually extended to Johnson parkway. It was part of a system designed to link the city’s major parks. There was an early proposal to take the boulevard west through Mt. Airy to the State Capitol North Street: You might think this name should be reserved for someplace at the city limits, but at the time it made sense. It was the northern boundary of the 1852 Brunson’s Addition to the city. Brunson, whose old brick home still stands in Railroad Island, was an early settler who did much of the early survey work in the city. Pacific: In the past it was Central and also Centennial but was given its current designation in 1883, a name transferred from another street for no known reason. Built in 1891, the oldest public school still on its original site is at 998 E. Pacific. Mound Park School (see, that spelling was often used) was closed when the new Dayton’s Bluff Elementary was opened and is now used as housing. Plum: Presumably named for the fruit trees that may have been growing there when the 1857 addition to the city was laid out. There are other “tree names” nearby, so it may just have been a popular thing to do in the mid-nineteenth century. Point Douglas Road: Point Douglas, named for famed Illinois politician Stephen A. Douglas, was once an important town located at the juncture of the St Croix and the Mississippi Rivers. This remnant in Dayton’s Bluff is part of the 1850’s Territorial Road which led there from St. Paul. It was part of the 1856 Suburban Hills plat. Reaney: Captain John H. Reaney came to St. Paul with his father in 1852. As a young man, he started working with local businessman Louis Robert. Reaney became an owner of several steamboats and the street was named for him in 1872. Ross: William H. Ross was in business with John Weide, a brother of one of the developers of this street that started in Arlington Hills. Empson posits that Ross may have been an investor in the project. Seventh Street: As its name implies, this was the seventh street back from the Mississippi River in the original downtown layout of 1849. As the city grew, it was extended to the east and the west. An early railroad that ran north of the street brought industry to the area. Once a bridge was built across the swampy area created by Phalen Creek, East Seventh was a major thoroughfare through Dayton’s Bluff. Streetcars later added to its importance and in 1910 Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M) opened shop and provided hundreds of jobs over the years. Today the street has been revitalized with a diverse array of small businesses. Short Street: It probably was so dubbed in the 1856 Suburban Hills addition because it is only one block long. As Empson puts it with his usual wry humor, “this name was applied in a short spurt of longing.” Sinnen: Bernard and Anna Sinnen platted this street as part of their farm in 1872. Though he died in 1887 and his wife in 1891, some family members remained in the bluff until the 1970’s, including Frank Sinnen who lived on Wakefield Street until his death a few years ago. Sixth Street: Like the other numbered streets, this one started out downtown as the sixth one from the Mississippi River. It has been an important route in Dayton’s Bluff from its start at today’s Metropolitan State university to Sacred Heart Church and beyond. Surrey: It was once Van Buren Place—likely because it was so near Van Buren Elementary School. It was dubbed Surrey in 1940, but the reason is currently unknown. Third Street: Actually the first numbered downtown street from the river, since the first two were designated Water and Bench Streets. Once the swampy area was filled in, it became a second major arterial from the city proper into Dayton’s Bluff. By the 1880’s there was a bridge over the water. The one today is the third elevated road and, as we all know, it should be called the Third Street Bridge, not the Kellogg Bridge like downtown people sometimes say. Thorn: It was once named Richmond but became Thorn in 1872. Perhaps it was connected with the tree names, but nothing certain is known. Urban Place: It was Lizzie until 1905. Oddly enough, it was not very urban even then, because the streetcar didn’t go through the area. A house built in the 1850’s (still there as 155 Urban) had a heritage elm tree that was one of the oldest in the city. It even had a historic marker, but Dutch Elm disease ended its century-plus life in 1974. Wakefield Ave.: This thoroughfare started out as Birch-yet another tree. William and Harriet Wakefield came to the city in 1856. A few years later—some say 1859, others 1860— they bought several acres just outside the city limits and built what was then referred to as a “country estate.” They called the house, located at 963 Wakefield, and its surroundings “What Cheer Lawn” and family members lived there until the 1920’s. To honor the family, Birch became Wakefield in 1892. Wilshire Place: Because of its proximity to the Mississippi, this short road was once called River Street but picked up its new designation in 1940. Perhaps the most dramatic historic event there took place in June, 1929, when a Northwest Airways Ford Tri-motor plane crashed on take-off from Holman Field and hit two homes at Mounds Boulevard and River Street. The pilot was killed and the many injured were helped to safety by on looking neighborhood residents. Wilson: This Dayton’s Bluff road had been Hudson Avenue but in 1940 was changed to avoid confusion with nearby Hudson Road. Along with Empson, I have no idea from whence the new name came. Zimmerman: I realize this is not a street, but as Empson says, this small subdivision on the southwest corner of Seventh and Bates “is noteworthy as the only entry in this book beginning with the letter Z. Next month we’ll look at some of the other non-street place names included in Empson’s book. These would include bodies of water, such as Phalen Creek, parks, the Indian Mounds, Weld’s Bluff and many other bits of interesting information. If you can’t wait, feel free to buy your own copy of The Street Where You Live by Donald L. Empson. This University of Minnesota Press publication is available at most bookstores as well as the Ramsey County Historical Society and the Minnesota History Center. You can order an autographed copy of the book directly from Don. Send a check or money order to Donald Empson at P.O. Box 791, Stillwater, MN 55082. The price is $19.95 + $1.30 sales tax + $4.00 for postage and packaging for a total of $25.25. If you do, please tell how you would like the book dedicated. His web site is www.empsons.com. Dayton's Bluff Dining: Restaurant Reviews By Linda and Chris LaBarreThere are exciting places to eat right outside your front door. Many of Dayton’s Bluff dining options are Mom and Pop restaurants. These distinct, creative, and independently owned places offer culinary treats from many different countries. Eating out in Dayton’s Bluff and its nearby neighborhoods can be exciting and rewarding. We hope these reviews whet your appetite for our local fare and introduce you to a few new places. In this, the first of the Dayton’s Bluff Dining series of restaurant reviews, my husband Chris and I will search the hill to turn up delectable tidbits of information about our local eateries. We will employ our taste buds and use our best descriptive words in order to tell you about the food, atmosphere, pricing and the location of places to eat in and around our neighborhood. The Tea House 1676 Suburban Ave. 651-771-1790 This little gem just opened in the strip mall between Target and I-94. The new owners totally remodeled the place and it is beautiful. It now has a slate tile floor, solid wood tables and chairs. In addition there are lush colors, artwork, and modern lighting. You eat with your eyes then your nose and then with your mouth. The smell is gorgeous because the food is absolutely divine! Really, this is the best Szechuan style food we’ve had since we lived near China Town in Philadelphia. Be adventurous and order an appetizer from the dim sum menu. For the main course the kung pao chicken is fantastic and it will knock your socks off. The tea is simple and light and pairs well with spicy dishes. We love that this place is nearby and we hope you do too. The Tea House is open for lunch and dinner, They also have a daily and weekend dim sum menu. Lunch specials start at $6.50 and dinner prices run from $9.95 to $17.95. For more information you can call them at 651-771-1790. Golden’s Deli 275 E 4th Street at 651-224-8888 We would also like to recommend Golden’s Guiltless Bagels. The bagel sandwiches are made to order and served up hot at its St. Paul Farmers Market location on the weekends. Grab a friend and your backpack. Hike down the hill for some egg and cheesy goodness; you’ve earned it. They also serve coffee and espresso drinks and fresh squeezed lemonade. The Farmers Market is dreamy this time of year and I am sure you don’t need a melty cheesy sandwich to tempt you to go to the market. But since your going anyway, the bagels are nice. The deli is located across the street from the market and is also open Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-2.30 p.m. A sandwich with beverage might be $6.00-$8.00. They can be reached at 651-224-8888 If you have a favorite place to eat in or near our neighborhood please let us know and we can try it out. Or, send in your own review and we will pass the information on in our next month’s column. You can e-mail us at linleela7@hotmail.com To good food, good health, and a great neighborhood. Center for Working
Families Opens A unique project developed by this foundation opened March 1, 2007 at the John A. Johnson Elementary School in East St. Paul to help lower-income families achieve financial stability by intentionally “bundling” core services believed to be essential in helping families succeed, such as job readiness skills, career laddering and advancement skills, job interview coaching, job placement assistance, one-on-one financial counseling, money management skills—including budgeting and debt management—and access to public benefits to help families overcome personal setbacks. Called the East Side Center for Working Families, the unique, one-stop neighborhood service concept is the first of its kind in Minnesota that focuses on helping families increase their income, reduce their financial transaction costs, and generate financial stability for themselves and their communities. There are just 12 other centers like it nationally. “Nationwide, this model has great potential to help families connect all the dots that are important in gaining financial stability, especially the financial education piece of the puzzle,” explained May Xiong, program manager for Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, which manages the new center. “We are working with several community partners who are experts at coaching families successfully in various areas of their lives. Our challenge now is to get the word out to people who could benefit from this new concept.” In the neighborhood surrounding Johnson Elementary, median household income ranges from $30,400 to $39,000. Organizations working with Lutheran Social Service to provide employment coaching and public benefits assistance include the East Side Family Center, part of the East Side Neighborhood Development Company, and Employer Solutions, Inc. “So often, parents are holding down jobs with low wages and going to school at the same time,” Xiong explained. “When an emergency occurs or family setback, school is often the first priority to go. We want to help these families get past the bumps in the road, stay in school or keep their jobs so they stay on track and move up the ladder financially. With more adults working and building assets, families develop stability and communities become better places to live.” Xiong also underscored sound money management skills as key in family success. “Ironically, low-income families who can least afford it end up paying for high priced financial products, such as check cashing services that put them even farther behind,” she said. “This service will help families learn how to budget, save and plan for emergencies, as well as become savvy users of financial services.” The Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation, or LISC, helped bring the Center for Working Families to St. Paul. Deanna Foster, Program Director, said “The East Side Center for Working Families is a great partnership and a promising model that can begin to address the financial needs of families in the neighborhood who are already striving to make this community a great place to be. We are proud to be a partner with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the community on the opening of this exciting effort.” Since March 1, a handful of families whose children attend Johnson Elementary have been served, but Xiong said she hopes to get the word out to more families in the community that could benefit from the center. A community celebration was held on May 2 for funders and key supporters. The East Side Center for Working Families is made possible through resources and the collaborative work provided from the following organizations: Annie E. Casey Foundation, Twin Cities LISC, The McNeeley Foundation, Payne-Lake Community Partners, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and East Side Neighborhood Development Company. Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota manages the center. The East Side Center for Working Families is located at 740 York Avenue, Room 2115, at Johnson Elementary School in East St. Paul. Hours of service are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and evening hours are available for families working during the day. For more information, call 651/793-7324. Volunteer Editor Needed! A volunteer
editor is needed for the print edition of this paper. Pagemaker
experience is a
plus. Call Karin at 651-772-2075. The Minnesota Department of Employment and
Economic Development (DEED) awarded a $327,348 grant to Metropolitan
State University School of Nursing, Gillette Children’s Specialty
Heathcare, HealthPartners Medical Group and Clinics, and Regions
Hospital for simulation-based education. The grant was awarded
through the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) Board. There
was a grant signing ceremony April 30 to celebrate this training
partnership. Beautiful
Music at Dayton's Bluff ECFE
When children are evaluated for kindergarten readiness, one of the areas considered is the child’s use and appreciation of the arts. In order to help children develop in this awareness, Dayton’s Bluff ECFE provides many opportunities to create and appreciate music, acting, painting, drawing, sculpting, and the like. One extra special experience which supports readiness in the use and appreciation of the arts is our annual Kinder Konzert trip which takes four year olds and their parents on a trip to Orchestra Hall to see and hear an orchestral presentation of a familiar story. This trip is the capstone of weeks of classroom curriculum which introduces the theme story for the year (this year Goldilocks and the Three Bears), and teaches musical concepts like pitch, tempo and rhythm. Children have many opportunities to play different instruments, to move to music, to listen for repeated musical motifs, to keep time and much more. They also explore different versions of the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears by different authors and illustrators, act out the story using mama bear, papa bear, and baby bear (stuffed animals) with their porridge bowls and chairs. They are invited to draw their favorite part of the story or to create and dictate an original ending of their own. One part of the classroom preparation for Kinder Konzert is always inviting “guest musicians” to come to classes to do short performances on musical instruments. The visiting musicians include program moms and dads and their friends, classroom volunteers, and older siblings of children in the program. The level of expertise ranges from professional to pretty good to frankly shaky. These mini-concerts give children an up close and personal introduction to a variety of instruments, and give them a chance to practice concert etiquette by listening attentively and applauding performers at appropriate times. They also give children an opportunity to make music under the guidance of the guest artists by drawing a bow across the strings of a violin, blowing into a flute, strumming a guitar, or pushing the keys or buttons on an accordion. We had especially wonderful classroom concerts this year. Some of these mini-concerts held the attention of whole groups of children for surprisingly long periods of time and were followed by children patiently waiting for a turn to “try” the featured instrument. When we think about children’s school readiness skills, we adults divide them into categories to help us think about them effectively. The reality, however, is that the categories overlap and intermingle and almost every activity children participate in supports their growth and development in many readiness areas. Asking children to make and listen to music, to act out a story, and to create and describe pictures of parts of that story clearly contributes to the readiness skills of creating and enjoying art. But these activities simultaneously support all of the other skills that are commonly identified as important kindergarten readiness skills. Listening is a basic skill in almost every area of readiness for hearing children. Spoken language and music share many attributes and music activities are often recommended as supports for developing pre-reading and writing skills. Music activities also strengthen the child’s growing math awareness in many ways. Songs build a bridge between language and music. Making music uses both large and small muscles. Personal and social development are supported when children get on the bus with their friends or think about the process of becoming skilled at playing an instrument. The list of important benefits from preparing for and going to Kinder Konzert goes on and on. Mama Bear and Papa Bear and Baby Bear would all pronounce the experience, “Just right!”
General Mills Foundation Awards Grant to
World Cultures Magnet School for Theatre and Music Programs The General Mills Celebrating Communities of Color grants program is a $500,000 initiative now in its third year. Two schools in the Saint Paul Public Schools received an award: World Cultures Magnet and Mississippi Creative Arts Magnet. The grant to World Cultures Magnet School is providing all the children in the school an opportunity to perform in either theatre or music. The production, “World Cultures: On Stage”, was on the evening of May 24 at the school’s regular spring culture fair. Theatre artists Mr. Edward William and Ms. Dudley Voigt are directing the plays “How Music Came into the World” and “Tiger Soup.” Ms. Stacey Kilton and Ms. Shirley Mier are the music directors and leading the students in songs from the Americas, the school’s current cultural focus. The theatre and music experiences open a variety of cultural themes from the Americas, such as Aztec history, drum rhythms, and Caribbean language and folklore. “These programs reach out to thousands of people of color in the community helping to meet critical needs and to enrich lives,” says Ellen Goldberg Luger, executive director of the General Mills Foundation and a General Mills vice president. As a unique part of the grants program, General Mills employees volunteer to accompany staff on site visits to organizations and help the Foundation in the evaluation process. World Cultures Magnet School serves a diverse population of children from the East Side as well as across Saint Paul. The project will bring a great sense of accomplishment to the students. The teachers of the school hope that their students will see the value of everyone’s talents and gifts coming together. King Lear Still Rules at Mounds Theatre in June Starting Gate Productions’ fifth and final play of their second season at the Mounds Theatre is William Shakespeare’s King Lear. It runs through June 10th. The arrogance and blindness of unchecked power, the disintegration of the family, and the elusive wisdom of the simple, unspun truth weave the fabric of this timeless epic. Matt Sciple is the director. Where: Mounds Theatre 1029 Hudson Road St. Paul, MN 55106 When: May 18 – June 10, 2007 Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 p.m and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets: All tickets are $18; $16 for seniors and students. Call 651-645-3503 or go to www.startinggate.org.
Cerenity Senior Care - Marian of Saint Paul Connects with Troops in Iraq  Residents of Cerenity Senior Care-Marian of Saint Paul who have served in foreign wars found a way to express their appreciation of those serving today in Iraq. Residents and staff of Cerenity Senior Care-Marian of Saint Paul worked together in April and purchased items to assemble 49 care packages and sent them to troops serving in Iraq. The names of Minnesotans serving in Iraq were provided by Operation Minnesota Nice. Each package contained items purchased by Cerenity Senior Care-Marian of Saint Paul’s residents and their families. Residents who are former veterans also wrote letters expressing their support and appreciation. It was a great way to reach out and say thank you to those who are serving our country. “We’re all very proud of you kids. Know that what you’re doing is making a great difference in many lives.” William W. WWII veteran Cerenity Senior Care-Marian of Saint Paul will continue to send care packages to the troops. If you would like to participate in this project, please send donations to Cerenity Senior Care - Marian of Saint Paul 200 Earl Street, St. Paul, MN 55106 or call 651-793-2100. “Be proud of your country and state. We are proud of you,” William W. WWII veteran. “What you’ve sacrificed for our country we are very grateful for,” John M. WWII veteran - Residents of Marian of Saint Paul. World War II Memorial Dedication Set for
June 9th The State of Minnesota will remember
and honor the more than 326,000 Minnesotans who served in the armed
forces during World War II at the dedication of the World War II
Memorial, June 9, on the State Capitol Mall in St. Pau,l Minnesota. Grants
Bring in Millions for St. Paul Schools A three-year $2.3 million Minnesota Department of Education grant will expand Extended Learning services for nearly 1,200 students at Cleveland and Washington junior high schools and Dayton’s Bluff, Jackson, John A. Johnson and Phalen Lake elementary schools. The services link to the district’s curriculum and are designed to prepare students transitioning from elementary to junior high school. The YMCA of Greater Saint Paul is partnering with the school district on this initiative. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Program, overseen by the U.S. Department of Education, provides grants to schools and organizations to create or expand community learning centers. These centers provide students with academic enrichment opportunities and additional activities. The centers must have an academic focus so that students are assisted in meeting state and local academic achievement standards in core academic subjects such as reading and mathematics. Families of students served by centers may also receive services in areas such as literacy development and related educational services. Past issues of the Dayton's Bluff District Forum |
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| Past issues of the
Dayton's Bluff District Forum |
