View of the Mississippi River with an island and buildings on the riverbank. The photographic print was created from an 1851 daguerreotype by Joel Whitney.
Volume of Park Board Commissioners proceedings for the year January 1-December 31, 1883. This volume is a typewritten transcript, prepared under the Federal Works Progress Administration, of the handwritten meeting minutes of the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners. The Proceedings for 1883 include the details of the first meeting of the Board of Park Commissioners on March 14 and subsequent monthly meetings, the appointment of commissioners, and of the decisions to purchase the first lands to be designated as public parks and parkways in the city of Minneapolis. This report references "Lake Calhoun," a Minneapolis lake now known as Bde Maka Ska, the Dakota language for "White Earth Lake."
This map compares the Minneapolis Park System for the years 1883, 1888, 1905 and 1910. The map is found in the Twenty-eighth Annual Report of the Board of Park Commissioners of the City of Minneapolis, after page 16.
This map, showing the Minneapolis Park System in 1883, 1888, 1905 and 1915 is found in the Thirty-fifth Annual Report of the Board of Park Commissioners of the City of Minneapolis, after page 88.
These maps are found in the Thirty-sixth Annual Report of the Board of Park Commissioners of the City of Minneapolis, in a pocket inside the back cover.
Table tennis and playground on the beach at Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This report references "Lake Calhoun," a Minneapolis lake now known as Bde Maka Ska, the Dakota language for "White Earth Lake."
Volume of Park Board Commissioners proceedings for the year 1885. This volume is a typewritten transcript, prepared under the Federal Works Progress Administration, of the handwritten meeting minutes of the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners. Among much other content, the Proceedings for 1885 document setbacks the Board encountered in acquiring land for East River Boulevard and Powderhorn Park due to excessive expenses from landowner appraisals and negotiations with landowners in other areas where parks were being planned. This report references "Lake Calhoun," a Minneapolis lake now known as Bde Maka Ska, the Dakota language for "White Earth Lake."
Volume of Park Board Commissioners proceedings for the year 1886. This volume is a typewritten transcript, prepared under the Federal Works Progress Administration, of the handwritten meeting minutes of the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners. Among many other activities, the Park Board paid for and planted trees throughout the city. Payments approved on May 15 included $2936.45 for trees and shrubs. This report references "Lake Calhoun," a Minneapolis lake now known as Bde Maka Ska, the Dakota language for "White Earth Lake."
Volume of Park Board Commissioners proceedings for the year 1887. This volume is a typewritten transcript, prepared under the Federal Works Progress Administration, of the handwritten meeting minutes of the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners. The Board changed Secretaries in this year, which prompted a review by the Committee on Finance with recommendations regarding bookkeeping, payroll, inventories and reporting. The proceedings of June 25 contain a resolution justifying and creating the post of Chief of Park Police, who would also serve as accountant and time keeper for the Superintendent of Parks. This report references "Lake Calhoun," a Minneapolis lake now known as Bde Maka Ska, the Dakota language for "White Earth Lake."
Volume of Park Board Commissioners proceedings for the year 1888. This volume is a typewritten transcript, prepared under the Federal Works Progress Administration, of the handwritten meeting minutes of the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners. The proceedings of the April 14 meeting include the approval of revised rules for the Board, covering everything from instructions for Board meetings and reports, duties of the officers, duties and procedures for the standing committees, and guidelines for employees such as the Superintendent of Parks. This report references "Lake Calhoun," a Minneapolis lake now known as Bde Maka Ska, the Dakota language for "White Earth Lake."
Volume of Park Board Commissioners proceedings for the year 1889. This volume is a typewritten transcript, prepared under the Federal Works Progress Administration, of the handwritten meeting minutes of the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners. Proceedings from this year reveal increased activity around facilities, amenities and activities in parks such as the purchase of pleasure boats and water swans for Central Park (now known as Loring Park) Lake, or the granting of privileges to sell refreshments at Minnehaha Falls. The June 29 business included amendments to “An Ordinance to secure the quiet, orderly and suitable use and enjoyment of the parks and parkways of the City of Minneapolis by the people” which contained notice that “No cattle, horses, mules, swine, sheep, goats, dogs or fowls shall be turned into or allowed to run at large in or upon any park or parkway.” This report references "Lake Calhoun," a Minneapolis lake now known as Bde Maka Ska, the Dakota language for "White Earth Lake."
Volume of Park Board Commissioners proceedings for the year 1890. This volume is a typewritten transcript, prepared under the Federal Works Progress Administration, of the handwritten meeting minutes of the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners. Some important elements from this years’ Proceedings include ordinances spelling out what was considered “quiet, orderly and suitable use of the Parks and Parkways of the City of Minneapolis by the people” (an example: “No person shall ride, propel or drive any velocipede, bicycle or other vehicle propelled by the feet or hands, or both, of the rider or person carried thereon in any park.”). On August 5 an ordinance was passed authorizing the Minneapolis Street Railway Company to construct and operate an electric line along Hennepin Avenue. This report references "Lake Calhoun," a Minneapolis lake now known as Bde Maka Ska, the Dakota language for "White Earth Lake."
Volume of Park Board Commissioners proceedings for the year 1891. This volume is a typewritten transcript, prepared under the Federal Works Progress Administration, of the handwritten meeting minutes of the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners. Proceedings from this year include ongoing discussions about and efforts to acquire land along the East River Bank Parkway, for which $30,000 was set aside, and around Lake Harriet. The popularity of Minnehaha Park is evident through discussions of erecting guardrails and gravel paths in dangerous areas, approving a license to sell refreshments and photographs for $415, and actions to ban the erection of tents and curio stands within the park. This report references "Lake Calhoun," a Minneapolis lake now known as Bde Maka Ska, the Dakota language for "White Earth Lake."
Colored plan for the Powderhorn Lake Park. Scale: 1 inch to 250 feet. This plan is found in the Tenth Annual Report of the Board of Park Commissioners of the City of Minneapolis.
This photograph of the bathing beach at Bde Maka Skain Minneapolis, Minnesota, is found in the Thirtieth Annual Report of the Board of Park Commissioners of the City of Minneapolis, after page 40. Bde Maka Ska is Dakota for "White Earth Lake," and was previously known as "Lake Calhoun."
Minnehaha Falls, frozen over in winter. Contributed by Richard Uriah Jones, Macalester College Class of 1901, and Macalester Head of Chemistry Department 1903-1941, and Dean of the College, 1917-1936.
Plan for Columbia Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This plan is found in the Tenth Annual Report of the Board of Park Commissioners of the City of Minneapolis,.