Greek philosopher
“Origin Story of
Fort Road/West Seventh Street,
the Township/City of Saint Paul,
the Territory/State of Minnesota,
Glacial Age Forward”
It was the old days, the old ways.
Back then, there wasn’t the luxury of being “careful.” Rather a problem of existence was identified and confronted. But the confrontation wasn’t with neighbors, but rather to the challenge at hand.
The Native Dakota, and later immigrants, relied on survival skills. It wasn’t just brawn, but collective action that was communicated within a like-speaking community.
This is one extended story of the inhabitants of our neighborhoods:
(Send email request for more information.)
Table of Contents
Foreward: Method 1 Eras of the West End 2 Dakota Era 4 European Extractive Colonialism 20 American Expansionism 24 A Transitional Time 30 From Claims to Plats 38 Minnesota Identity 46 Minnesota Survey 48 Marginalization 56 Red River Carts 60 Reserve Township 64 Rural Migration 64 Urban Migration 66 Upper Landing/River Flats/The Levee 70 Limestone, Brick, Tunnels 80 Irvine Park 94 Westtown, Downtown 104 Dakota Conflict 112 Seven Corners, West Seventh 116 Pleasant Avenue 130 German Settlement 134 “Bohemian” Settlement 164 Little Bohemia 196 Uppertown, Uppertown Triangle 208 Italian Settlement 216 Irish Immigration 228 |
Peasant Valley 232 Dairies of the West End 246 Widening West Seventh/Infrastructure 248 Seven Corners West 258 James to Victoria 258 Benevolent Societies 270 Schools/Community Centers 288 Taverns (and Brothels) 296 Minnesota’s Waterways 302 Railroad Transportation 310 City Railway/Metro Transit 314 West End Car Culture 318 Smith Avenue High Bridge 320 Shepard Road Freeway 326 West End Arts and Entertainment 348 West End Arts 352 Community Reporter 372 West Seventh/Fort Road Federation 376 Affiliations 396 Bibliography 397 Endnotes 401 About the Author 412 Postscript and Postimage 415 |
This history has been built with locally-sourced contributors
- Cover design by Teresa Pojar based on Loughridge illustration
- Illustrations by Stuart Loughridge
- Photography by Craig Johnson
- Illustrations/photography by Joe Landsberger
- 85% of 1058 images vintage, including Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS), Ramsey County History Center (RCHS), Library of Congress, Czech and Slovak Sokol Minnesota.
- Cartography by Nat Case, incasellc.com with Dr. Roderick Squires
- Editing by Jane McClure, Becky Yust and Joan Sedlacek
- Reviews by neighbors in selected content areas
- Assistance by RCHS Research Associate Rich Arpi particularly building permits from 1880 and West Seventh/Fort Road Federation archives.
- Gale Family Library Research Services
- Noted contributions by Greg Brick (subterranean connections), Justin Tweet (geology), Scott Olson (brickworks), particularly Betty Moran (1943-2024, RIP)
- Book layout consultation by Paul Nylander, Illustrada
- Printing and publication services by Michelle Hovde Bastian, InstyPrint West Seventh
- Hardcover marbling by Caron Moore
- Hardcover binding by Jeff Dahlin, E & L Bindery
- Research and authorship by Joe Landsberger documented with 258 endnotes.
For more information,
email
Joe Landsberger