Exactly 140 years ago, advocates for parks, playgrounds and children convinced the people of Minneapolis to create a semiautonomous government to protect natural resources within the rapidly urbanizing city of Minneapolis. To celebrate, the Park Board has launched a year-long storytelling project called "140 Years: Our Parks, Our Stories."
The Park Board is collecting personal stories of staff and park users from across Minnesota to build a public archive. There will be storytelling events this summer with more information to come.
To kick off the story-gathering, the Park Board is offering recollections from two longtime staff.
Alice Dietz, who worked 40 years in recreation starting in 1916, championed women's sports and produced the annual playground pageant for children. During the pageants, children from every park in Minneapolis dressed in creative costumes and acted out fantastical skits. The events were held in Lyndale Park from 1916 to 1941.
And Reggie Jarrett, a 17-year Farview Park keeper and 30-year park staffer, shared images of sunrises he has seen from the top of the hill at Farview Park.
"I couldn't even tell you how many times I've walked up that hill," Jarrett wrote. "I am able to appreciate how beautiful the view is from the top of the hill at Farview Park, so I decided to try and capture this by taking pictures of the sunrise at five to ten minute intervals every morning. It is interesting to me to watch how a cloudy night can produce an even more vibrant sunrise with so many deep shades of reds and yellows. I've been able to capture these fantastic views for about three years now."
Memories can be submitted in English, Español, Soomaali and Hmoob or by emailing ourstories@minneapolisparks.org.
