Nordeast Revisited

By popular demand (3 people), I offer up another in my sporadic Twin Cities History series. This edition takes another look at Minneapolis Northeast, affectionately known as "Nordeast". If you are familiar with this unique area of Minneapolis, you probably know Mayslack's, Karmarczuk's Deli, Nye's Piano Bar, St. Constatine's pierogi dinners, the Grain Belt Brewery sign ... If you are not familiar with the territory, I would encourage you to first read my initial post on Nordeast to get the flavor.     https://ussbb62.blogspot.com/2015/11/minneapolis-nordeast.html

What I offer in this post is a survey of some lesser known and quirkier places I have discovered on my bicycle wanderings. 

One peculiarity of Nordeast is its streets.  The north-south streets near the river are Main, 2nd, 3rd ... up to 6th, but then you enter the "Presidential Zone".  From west to east you find in order: Washington St, Adams St, Jefferson St, Madison St, Monroe St, Quincy St (to avoid a 2nd Adams St.) and so on, all the way to Coolidge.  The city fathers felt that since the area was home to so many immigrants, this street naming scheme would teach American History.  However, I doubt there are 1 in 1000 Americans who could tell you who was president after Fillmore, so I'm skeptical of the premise.

Fletcher's Ice Cream - 1509 Marshall Ave NE

Tucked back in a nook on Marshall St above Broadway - blink you'll miss it - sits a culinary delight. Home-made ice cream to die for.

Firefighter's Hall & Museum - 664 22nd Ave NE

The permanent display includes an 1865 operating   hand   pumper, an 1894 Waterous steam fire engine,   a 1919   American   LaFrance Ladder Truck from Mankato and a   1932 FWD pumper built by the Minneapolis Fire   Department shop.

Northwestern Casket - 681 17th Ave NE

Founded in 1882.  Wholesale caskets.  Now you can order online. Moved to New Hope in 2006. Today the building is home to a group of creative artists and renamed Casket Arts Building.

Psycho Susie's - 1900 Marshall Ave NE

Tiki is a state of mind. And great pizza.

13th & Monroe - 4 churches on 1 block

A Guinness World Record. Emanuel Lutheran was built in 1899 in Gothic Revival style. In 1904 Elim Baptist built its new structure next door, followed by St. Peter’s Lutheran in 1905 and Immanuel Lutheran in 1911. (Even with 3 Lutheran churches on one block, there are still more Catholic churches in Nordeast)

Railroad yards

I do love the railroad.

Thomas Edison High School - 700 22nd Ave NE

Opened in 1922, Thomas Edison High School is the only public high school in Nordeast. Famous graduates include Lynn Lundin, Joe Dziedzik, Clayton Tonnemaker.

Betty Danger's Country Club - 2501 Marshall Ave NE

Tex-Mex and the Ferris Wheel is all you need to know.

Beltrami Park / Maple Hill Cemetery

Established in 1857, Beltrami Park was originally Maple Hill Cemetery. It's early internees were Civil War casualties. By the 1890's it held over 5000 graves.  It fell into severe disrepair and roughly 1300 graves were moved.  But, today beneath the bocce ball courts, lie roughly 3700 forgotten souls.  A few grave markers and a commemorative plaque to the Minnesota Grand Army dead remain atop the hill overlooking Broadway.

Boom Island

Named for the booms that separated logs that were floated to the island in the Mississippi just above St Anthony Falls, where sawmills cut the logs into lumber.  In 1893 on a hot, windy August day, the greatest fire ever seen in Minneapolis started on Nicollet Island and quickly jumped to Boom Island where 22 acres of lumber was stacked, some piles 40' high.  It all went. Happily, the newly built steel & brick Grain Belt Brewery just to the south and the beer stored in caves along the river survived the flames.  Only 1 died, that of a heart attack, but 23 blocks of Nordeast were gone.  Boom Island became a Minneapolis park in 1982. It is one of the nicest and unfortunately under-utilized parks in the system.

Lowry Dairy Queen 701 Lowry Ave NE

When I was a kid growing up in Lowry, it was a great day when we took a trip to the Dairy Queen.  It meant a 7 mile drive to either Glenwood or (usually) Starbuck and a Dilly Bar reward.  I so wished my little town had one.  Who knew? There was one all the time. (That's me in the reflection bemoaning opening changed to 12:00 PM)

Til next time.  Stay well.

Copyright © 2020 Dave Hoplin