Tag: springs

The WPA works in Minnehaha Park, 1936. Part 4: A Spring in the Park.

There’s a lot of groundwater just below the surface in the Minnehaha Falls area. This is hardly a surprise to anyone who takes winter walks in the park.

Frozen ground water in Minnehaha Park. This was taken below the Wabun Picnic Area, standing on the driveway at Lock and Dam #1.
Frozen ground water in Minnehaha Park. This was taken below the Wabun Picnic Area, standing on the driveway at Lock and Dam #1 on January 24, 2016.

Continue reading “The WPA works in Minnehaha Park, 1936. Part 4: A Spring in the Park.”

viewing the falls, 1900’s: part 2

platform2
Vandalism? Disrepair? Deterioration? Someone named Will Taylor poses before Minnehaha Falls.

This photo is was taken on June 11, 1904, and shows that the Park Board’s viewing platform wasn’t holding up as well as one might hope.  This looks like a combination of vandalism and deterioration, with groundwater probably playing a part in the crumbling edge.  The land where this platform was looks like this today:

Continue reading “viewing the falls, 1900’s: part 2”

viewing the Falls, 1900’s: part 1

From 1890 until perhaps 1920, one could nearly touch the falling water at Minnehaha Falls. We cannot get so close today.

We can’t get this view of Minnehaha Falls today.  After the Park Board took ownership of Falls, they built a huge stone platform just where the photographers used to have people pose.  Not everyone liked this behemoth.  Charles “Father of the Parks” Loring wrote:

Continue reading “viewing the Falls, 1900’s: part 1”