When Minnehaha Flowed with Whiskey: A Spirited History of the Falls with Karen Cooper

Linden Hills resident and historian Karen E. Cooper has spoken to LHHSG on several occasions sharing the history of Minnehaha Falls. Now she will tell stories of the rowdy mayhem and boozy carryings on at the Falls in the years between 1850s and the 1900s. These stories are told in Karen’s book, When Minnehaha Flowed with Whiskey, published in 2022 by the Minnesota Historical Society. Just for us, Karen will tell stories from the book and some that didn’t make it into the book including drunken commotion on the river and Temperance Movement extremist Carrie Nation.

Suggested donation of $5 for non-members.

An optional lunch follows the program.

Due to space limitation (50), please make a reservation for attending the program and a separate reservation for attending the lunch.

Refreshing the History of 27th & Lake/Downtown Longfellow with Cara Letofsky

The history of Lake Street is being made as we speak. Join Lake Street historian Cara
Letofsky for a combination history and current events of 27th and Lake, otherwise known
as Downtown Longfellow. The discussion will cover the development of the area from
Dakota land to a working-class community fueled by immigrants and industry, to ground
zero of the uprising in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police.
This is intended to be a conversation about how the current historical events can be
woven into the story of the area.

This program was originally scheduled for October 17.

Places in the Park: St. Louis Park presented by Bill Beyer

Named by real estate speculators, shaped by railroads, and the subject of a huge social experiment by one of the world’s richest men, St. Louis Park has stories to tell. Industry rode the rails but fizzled in financial panic. Today, “fossil streets” drop historical hints, and a bankrupt bank sends us down a rabbit hole of surprising extent.

Bill Beyer, retired architect, Park resident for 36 years, and trustee of the St. Louis Park Historical Society, will present some stories about the city’s founding and early history.

Walking Tour: Third Wave of Linden Hills Development led by Peter Sussman

We are in a new era in which any property in the neighborhood is a potential site for new
construction, up to three units per lot. We will view recently-built examples alongside houses from the early 1900s through what was presumed to be the full “build-out” of Linden Hills by the mid-20th century. What has influenced development and how has the neighborhood’s character evolved?

Sign-up for one of the two tours. Attendance is limited to 25 per tour. We will meet at the southwest corner of Vincent Avenue and 44th Street.

Tour will be held rain or shine, except if an electrical storm is forecast.

The Japanese American Experience in Minnesota presented by Sally Sudo

According to the U.S. census, in 1940 there were only 51 people of Japanese ancestry living in the entire state of Minnesota. Today, that number is in the thousands. Sally Sudo, retired Minneapolis public school teacher and survivor of an American concentration camp, will share her story of why her family and hundreds of other Japanese American families like hers decided to resettle in Minnesota after WWII, and the hardships and discrimination they faced trying to make a life here.

Elizabeth Scheu Close: A Life in Modern Architecture with Jane King Hession

As one of Minnesota’s pioneering women architects, Elizabeth Scheu Close overcame many
obstacles, explored new horizons, and earned her profession’s highest honor: the Gold Medal.
Jane King Hession, a Minnesota-based architectural historian specializing in modernism, presents her book Elizabeth Scheu Close: A Life in Modern Architecture, which traces her upbringing in Vienna, how it shaped her dedication to modern residential design, and showcases the projects created by the firm she co-founded with husband Winston.

Streetcars on Nicollet Avenue, with Aaron Isaacs

Streetcars ran on Nicollet Avenue from 1879 to 1954. Take a trip from downtown to the
Richfield city limits with Minnesota Streetcar Museum historian Aaron Isaacs. He’ll contrast historic photos with the same locations viewed in 2021.

Attendance will be limited to 50. Suggested donation $5 for non-members of LHHSG.