The 38th & Chicago redevelopment plan includes some interesting background on the city of Minneapolis such this map showing how and when the city grew to its current size:
Does anyone know the story behind the nipple of land near the northwest corner of the map annexed in 1985? And what was the area in the South called before it was part of Minneapolis?
Richfield used to extend as far north as Franklin, so maybe it was in 1927 that the last section of what is now Minneapolis switched from Richfield.
Interesting. I guess the rich fields have been gone for quite some time now. Historical sprawl.
Why is the map color-coded by hear but then also each area has the year in it? Seems redundant.
The last two working farms in Richfield didn’t stop harvesting until the mid-1960s. One was where the Century Court apartments are at now at Penn & 494. IIRC, the farm owners were three sisters who, as part of the land sale, were built a split-level triplex on the northwest corner of the property. The other farm became a city historial museum on land near Wood Lake along Lyndale.
Here’s some more info on Richfield that I put together last year if you care
The 1985 annexation was of the Ryan Lake area at the request of the City of Robbinsdale. I would guess because it was a pain in the ass to maintain.
http://tinyurl.com/245wg8
The portion annexed in 1985 is mostly just Ryan Lake, and it’s part of the Victory neighborhood. It seems that there’s just parkland in the Minneapolis portion of the lakeshore, and I’m guessing that’s what they wanted it for.
Just an educated guess.