Friday afternoon’s run with Bill started at 47th Ave S & 32nd Street, so just to the South of Minnehaha Academy’s high school.

We headed South from there and weaved through a series of streets just in from West River Parkway. This is a quiet, well maintained neighborhood with diverse home styles. Here are some example homes from 48th Ave S near 37th St E:

A couple blocks further South is home to a relatively new development. I don’t know the history of why the homes in this are so much newer (1950’s & 60’s) than the surrounding neighborhood (1920’s), but I bet someone does:

We tucked out to Edmund Blvd for a couple blocks where every home tends to be be a unique style, such as this home that appears to be inspired by Piet Mondrian’s paintings:

Our Southernmost street was Nawahada Blvd, which is the last residential street before Minnehaha Park. Bears Fan Bill’s shoe came untied along that stretch:

Heading North on 41st Ave S, we passed Sanford Middle School:

Then flicked off a kid’s Hummer:

Then passed the Christmas house at 3201 41st Ave S. This house cranks out an amazing light show that it syncs to a low range radio station so you can pull up, tune in, and enjoy the show. On the minus side, they still have a tree scaffolding in their yard in April.

3149 41st Ave S had a fire that has been ruled arson:

And at Lake Street we passed our local Taco Bell before wrapping up our run:

I don’t remember the exact history of that area, but I believe the University of Minnesota owned the land up until the 50’s, which is why all the street names are named after University presidents. It might have been farm land up until that point.
Can’t do the marathon this year, but wondering if I can get in on some of these “tour de Mpls” routes. Where can I find a start line?
Love that you flicked off a kid’s Hummer – classic! When is South going to start getting some hybrid kids toys, anyhow?
Hey I love those old Taco Bell buildings. Don’t see them much as most have been bulldozed and replaced with the bigger prefab ones.
The old ones that do remain are usually check cashing joints or adult bookstores… (There’s one in Grand Rapids Michigan that was an auto insurance place for a while.)