Mill Ruins Park

It's been awhile, but Danny and I met this morning and enjoyed walking the Minneapolis paths near the Mill Ruins Park.

This park is nestled along side the Mississippi river at the Stone Arch Bridge.




                             



Happy Hunting!

Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary

entrance gate

Monday, May 5th, 2014, Danny and I headed to a lesser known park located at Theodore Wirth Parkway and Glenwood Ave.  This oldest public wildflower garden in the nation had her beginnings in 1907.

This park is wealth!  Aside from the many native wildflowers along paths in an enclosed 15 acre garden, there are a number of educational opportunities available here.

Cut-Leaved Toothwort

There are staff on hand to answer questions at the Martha Crone Visitor Center.  While on our trip we saw several varieties of wildflower and birds.   While on our walk, a wild turkey crossed our path.  The volunteers tried to herd it away.  Turkeys sometime scratch the ground and dig up wildflowers.

False Rue Anemone

Bloodroot

We met other walkers as well.  Some were on a guided tour and learning classes.  This gentleman is Gilbert Ward, another fellow photographer.  He was a treasure of photography tips for us.

Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden is indeed a must-see hidden gem within the metro area.

White Trout Lily

"Life will be richer by the discovery of beauty that we have hitherto passed unheeding." ~ Eloise Butler

Happy Hunting!

Danny and Robin

Swede Hallow Park

Saturday, December 28, 2013 we started photo-investigating the first park on our list.  Swede Hollow park is located in St. Paul. (Click on link to see map.)

                                    

Phalen creek runs through the middle of the park area we explored.  To the north the old Hamm's Brewery buildings can be seen.  

Many of the buildings are abandoned now and disrepair.  It it believed that sometimes in the desperate cold, homeless may take shelter there.  Danny warned me not walk the park alone.

The valley is well below street level.  At 11:00 a.m. there were still shadows in the valley.  

Some of the dried weeds untouched by the sun still had frost.


We didn't see a lot of traffic in the park.  There were a few runners and a couple walking their dog.  We found a number of birds and Danny spotted a hawk.

This park wasn't always a park.  It was originally home for a Swedish immigrant community.  The terrain with its natural isolation from the rest of the world felt like home to many who lived there.

Up the eastern side of the ravine, is one of the park entrances.  It once was the site of the Hamm mansion.  I would discourage taking the steps from there to get to the bottom.  The steps are quit icy right now.

This pillar is the what remains of that mansion.

Though the mansion and factory are diminished, the Hamm spirit in the neighborhood remains.  

Have fun exploring!

Robin and Danny





Informational links:
History
Friends of Swede Hallow
Art in the Hallow
MINNPOST article
Wikipedia