The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is developing a new city park near St. Anthony Falls along the Mississippi River.  Mill Ruins Park will feature the remains of numerous water powered mills that lie buried below the surface of what was a gravel storage facility.  The project area is within the St. Anthony Falls Historic District in the shadow of the standing ruins of the Washburn "A" Mill.  The Park Board's vision for the park is to provide a facility that incorporates a unique set of resources related to the history of flour milling in the city.

  Standing ruins of the Washburn "A" Mill.

    Minneapolis owes its location, history, and growth to St. Anthony Falls.  Capitalizing on the presence of a cheap and dependable supply of waterpower, nineteenth-century entrepreneurs developed that energy source to build one of the world's greatest industrial districts.  Minneapolis's initial growth resulted from the development of industries established on lumber and flour milling.  As timber resources were depleted, flour milling became the dominant force in the city's history.  From 1880 to 1930 Minneapolis led the world in flour production and earned the nickname of "Mill City."

    The archaeological project for 2000 is focused on cleaning and recording the remains of four mills--Minneapolis Flour, Pillsbury B, Minneapolis Paper, and Excelsior--in addition to the tailraces for eight mills.  The archaeological efforts also serve as a demonstration project with educational programming for local schools and other interested organizations/individuals.

Week 1: July 24-28, 2000

Week 2: July 31-August 4, 2000

Week 3: August 7-11, 2000

Week 4: August 14-18, 2000

Week 5: August 21-25, 2000

Week 6: August 28-September 1, 2000
 

All photographs copyright 2000 Archaeology Department, Minnesota Historical Society

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