The hills of St. Anthony Park were originally expected to become an elite suburb for people living on the East Bank of the Mississippi near St. Anthony Falls. That didn’t happen, as the wealthy in Minneapolis headed to the Lake District instead… so those scenic hills became part of Saint Paul. When Horace Cleveland developed the plan for St. Anthony Park in 1873, he used the contours of the land for planning streets and sited houses on irregular shaped lots to maximize the scenic potential of the area… resulting in one of the most picturesque communities in the Twin Cities.
Uniquely situated between the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses of the University of Minnesota and with Luther Seminary within its borders, St. Anthony Park has a collegiate feel, and is home to many connected to academia. Early faculty members who settled there worked hard to make it feel like a ‘college town in the city.’
St. Anthony Park was originally a railroad suburb, and with a stop on the railroad line it was promoted as a perfect combination of accessibility and rustic beauty. The railroad cut through the middle and most people think of North St. Anthony Park with its large, irregular lots and tree-shaded streets that bend and twist when they think of St. Anthony Park.
This illustration from Harper’s Weekly in October 1890 shows the steep slopes and gives a fascinating glimpse into excavating streets at that time.
The corner of Como and Carter had some of the few commercial establishments in the area 100 years ago, some still standing today. Now that corner is home to a well-used Carnegie library, with shops and restaurants across the street. The retail district continues along Como and includes such necessities as a hardware store, professional services, coffee shops and a Speedy Market that even has it own butcher.
The St. Anthony Park Art Fair celebrated its 50th year in 2019, and after taking a COVID break will be back June 4, 2022.
One of my favorite things about St. Anthony Park is the great diversity in housing styles… both large and small, historic and modern, I don’t think you will find another Twin Cities community with as much architectural diversity as St. Anthony Park.
But the diversity you see in the houses shown above are not all in St. Anthony Park itself. Tiny University Grove, two blocks bordering the north side of St. Anthony Park, is a treasure trove of mid-century modern architecture. Officially part of the city of Falcon Heights and built on land owned by the University of Minnesota, buying a home in University Grove is a whole other story.
The house below is an example of the unique sites in St. Anthony Park. This house is situated on a hill in one of the highest parts of the neighborhood, on a cul de sac across from a unique triangle park designated for children ages 5-12. Learn more about 1478 Branston Street, which sold with multiple offers after only 3 days on the market.
Let me know if you would like to live in this amazing, walkable community adjacent to the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul Campus, bordering Southeast Minneapolis on the west, the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on the east, and the suburbs of Falcon Heights and Lauderdale to the north…Â I would love to work with you!
In the words of a St. Anthony Park resident who lived there for 28 years, “the St. Anthony Park community is active, alive, committed and welcoming!”
Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results – shensrud@homesmsp.com
