1901 Map of Minneapolis

About this map

The growing urban grid of Mississippi River neighborhoods meets a dense network of suburban lake settlements and vital rail lines in this early century study of the Minneapolis outskirts. The map documents a landscape defined by water and transit, where the well-established lakes of Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, and Calhoun Lake neighbor burgeoning centers like St. Louis Park and West Minneapolis. Moving south toward the river bluffs, the terrain transitions into the agricultural expanses of Edina and Bloomington, punctuated by local landmarks such as Mt. Gilboa and the institutional Washburn Home. This era represents a significant phase of regional connectivity, illustrated by the numerous rail corridors like the Great Northern and the Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul RR, as well as the important river crossing at Bloomington Ferry, which served as a primary link across the Minnesota River before modern bridges replaced it.