History
Lake Street has always had a big part to play in Minneapolis history. Here are a few of the ways.
From Grain Fields to Baseball to Cruisin’ Lake Street Has Been an Artery of Activity
1885 — Lake Street was a country road, a dividing line between farm sections. Lake Street had no businesses and only a few scattered houses. Lake and Nicollet Avenue was the only corner that showed any promise for development.
1890 to 1910 — When the bicycle was at its height of popularity, the Lake Street cinder path was the preferred route of cycling fans, and was the launching point for trips to Minnehaha falls and Fort Snelling. Bicyclists were so numerous that pedestrians had to stand on the sidewalk for 15 to 20 minutes before they could cross the street.
1890 — Only one building at Lake and Nicollet existed. Development in Lake Street began in earnest when the 4th Avenue streetcar line was built out to Lake Street where there was a turntable. This streetcar line was also the first to be electrified.
1896 to 1955 — Nicollet Park This ballpark at Nicollet & Lake was home to the minor league Minneapolis Millers Western League that later became the American Association. Ted Williams played for the Millers in 1938 and hit 43 homeruns to lead the league. He also was the first player to win the American Association Triple Crown that year, hitting .366 with 142 RBIs. Willie Mays played for only 35 games for the Millers in 1951 before being brought up to the big leagues by the parent club, the New York Giants. During that stretch, Willie had a .477 average, eight home runs, 30 RBIs and 38 runs scored.
In 1955, the Millers won the American Association championship tournament, then went on to face the Rochester Red Wings of the International League for the Junior World Series championship. Under manager Bill Rigney, the Millers beat Rochester 4 games to 3, in the final ball game played at Nicollet Park. In 1956 the Millers moved to Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota, and stayed until 1960.
1905 — The Selby-Lake interurban line is completed. This line ran from 1st Avenue to 12th Street, from Nicollet to 31st Street, then over to Lakes Calhoun and Harriet. This motor line marked the beginning of Lake Street development.
1907 — Schatzlein’s Saddle Shop opens. Lake Street was the southern boundary of Minneapolis and was populated with numerous stables and harness shops.
1909 — Lake Street is paved. Before pavement, lower Lake Street near the Mississippi River was impassable in the spring. Wagons would get stuck in the mud (and piles of manure) and left there until the street dried up.
1914 — Street Lighting Campaign. A new era in Lake Street development is ushered in when 18 ornamental street lights from First Avenue to Blaisdell are switched on. The lights are a Christmas and New Year’s present to the West Side Commercial Club and businesses and residents along the street. A German band played and fireworks were set off for several hours at different points along the street.
1921 — Ingebretsen’s Scandinavian Gifts opens: source of goat cheese, fish pudding and Swedish, Norwegian and Danish sausage.
1928 — Sears Roebuck and Company opens at Lake Street and Chicago Avenue.
1954 — Street Lighting Campaign: Lake Street is transformed from a “boulevard of shadows” into the longest stretch of fluorescent lighting in the world. The venture was in conjunction with a million-dollar widening and resurfacing project to cover the old streetcar tracks that ran along Lake Street. The first phase called for installing 335 fixtures between Hennepin Avenue and 29th Avenue South. Each lighting fixture featured four six-foot fluorescent tubes. On December 3, 1954, a parade was held on Lake Street to celebrate completion of the street widening, repaving and relighting project from Hennepin Avenue to 3rd Avenue. The parade, launched from Hennepin Avenue at 4:45 p.m., was led by Mayor Hoyer; on arrival at Nicollet Avenue, Hoyer threw a master switch that turned on the newly installed lights.
1950s — Lake Street Cruising: The latter half of the 1950s was home to dragsters; kids would cruise Lake Street until 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. every day of the week in 400 horsepower muscle cars.
Porky’s Drive-In at 21st and Lake: The king of drive-ins. Specific guys had their own parking spaces on specific nights. This was the place for boys and girls to meet. The best lines were saved for the car hops. A police officer was stationed there.
Mr. Frank’s Drive-In, at Lake and Hiawatha: The drive-in for nerds, although it had better cokes than Porky’s.
Porky’s at Lake Calhoun: The hang-out for “snobs” and “high-rent girls”. Close by was Mac’s Millions (later Altman’s), where a guy would prep a girl for River Road (to see the submarine races) if he sensed that his date was ready for some physical activity.
Cost of gasoline: 29 cents a gallon. For $2.00 you could cruise Lake Street all night.
$1.00 birthday cake: $1.00 of gasoline poured on two blocks of Lake Street and lit.
Drag racing: The Hi/Lake Shopping Center parking lot was the favorite. Cars would race in the lot, hit the brakes at the sidewalk and slide to the curb on the other side of the street. Once in a while a car would go through a storefront. Another speed game occurred between 21st and Cedar Avenues. Cars started at 21st and attempted to make the yellow light at Cedar traveling at 80 mph.
