- City:
- Robbinsdale, MN
- Site Type:
- Picnic and Other Facilities, Parks and Recreation
- New Deal Agencies:
- Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)
- Started:
- 1939
- Designer:
- Carl Graeser
- Marked:
- No
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
Eighty years ago a park was developed by Minnesota Department of Transportation that would become of historic significance some years later. That park is Graeser Park, named after Carl Graeser, designer of State Highway 100, aka Beltline and Lilac Parkway.
Through time, change and neglect many of those roadside rest stops have been lost. Robbinsdale is fortunate to have one of the only two remaining in the country, with a Beehive fireplace.
Graeser Park has shared many years of enjoyment, in addition to its share of neglect. Many groups and individuals have helped to dig out the limestone benches, paths and ponds in the lower level.
The current status of the park is currently owned by Minnesota Department of Transportation. There is a land swap in the works for Minnesota to turn Graeser Park over to the City of Robbinsdale. This has been many years in the works and is coming to fruition tentatively scheduled by the end of 2019 or spring of 2020.
Source notes
It has always been known to be part of the WPA Projects. Only in the last few years has there been an attempt to bring it back to it's original glory.
Graeser Park - MnDOT
https://www.dot.state.mn.us/roadsides/historic/files/iforms/HE-RBC-025.pdf
Graeser Park – Robbinsdale Historical Society
https://www.robbinsdale.org/graeser-park/
Graeser Park - Robbinsdale
https://www.robbinsdalemn.com/home/showdocument?id=10471
Volunteers Plan to Restore Robbinsdale's Graeser Park - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBxrXFSiHOQ
Site originally submitted by Colleen Patterson on August 29, 2019.
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Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site
I did a black and white hand colored series of photographs. This roadside park was one of them. I also took photos of the one in St. Louis Park.