Nicollet Island

At one time one of the least desirable plots of land was Nicollet Island which is on the river at downtown Minneapolis.  The island had grain mills, railroad yards, honky-tonk taverns and some frame housing.  Legend has it that some of the taverns had trap doors where unruly customers were dumped into the river.

All of that has changed.  Those old frame homes are still there but at a price that at one time could have bought the entire island!  The railroad still runs across it, however, but the traffic is far less than before as the yards are gone.  LaSalle High School is a private school which is on the west side of the island.  The south side features a park and a restaurant.  Not only has the island become "trendy", the northern part is owned by the Park District of the City of Minneapolis and has put a building freeze on the island!.  

It's quiet on the island.  There are some places where one can sit and just focus on the scenery forgetting that there is a busy city across the river..  I use Island Drive as a place to train on my racing bike as I know that normally traffic is at a minimum.  It's my little secret.  With these pictures that secret my be over with!

left - railroad bridge over River hidden by the Fall colors.

 park on the south end of the island

detail on roof on old apartment building near the high school.

Right:  one of my favorite homes: on the north end on a side street. The purple mansion!

A quiet path that was once a railroad line on the east side of the island looking at the river.

Right: the charm and detailed woodwork around the porch on this two flat frame building on the west side of the island.  Just beautiful!

Island Drive on the north side.  It's been repaved with bricks and is part of the Park District.  The fall colors add to the beauty.

The fall colors show in this view on the northern edge of the island along the Mississippi river.

One of the many old frame homes on the island showing the loving care of its owner to make it look just right.