Five Fun Facts about Wedge History

Horse drawn streetcar at Emerson Avenue south. Photo courtesy Hennepin County Library

by Kathy Kullberg, historian

Did you know there are still over 50 horse barns still among us, functioning as garages and other out buildings?

Did you know that there are almost 6 former barns converted to dwelling units still in the Wedge?  Most exist on an alley at a cross street behind what was once a large single family dwelling.  The barn served the household with transportation, sometimes a milk cow, and chickens. Two examples of these original ‘ADUs” are along 24th Street at 815, and 1107 West 24th, and a third at 911 West 27th. 

The third oldest dwelling in Minneapolis was an 1853 claim shanty which now exists as a garage behind 819 West 26th Street. It was built in the Greek Revival style near the shores of Lake of the Isles by R. P. Russell who owned all the land between Lyndale and the lake, and between West 26th Street and Lake Street.  About 1870, Russell moved the claim shanty and a circa 1865 farm house to their present location at the corner of Bryant and West 26th.

Between 1884 and 1890, horse drawn streetcars used to run south on Lyndale and turn west onto West 27th Street and then south on Dupont.  A horse barn and maintenance shed were located on West 28th between Dupont and Emerson.  
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Back in 1915 when motion pictures were all the rage, several attempts to build two such theaters at 2307 Hennepin and 2401 Hennepin (presently Valvoline Oil Change) were thwarted by the parents of school children of Douglas School on West Franklin and West High on 28th Street.  The theaters were considered too tempting for children.  Opponents of the plan argued that Sunnyside was a district of homes, churches and schools.  The local Parent Teacher’s Association had the board of education send letters in opposition to the City Council.