Nicollet Island facts for kids
Nicollet Island is a small island in the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It sits just north of Saint Anthony Falls, a famous waterfall. The island is part of the Nicollet Island/East Bank neighborhood.
The island is named after Joseph Nicollet, a mapmaker who explored the Upper Mississippi River in the 1830s. Today, the Hennepin Avenue Bridge crosses over the island, connecting downtown Minneapolis with the northeast part of the city.
Nicollet Island is very close to Saint Anthony Falls. If the falls had kept moving upstream in the late 1800s, the island might not exist today! Long ago, there were six islands near the falls, but Nicollet Island is one of the few that remain.
This island was also the location of the very first bridge built across the Mississippi River. That bridge opened in 1855. Nicollet Island is now part of the Saint Anthony Falls Historic District, which is a protected historic area.
Contents
Island History
Early People on Nicollet Island
Before European settlers arrived, the Sioux (Dakota) and Ojibwe people lived in the Minneapolis area. They considered Saint Anthony Falls a very special and sacred place. The Sioux people used Nicollet Island for important ceremonies and as a neutral meeting spot. They also used it as a birthing place.
European Settlement and Growth
In 1838, the area around Saint Anthony Falls, including Nicollet Island, was opened for settlement. A man named Franklin Steele bought a large piece of land, including Nicollet Island, for a very low price. In 1848, Steele built a sawmill at Saint Anthony Falls to cut lumber. He also started a ferry service across the river.
The first house on the island was built in 1849 for John Wesley and Ann Loomis North. More houses followed in the 1850s and 1860s. Some of these early homes, like the one built by Franklin C. Griswold, are still standing today.
In 1855, the first bridge across the Mississippi River was built here. It was a suspension bridge and a toll bridge, meaning people had to pay to cross. This bridge helped connect the towns of Minneapolis and St. Anthony, which later merged into one city.
Developing Nicollet Island
In 1865, William W. Eastman and John L. Merriam bought Nicollet Island. They wanted to sell it to the city to become a park, but the idea was rejected. So, they began building mills and homes on the island.
Eastman built a system to use water power for factories on the island. These included the Island Sash and Door Company, which is now the Nicollet Island Inn. Eastman also encouraged his family and friends to build homes there. Many wealthy people lived on the island in the late 1800s.
In 1867, the first railway bridge across the Mississippi in Minneapolis was built. This bridge separated the industrial (factory) part of the island from the residential (housing) part. An updated version of this bridge is still there today.
In 1893, a major fire started on Nicollet Island and caused a lot of damage in northeast Minneapolis. In 1900, the Lasallian Brothers started DeLaSalle High School on the island.
Nicollet Island in the 1900s
After the 1910s, Nicollet Island became a poorer neighborhood. Many of the larger homes were divided into smaller, cheaper apartments. A family named Lerner owned much of the island and ran the Island Grocery store. They had some disagreements with tenants over building maintenance.
In the 1940s, the famous Grain Belt Beer sign was put up on the island. It was one of the largest neon signs in the country at the time. DeLaSalle High School grew over the years. It became a college preparatory school and started accepting girls in 1971.
Protecting Nicollet Island
Starting in the 1950s, city and state governments made many plans to redevelop Nicollet Island. Most of these plans involved tearing down the old buildings and replacing them with new ones. Some ideas included high-rise apartments, a parking lot, or even an amusement park.
However, the people living on the island and preservationists (people who want to protect historic places) fought against these plans. In the 1970s, Nicollet Island was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This helped protect its historic buildings.
In 1979, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board began buying parts of the island. Their first plan was to make most of the island an open park area, which meant tearing down many buildings. But after listening to residents and preservationists, a new plan was made in 1983.
Under this new plan, the Park Board restored the historic homes on the island. The people who lived there before were allowed to stay with long-term leases. This plan helped save the unique character of Nicollet Island.
Island Architecture
Today, DeLaSalle High School is on Nicollet Island. So is the Nicollet Island Inn, which was once a factory and later a shelter. There are also three apartment buildings and twenty-two restored Victorian-era houses on the north side of the island.
The south end of the island has the Nicollet Island Pavilion, which is used for events. It was built in 1893 as a boiler factory. You can also find the Bell of Two Friends there, a gift from Ibaraki, Japan.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Nicollet para niños
