Eden Prairie: A Brief History

By Marie Wittenberg

From scouting reports of Native American tribes to Money Magazine's declaration that it was the best place to live in America, Eden Prairie has a history that commands attention. Few can rival Marie Wittenberg's dedication to telling this story or match her intimate knowledge of her hometown's changing landscape, from early sheep barns to modern megachurches. In this brief history, she describes how Eden Prairie got its name, visits with pioneer families and points out the local places and critical moments that shaped this beloved community's identity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Dec 14, 2011
• ISBN: 9781614232568

Marie Wittenberg

A lifelong resident of Eden Prairie, Marie Wittenberg has spent twenty-five years as the local historian and fifteen years as the president of the Eden Prairie Historical Society. Her new book on Eden Prairie's history is due to be released in time for the 2010 holiday season. This is her fifth book on Eden Prairie history.

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Introduction

EDEN PRAIRIE BEGINNINGS

The Mdewakanton Sioux signed a treaty in 1851 in which they gave up their land west of the Mississippi River. People came up the river from the south and began settling on the rich new land. Trees were cut down; log houses, barns, churches and schools were cropping up; and Eden Prairie was born, soon to be governed by a town board.

It became a farming community that included herds of cattle, fields of grain and red clover, apple orchards and berries of all kinds. This all changed in the 1960s when developers moved in and bought up the farmland for new housing and a more modern way of life.

In Minnesota historian Dr. Edward D. Neill’s 1872 address delivered to the Old Settlers of St. Anthony and the Pioneers of Hennepin County, he stated that whenever we witness growth (such as we have seen in Eden Prairie) we desire to know something about what it was in the beginning. In all ages men have looked back with reference to the origin of things and compared the time that was with the present—the then with the now.

In June 1969, Helen Holden Anderson, who married Calvin of the Eden Prairie Anderson family, established the Eden Prairie Historical Society. Many of Eden Prairie’s residents recorded stories of their early history. Information was found in the Minnesota Historical Society and Hennepin County Historical Society. Added history is still being kept from articles in the local newspapers and publications.

For more than one hundred years, Eden Prairie was a farming community governed by a township board. This all changed in 1963 when Eden Prairie became a village and now a city. This is a story of the revolutionary changes in the lives of its people and its land. We live in the present but equally so in the past and the future. The past is simply a steppingstone to the future. We cannot ignore or separate ourselves from its importance, for without the remembrance of the past there is little appreciation of things today.

Map of Eden Prairie, 1860.

Map of Eden Prairie, 1873.

Map of Eden Prairie, 1960s.

ELIZABETH FRIES ELLET NAMES EDEN PRAIRIE

Elizabeth Fries Ellet, an author, and Miss Clark came to St. Paul at the request of M.Y. Beach, editor in chief of the New York Times and a contemporary of Horace Greeley. These ladies proposed the names for several bays and points on Lake Minnetonka.

Elizabeth Fries Ellet.

When they were on a trip up the Minnesota River, they climbed the river bluff and saw the beautiful prairie in bloom. Miss Ellet was sure that the area was as gorgeous as the Garden of Eden—hence, Eden Prairie.

As a result of this visit, two great books were published, entitled Pioneer Women of the West and Summer Rambles in the West.

In January 2004, the Eden Prairie City Council approved the fundraising by Vicki Pellar-Price to create the Elizabeth Fries Ellet Interpretive Trail through the Richard T. Anderson Conservation Area.

This trail features six interpretive signs incorporating words penned by Ellet along an existing trail in the area overlooking the Minnesota River Valley. The signs will highlight the following plant communities: prairie, sedge meadow, bottomland forest, big woods, oak savannah and the Minnesota River Valley.

PIONEER EDEN PRAIRIE

Eden Prairie is situated on the Minnesota River, which forms its entire southern boundary. It is bounded on the north by the city of Minnetonka, on the east by Richfield and Bloomington and on the west by Watertown in Carver County.

The whole city is fertile, having a clay subsoil and being covered with rich loam, while the prairie has an exceedingly deep and rich soil. It was an agricultural area, adapted to all varieties of grain, corn, vegetables and grass. In the early days, the prairie was the greatest producer of wheat of any part of the country. Later it was a large producer of farm products. The northern part is composed of considerable timber.

It has many lakes and some marshes. The lakes are characterized by the usual gravelly shores and high banks that make the lakes of the country so beautiful. It is watered by many small streams. The largest, Mill Creek, begins in Minnetonka and flows across the city from north to south, through Staring Lake, and empties into the Minnesota River.

Eden Prairie was first settled in 1851 by John McKenzie, David Livingston, Alexander Gould, Hiram Abbott, Samuel Mitchell Sr. and sons R. Neill, Aaron Gould and others. Mr. Abbott made the first claim on the northern part of the prairie in 1851. This is adjoining the city-owned Cummins/Phipps/Grill property near what is now Flying Cloud Airport.

Mr. McKenzie’s claim was in the southern part of the town near the river, on Sections 34 and 35. Along with Honorable Alexander Wilkin, secretary of the territory at that time, and others, he platted a village called Hennepin, which was located on the river. A hotel, store and a few residences were built. At one time it was the chief shipping point for grain, which was taken in small steamers on the Minnesota River. Like many projected cities of the West, it failed and was abandoned.

Probably the most frequent catalyst for coming to America were the letters received from those who had been here. These letters demonstrated the American dream to the poor. In America, anyone could have a home of their own and be a landowner. This was not the case in the old countries.

The fertile land west of the Mississippi River was open for settlers to claim in the 1850s. Early settlers endured poverty and the elements in this new area but became good friends who helped one another with the jobs that needed more than one man.

The Preemption Act of 1841 enabled settlers to own land by settling on it and improving it. Land could be purchased for $1.25 per acre when surveyed and offered for public sale. All of the land had been preempted in Eden Prairie by 1855.

In 1854, under the territorial government that existed prior to state organization, Hiram Abbott was appointed justice of the peace, with William O. Collins as constable. Prior to the town organization, these were the only officers.

In 1858, the township was organized, and the first town meeting held on the eleventh of May in the old schoolhouse. This was the same day that Minnesota became a state. Officers elected were supervisors Aaron Gould, chairmen, Robert Anderson and William O. Collins; Clerk William H. Rouse; Collector A.K. Miller; Assessor William J. Jarrett; Overseer of Poor John Keeley; Justices of the Peace William O. Collins and James Gamble; and Constables A.K. Miller and Archie Anderson. A total of $55.04 formed the expense of the town for the first year.

Plat map of the town of Hennepin.

In 1880, the town officers were supervisors William Hulbert and Chairman William Anderson and Aaron S. Neill; Clerk William O. Collins; Assessor George N. Gibbs; and Treasurer Sheldon Smith. The census population was 749.

BODIES OF WATER IN EDEN PRAIRIE

The pioneers of Eden Prairie didn’t just plant crops in the ground, they also put their names on the rivers, lakes and streams.

The bodies of water in Eden Prairie were named after the pioneer settlers who lived by them. From Ireland, Mrs. Robin Anderson and her family settled on property, so their lake was known as Anderson Lake. A street was later named after them as well.

Birch Island Lake was located at their camp among the birches. Later a park was added to the location.

Bryant’s Long Lake (also known as Island Lake because it contained a submerged island, which was an excellent fishing spot) was named after settler William V. Bryant in 1852.

There is no record of the naming of Duck Lake.

Grass Lake, also called Tirrell Lake, was named after Judge Chesley B. Tirrell, an early settler from Maine.

Hennepin Creek was located near the town of Hennepin by the Minnesota River. Hence, Hennepin Creek.

Mill Creek was located by the gristmill in central Eden Prairie.

Mitchell Lake and Mitchell Road were named after early settler David Mitchell in 1852. The Mitchell property was bought by the Miller family and is now also the site of Miller Park, which is a city park with a large playground for children.

Aaron Neill arrived in 1850. The lake on his property was named Neill Lake and is now the home of the Preserve.

Nine Mile Creek was named because Old Shakopee Road crossed the creek in Bloomington; it was named by early French settlers because it was nine miles from Fort Snelling to this crossing.

Purgatory Creek had its beginning in springs near where the Seven High Shopping Center in Minnetonka is presently located and flows through Eden Prairie and then into the Minnesota River. It was named because of the three areas through which it flowed. In 1854, Mrs. Anna Simmons Apgar reports in Old Rail Fence Corners: When our six families got to the springs near Excelsior, it was near dark and we struck the worst road we had found in this swampy land. The mosquitoes were dreadful, too. How dreadful, no one today can ever believe. One of the tired-out men said, ‘This is Hell!’ ‘No,’ said another, ‘Not Hell but Purgatory.’ Thus the stream was named.

Rice Lake was where the Indians gathered wild rice, located down by the Minnesota River.

Riley Lake is named after Patrick and Matthew O. Riley, also from Ireland. The city also has public parking and swimming and boating on this land.

Of the origin of Round Lake’s name there is no record. Today this lakeshore is the home to a city park with a beach and playground, picnic pavilion and ball fields. It is also the site of the annual Lions Schooner Day and Corn Feed.

Staring Lake was named after an early settler by that name. He originally named it Lake Caroline after his wife, but it later took its present name. It was also known as Goodrich Lake, after adjoining settlers.

Riverview/Clark Spring was located in the County Road 18 area of Eden Prairie on property owned by the Clark family.

The Frederick-Miller Spring, on what is now County Road 4 or Spring Road, was named for former landowners Fredrick and Miller. This spring is still in use today.

RED ROCK

The Indians of Eden Prairie previously had their camp located down by the Minnesota River near Lions Tap on Indian Road going to Shakopee. They belonged to the Mdewakanton Sioux tribe of the mighty Dakota nation. There was a red sandstone boulder there, sacred to the Indians. It was set down in a hollow that had been dug out. The Sioux owned it and squatted in a circle facing it, smoking their pipes whenever they passed it. They never said a word but always left tobacco, beads and pipes on it.

Sketch of Red Rock.

Sara Faribault, in Old Rail Fence Corners, writes:

We used to go often to the sacred stone of the Indians and I have often seen the Sioux warriors around it. There was room for one to lie down by it and the rest would dance or sit in council around it. They always went to it before going into battle. They left gifts which the white people stole. I can remember taking a little thing from it myself. I passed a party of Indians with it in my hand. One of the squaws saw what I had and became very angry. She made me take it back. She seemed to feel as we would if our church had been violated. This stone was stolen by a man from the east and taken there. This loss made the Indians very angry.

Helen Holden Anderson, in her book Eden Prairie: The First 100 Years, writes of Red Rock Lake: "There was a red rock, held sacred by the Sioux Indians, on the west shore of this lake. The Indians used to sit in council around this rock, which was on the Indian trail going