Minneapolis: A "City of Lakes" & Amazing Park Systems

Also known as the "City of Lakes," it is for good reason that Minneapolis' park systems are considered among the best designed and best maintained park systems in America. For almost two hundred years, Minneapolis has had some of the best landscape architects designing and perfecting its park system. Residents continue to view the park systems as one of Minneapolis' best attractions.

Horace Cleaveland (1814-1900)

Horace Cleveland was the first person responsible for Minneapolis' landscape architecture. One of his most successful projects was the creation of the Grand Rounds, complete with landscaping, boulevards, and pathways. He was initially hired to create a series of parks and parkways in and near the city. His main focus was the parkways along the Mississippi River but included in his plan were also boulevards across town and around Lake Harriet.

Cleveland believed in using existing plants and topography in his landscape designs to keep the area as natural as possible. He also believed in building for the future. His parks were not just to be enjoyed by the current population, but also by a much larger population a hundred years in the future. Well over a hundred years later, residents continue to enjoy Cleveland's Grand Rounds.

Theodore Wirth (1863-1949)

Theodore Wirth is credited with the development of Minneapolis' parks system. He expanded the park system from 1,810 acres to 5,241 acres. Because he enjoyed watching people use parks, the park system includes playgrounds, golf courses, flower gardens, and recreation areas. The largest recreation area in the park system is the Theodore Wirth Park which is 743 acres. Located within this park is the oldest public wildflower garden in the country - the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary.

Much of the park system was built in the 1930s. Along the byway, there are seven districts: The Downtown Riverfront, the Mississippi River gorge area, Minnehaha, the Chain of Lakes, Theodore Wirth, Victory Memorial, and Northeast.

The Chain of Lakes consists of seven lakes and Minnehaha Creek. Luckily, the city bought the land adjoining the lakes. The lakes and the trail systems that have been developed around them, are public parks, open to all.

The Park Systems Today

Today, the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway consists of a parkway for cars, a bikeway for riders, and a walkway for pedestrians. Heavy vehicles are banned from the byway and the speed limit on the byway is 25 miles per hour. "Runner's World" ranks the park system as one of the best cities to run in. Park users can also canoe for two miles from Lake Calhoun to Brownie Lake or visit the Bird Sanctuary, Rose Gardens, and Peace Gardens near Lake Harriet.

The Chain of Lakes consists of a number of parks around a series of lakes. It includes over 13 miles of biking, walking, and jogging paths encircling the entire chain of lakes. There are also forty-nine, year-round, neighborhood-based recreation centers in Minneapolis. Throughout the park are eateries such as Bread & Pickle, Sea Salt Eatery, The Tin Fish, and Pick a Paleta.

It is easy to see why today the Grand Rounds Byway is considered the best example of an urban byway. Composed of a loop just over 50 miles long around the city, the Grand Rounds is a National Scenic Byway that offers an unsurpassed view of the city of Minneapolis.

If you love to enjoy your surroundings, Minneapolis is the best place to live.

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