Acting on a suggestion by member Steve Steuck, we scoured the files at Parks and Rec for the stories behind the City parks that are named after individuals. Here are the results. Read more about the parks on the web at slphistory.org/cityparks”
If you have any additions or corrections, please contact us.
Ainsworth Park, 7700 W. 28th St. at Quebec, was named after S. Earl Ainsworth. In the 1920s, Ainsworth served the Park as City Assessor, and from 1944 to his death in 1966, he served as a Hennepin County Commissioner.
Carpenter Park, 3001 Raleigh Ave. at Minnetonka Blvd., was located on the site of the current City Hall. Some of the land was donated by the Carpenter family.
Creekside/Isaac Walton League Park, 7341 Oxford at Meadowbrook Blvd., was renamed in 1988 to include the civic organization that preserves and maintains Minnehaha Creek.
Elie Park, 3429 Xylon, had been known as 34 ½ Street and Wyoming, Tower Park for its water tower, and also Xylon Park. In 1952, Alfred and Nora Elie donated some of their 10 acres of land. In 1994, the park was named for the Elies.
Freedom Park/Paul Frank Field/Gorham Ave. Athletic Field, 3261 Gorham (adjacent to the library), is essentially a field for the Pony/Colt league, which was started by Parkite Paul Frank.
Hannon Lake, 9505 Cedar Lake Road, is a protected wetland, located between 28th Street and Cedar Lake Road, east of Highway 169. It was named after an adjacent property owner.
Hurd Park/Carroll Hurd Rotary Park, north of Cedar Lake Road between Nevada and Pennsylvania, was named for Carroll Hurd, Rotarian and former Mayor of St. Louis Park, in 1976. In 1980 the name was changed to Caroll Hurd Rotary Park, reflecting work the SLP Rotary Club had done to make improvements. In 1990 the Rotary Club requested that its name be removed from Hurd Park and added to Northside Park instead.
Jackley Park/Brookside Park, 4215 Brookside Ave. The M.X. Jackley family allowed the City to use part of their land for a park, and in 1957, Mrs. Jackley sold some of her land to the City. When Mrs. Jackley died in 1968, the City bought the rest of the property. It was renamed Jackley Park in 1969.
Jorvig Park, 6100 W. 37th at Brunswick, was probably the park that the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad gave to the Village in exchange for naming the Village St. Louis Park. It has also been known as Bandstand Park, Firemen’s Park, and Central Park. It was named for Torval Jorvig, who served on the Village/City Council from 1934 to 1961.
Justad Park, 5917 Cambridge Ave. at Alabama, was named for Joe Justad in March 1963. Justad served the community as City Recorder and City Clerk for almost 26 years. Read more about Jorvig and Justad in Something in the Water.
Kilmer Pond, 1684 Kilmer Ave. So. at Highway 169, was apparently named after Joyce Kilmer, who wrote the poem “Trees.”
Lamplighter Park and Pond, 1800 Pennsylvania Ave. So., is said to be haunted by the caretaker of the adjacent Silver Fox Farm, whose lamp light can be seen decades after the Fox Farm closed.
Medora Woods, 2144 France (22nd St. and Ewing Ave.) is .undeveloped open space. Medora Woods was actually the name of the person who donated the land in 1996.
Menzel Park, 2701 Glenhurst, was named for neighbor Arthur Menzel. In 1944, Menzel, a furrier, was on the Minneapolis Park Board, which granted permission for St. Louis Park to use the triangle at France Ave. and Cedar Lake Ave.
Nelson Park, 2500 Georgia Ave. was originally called Edgewood Park. On November 8, 1962 the park was named for Dorothea Nelson, the City’s first Recreation Director, who served from 1946 to 1962.
Otten Pond, 1440 Dakota (15th and Hampshire) is named for the developer who owned the land adjacent to the pond.
Texa-Tonka Park/Lake Victoria/John Ross Field, 2750 Virginia Ave. was donated by Adoph Fine in 1955. John Ross developed the Braille Sports Foundation, and organized Beep Baseball tournaments.
Westling Pond, 28th and Boone Ave., was named for R.J. and Marlys Westling, who lived on and developed the land in this area.
Wolfe Lake Park/Johnson Lake, 3700 Monterey Drive at Beltline, was originally called Westmoreland Park, the name of the plat. Johnson Lake was owned by gravel pit operator Glenn Johnson. In 1964, Johnson Lake was renamed for Mayor Ken Wolfe, who did so much to develop the lake and park.