Take a safe and pleasant walk, learn history with West End Garden Tour

13th Annual West End Neighbors Garden Tour (WENGT) beautifully feature West End as historic origin of the Township/City of Saint Paul and Territory/State of Minnesota

                On Saturday, September 12, from 10am to 2pm, eight gardens in a three-block area at the High Bridge will provide bluff views and highlight its environmental setting. A very pleasant self-directed walking tour features eight residential gardens, plus four point of historic interest: the North High Bridge, Waldmann Brewery, Hope Breakfast Bar, and Little Sisters of the Poor. 

                From garden to garden, from view to view along its bluffs—three Uppertown blocks rise above the historic Upper Landing and Irvine Park that gave rise to state history. The gardens range from street-side to Asian-inspired, formal to casual.

                Tour maps will be available at the Federation’s offices in the Keg and Case complex terrace, 928 West 7th St. Masks, social distancing, and CDC/MDH guidelines in effect for this open-air sidewalk distraction.

   Another highlight will be the free distribution of an ambitious history that features the origin story of not only the West End, but also the Township/City of Saint Paul and Territory/State of Minnesota, 1840-1940. As neighbors of the by-ways of Fort Road/West Seventh Street, we live in the area that was first settled by non-native immigrants and settlers via the Upper Landing. Eventually Minnesota Supreme Court Justices, Governors, entrepreneurs, educators called West Seventh home. The history highlights our early major immigrant groups: Metis/French-Canadian, Bavarian/Baden/Wurtemberg-German, Czech-Slovak, and Italian. Over 100 pages of historic images, documented with 135 endnotes, illustrate the history and will be distributed free on the day of the tour. Local businesses’ advertising in the guidebook have made this educational and civic effort possible, as they have the past twelve years. Our neighborhood has been empowered with their diverse creativity.

                For information, visit www.fortroadfederation.org, call 651-699-6995 or email joe@josfland.com