SAND AND GRAVEL PITS

Gravel pits and concrete plants were everywhere in the early days of the Park. At the end of WWII there were eight gravel mines in operation. Some lasted into the 1960's, before they were depleted and the land surrendered to medical centers, grocery stores, housing developments, etc. We should not underestimate the role of these sites in the development of the area, and the impact of their output on the surrounding area.

The area south of Minnetonka Blvd. is part of the Mississippi Valley Outwash Plain, and the soils that formed are well drained loamy sands underlain with gravel. High grade sand and gravel deposits occur in several locations. As a result, there were several excavation sites in the area. The gravel that was excavated from these pits was used for construction and road paving in Minneapolis and the surrounding area, and "monster gravel trucks" were a constant sight along what is now 36th Street east of Highway 100.

These sites could be dangerous. Although they were often inviting swimming holes, children were apparently drowning at an alarming rate. Village Council minutes of July 1, 1929 indicate that two such drownings had taken place that week, and parents were becoming alarmed. On April 29, 1935, a new Gravel Pit Ordinance was passed by the Village Council.

Some of the sand and gravel businesses in the Park are listed below (in alphabetical order):

Aaron Anderson advertised in the 1934 directory, mostly as a trash hauler, but he also  mentioned sand and gravel in his ad.  He was located at 2720 Vernon, which is a house built in 1927.

Acme Sand and Gravel was located in the Bass Lake basin, in the Minikahda Oaks area. It may have been owned by Arvid Carlson; another name associate with it is R. A. Peterson. In 1953, Carlson built one office building and one warehouse. In 1955, residents of Minikahda Oaks complained about the heavy trucks entering and exiting France Ave., the only entrance to that neighborhood. An ad from 1956 tells us that the company was into lumber, millwork, cement, paneling, garages, custom cabinets, insulation, hardware, roofing, plywood, and blocks.  The ad featured "Little Paul," who says "Let me chop your lumber problems!" Acme sponsored Acme Field, which seemed to change locations. At one time it

                                                       was at the site of the present-day Rec Center.

Apple Valley Red-E-Mix was located at 3270 Gorham Ave. In 1973 the City tried to force the plant out with its zoning ordinance, but the plant sued and the Minnesota Supreme Court sided with the company. A new ordinance was passed in 1981 prohibiting Ready-Mix plants, but still it would not leave. In 1995 the City gave it two years to leave, but it hung on for a few more years before being demolished for redevelopment.

M.G. Astleford received a licence to remove, process, and store gravel for one year. The location was E ½ of NW ¼ of Section 20.

Century Washed Sand and Gravel Co. was around in the 1930s and '40s.  It was located at Zarthan and Wayzata Blvd.,, the site of condos today.  Arvid Lindskoog was the Plant Superintendent; he also lived at Zarthan and Wayzata Blvd.

Elliot and Margaret Anderson, dba Elliot-Erskine Co. Sand and Gravel, had 30 acres bounded by Highway 12 and 16th Street, and Dakota and Hampshire (6701 Wayzata in 1956).  They offered dirt, clay, sod, and crushed rock.  Anderson was cited regularly for harboring dumps on his property. See the history of Garbage in the Park.

G.B. French and Co. was listed at Princeton and W. 38th Street in 1928; the company made cement blocks.

Hedberg-Friedheim & Co. was primarily located at 5115 West 36th Street. In 1960 they requested permission to mine and process gravel in an area south of Cedar Lake Road and west of Highway 100.

In 1934, Victor E. Johnson requested an excavating permit for 3401 Texas Avenue. That year he advertised in the Village directory for grading, plowing, hauling, black dirt, fertilizer, etc.

A picture taken in 1900 shows that the Landers-Morrison-Christenson Co. gravel plant was located between Louisiana and Texas Ave., 28th St. and the railroad tracks.  1941 it was called the Landers Nordblom Christenson Sand and Gravel Co. at 2600 Louisiana. The 48.4-acre area was abandoned and sold in 1960. A proposal to develop it as industrial property was met with neighborhood resistance, so a compromise was struck. Apartments now line Louisiana and 28th, with low industrial building filling in the area adjacent to the tracks. Ainsworth Park was built down a steep hill from 28th Street.

Landers-Morrison-Christenson also operated a gravel pit located west of Texas and south of Minnetonka Blvd. In 1946, the company estimated that it would be fully excavated in 4 to 5 years, at which time they would level it. Starting in 1960, Adolph Fine developed four apartment buildings on the site, called Aquila Park Apartments. Aquila Elementary School may also be on this property.

Yet another LNC site was at Nevada and Cedar Lake Road.  It was operating there in 1956.  Part of that land became the apartment building at 7307 Cedar Lake Road, just west of Louisianaf.

Langley and Sons Excavating - Sand and Gravel was advertised at Louisiana and Franklin in 1939-41.

Alfred E. Lindahl, a Brookside resident at 5612 Vermont, was prominently advertised as a sand and gravel contractor. The location of the actual sand and gravel was somewhere else.

Minnesota Sand and Gravel Co., at Cedar Lake Road and Raleigh Ave/Highway 100. On July 1, 1931, Voight O. Lenmark, Ivar L. Lenmark, and Gustave Holm requested a permit to excavate sand and gravel from the Butler Farm, located on Cedar Lake Road, Section 30. This site became Minnesota Sand and Gravel. In 1949 it was owned by Burg and Carlson. In 1953 the Village demanded that they cease operations as they were in violation of an ordinance, but that may not have been the end of their operations.

In 1951, the State of Minnesota bought property that is now 2200 Louisiana to mine gravel for building Highway 12. The property is now vacant, zoned residential, and belongs to the City.

John A. Peterson and Son was located on the northwest corner of Princeton and 36th in 1928, and also made cement blocks.

Rice Sand and Gravel, the former site of a potato field, was located at 5000 Excelsior Blvd., between 39th and 40th, north of the Engell Dairy (also described as Princeton and Excelsior Blvd.). 1940-1942 ads claimed "Material washed CLEAN by Telsmith Process - almost dry - Brick Sand Without Quicksand." It was known as Beltline Sand and Gravel in the 40's. This may also be the site of the Glenn Johnson Sand and Gravel Co., located at 3724 Quentin (no such address today). This site may have become known as MAPCO. This was the same Johnson who owned Johnson’s (later Wolfe) Lake. Once excavation was finished, the site became the Beltline Pay Dump and junkyard.

In 1960, neighbors accused Robert Ridgeway of "over excavating" a site at County Road 18 and 22nd Street (at the Minnetonka border).  He was mining gravel by using a rock crusher, and the noise bothered the neighbors.  The action was a prelude to development of the Ravenwood addition.

J.K. Seirup, at Wooddale and Hamilton, also made cement blocks in 1928.

Suburban Ready Mix was established at 3270 Gorham Avenue in 1954. It specialized in "specification concrete" for bridges roadways, and large industrial and commercial developments.

Suburban Sanitary Drayage Co. advertised in the Sand and Gravel section of the St. Louis Park Directory in 1941. The address was 3612 Alabama. See Garbage in the Park.

Superior Sand and Gravel was listed at Superior Blvd. and the Dan Patch Tracks in 1928. This was also the site of Minnesota Oil and Refining. By 1942-51 it was Century Sand and Gravel, listed at Zarthan and Wayzata Blvd.

Terry Excavating Co., run by Bill and Walter Terry, was headquartered at 3928 Xenwood in 1941. This being a residential neighborhood, the sand and gravel itself was evidently elsewhere.

For a memoir about Excelsior Blvd. and the gravel pits written by Tom Renner, see Something in the Water.

Home    St. Louis Park History    History Index    About the Society    Research Resources
Brookside Timeline    Something In The Water    The Re-Echo    Contact Us

This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.