“The Old Highland Project is a fantastic example of community members coming together to take stock in their shared past, dig deep to learn more about the distant past of the places where they live, and then tie it all together in a meaningful package that serves the future needs of their neighborhood. They are a model of initiative, resourcefulness, and citizen-based preservation,” staid Jack Byers, Manager of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Department, Preservation and Design Section.Historic Old Highland is a three-part project to update and expand the Old Highland Walking Tour. The Old Highland Neighborhood, just minutes northwest of downtown Minneapolis, is a portion of the original northern section of the Fort Snelling Military Reservation, which was claimed for the United States in 1809 by Lt. Zebulon Pike. Today Old Highland is a charismatic and progressive neighborhood in transition, home to a growing population of middle-class professionals who have discovered and rehabilitated the area's century-old Victorians and working-class bungalows. Within the neighborhood there are many rich layers of history and a strong sense of community.
Historic Old Highland Project, Phase II.
In an effort to preserve and promote the qualities that make Old Highland unique and attractive to those that live and work here, the Old Highland Neighborhood Association contracted with Tammy Lindberg to work with residents to collect neighborhood history and to document 96 neighborhood properties selected for architectural detailing or their contribution to some part of the Old Highland story. The ultimate goal of this project is to use the social history and architectural documentation to update and expand the existing self-guided Walking Tour Guide of significant properties in the Old Highland neighborhood.
The late Charles W. Nelson, Historical Architect for the State of Minnesota, who was a founder and long-time resident of Old Highland, developed the original Guide in the 1980s. The update was deemed necessary to 1) increase public awareness of the historic and architectural quality of the homes in Old Highland; 2) encourage and support neighborhood interest and efforts in maintaining, enhancing and restoring the architectural integrity of individual homes and streetscapes, and 3) promote and market the neighborhood to potential new home owners (or renters) who value and appreciate great housing and the strong sense of community among people who live here.
“Increasing awareness and pride in the neighborhood's history will help to engage the City of Minneapolis and residents in housing preservation and rehabilitation that will help to further conserve the historic qualities of neighborhood properties,” stated Angie Nelson, Project Manager and Old Highland co-founder.
Working closely with Old Highland residents, Lindberg researched 96 properties from June through September 2010. These properties were surveyed and photographed for their architectural, historical, and cultural significance. With homeowner approval, there are now 67 significant properties posted to the Old Highland page on Placeography.org at http://www.placeography.org/index.php/Old_Highland,_Minneapolis,_Minnesota.
Throughout the summer, 65 residents of the Old Highland Neighborhood came together at 10 separate Historic Old Highland workshops and research parties to educate themselves on how to explore their house history, learn how to use available research resources, and ultimately learn how to post findings and photos to Placeography.org. (a free on-line encyclopedia administered by the Minnesota Historical Society where everyone can share the history of and stories about a house, building, land, etc.).
In Phase III a self-guided Walking Tour Guide will be created in both electronic and print versions. It is anticipated that individual property owners will continue to post stories, additional photographs and historical information to Placeography.org and that more properties will be added to the Old Highland page on Placeography following the completion of this Phase II.
Project Feedback.
At the conclusion of Historic Old Highland Phase II, neighbors and officials alike reflected on the project’s success.
"I was impressed with the depth of history in these few square blocks. I am very grateful that Angie, Tammy, and the rest of the steering committee worked so hard to gather this information so my children understand the community [in which] they will grow up." -Anne Morris, 6-year resident of Old Highland.
“I loved working on the project. It becomes living history of the neighborhood for me. The project makes a significant impact on the neighborhood and the city itself.” – Al Bertke, 8-year resident of Old Highland
“It’s exciting to see the great work made possible by the fast track grant awarded to Old Highland Association. The project is a successful example of what can be accomplished by a small nonprofit organization and dedicated volunteers with a small grant from the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grants Program funded by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. The fast track grants are designed to be accessible with their rolling monthly application deadlines – and Old Highland’s project has done a fabulous job at leveraging these funds to conduct research on historic properties in the neighborhood and to put the information gathered in a form that is understandable and accessible to all. Congratulations!” -Britta Bloomberg, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer.
“The Old Highland Neighborhood has a great mix of “veterans” and ambitious young homeowners. There is a great exchange of information and energy between the two.” -Logan Lauritsen, 8-year Old Highland Resident.
Funding.
This project was made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008. Administered by the Minnesota Historical Society.
