A 19th century idea flows again

St. Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis seems impressive, but it's only half what it used to be.

Before the 1880s, the falls extended all the way across the Mississippi River, tumbling over huge limestone blocks.

But part of the river was diverted and impounded to power sawmills, flour mills and electric plants, especially on the east bank near historic Main Street.

Now the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and other partners are considering a $1 million plan to restore two waterfalls as part of a larger effort to improve surrounding parkland. They will present a consultant's plan for the project at a public meeting Thursday evening at Mill City Museum.

"It'll bring back some of what was there naturally, and it would add an extra attraction and enhancement for visitors to the park," said Park Board project manager Nick Eoloff.

He's talking about picturesque Pillsbury Park, marked by bridges and trails tucked along the river's edge. It's most visible from the east end of the Stone Arch Bridge.

The park's entrance is a steep wooden stairway across from the historic Pillsbury A Mill on Main Street. With limited access, the park has few visitors. The stairs are closed in winter for safety reasons.

Two falls in a pocket of nature

The idea is to pipe river water to a pair of holding pools, and allow the water to cascade over two limestone cliffs where it once flowed naturally but at greater volumes.

"Having water coming over natural limestone, this would be more like a Minnehaha Falls feeling," said Cordelia Pierson, executive director of the Minneapolis Riverfront Corp. The falls would drop 25 to 30 feet, she said, and flow through channels that now carry storm water, water from natural springs and overflow from the nearby Xcel Energy hydroelectric plant.

"It's an exceptional pocket of nature in the city," said Pierson. She pointed out fox and rabbit tracks in the snow on a recent visit. She said visitors can see beaver, ducks, otter, muskrat, eagles and other wildlife. The water already supports crayfish, mussels and various fish, she said, and restoring waterfalls would add oxygen to the water and improve the environment even more.

It also would restore an appreciation of the area's history, said National Park Service Ranger David Wiggins.

The settlers and tourists came to see the falls, as well as numerous caves and natural springs that honeycomb the bluffs. The area is loaded with man-made tunnels, pipes and tailraces that routed water through the city's first mills and power plants, then back out to the river.

Businesses spread from the bluff onto Hennepin Island, impounding water and blocking channels that once flowed around the island.

Today the upper island hosts Xcel Energy's hydropower plant and the University of Minnesota's St. Anthony Falls Lab. Pillsbury Park is on the lower part of the island.

"Over the years the origin of why all this was here was sort of lost to memory," Wiggins said. "Restoring the area will give a boost to the idea that the city is here because of the river and because of the waterfall."

Bigger park redesign afoot?

Pierson said restoring the falls could be a springboard to redesign of the park. That would involve cleaning out invasive overgrowth, rebuilding eroded trails, improving access, and possibly connecting trails on the lower and upper parts of the island.

Financing would likely require a mix of public and private funds and cooperation of several agencies, she said. This approach has been successful before with other important riverfront projects, she said.

"This would let people get down to touch the water, and would be one of the few places you can do that in the central riverfront area," she said. "This is a gem."

Thursday's public information meeting also includes a screening of a new film showing historic tunnels beneath Main Street. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at Mill City Museum, 704 2nd Street S. in Minneapolis.