@restorelilacway
Restore Lilac Way documents the history of Highway 100 known as the Lilac Way. West of Minneapolis, MN, it was built by the WPA during the Great Depression. This volunteer project promotes preservation/restoration of roadside parks with beehive fireplaces.
Once again, Lilac Way supporters stepped up. Their emails encouraged the city council to rezone Rock Island Park's 1930s north meadow to 'park and open space', NOT residential development. Thank you! #lilacway #stlouispark #mpls #rockislandpark
Building Highway 100's Lilac Way and its seven roadside parks in the 1930s provided jobs during the Great Depression. One of Minnesota's largest WPA projects, workers labored in sub-zero winters and stifling summers. Works was largely done by hand to employ as many men as possible. #lilacway #mpls
You can watch lots of cool videos on our YouTube channel. Here is one of our favorites—EAI Historic Restoration cleaning 81 years of grime off the historic 1940 beehive fireplace, getting ready for restoration. Powerwashing is so satisfying. 🙂 #lilacway #mpls #graeserpark
Lilac Way's seven rustic roadside parks had three styles of handcrafted fireplaces - 'beehive-shaped', and 'tapered'. This historic 1930s WPA project provided employment during the Great Depression, and picnic areas for locals. Two rare beehives remain today. #lilacway #beehivefireplace #mpls #mn
This park is owned by MnDOT. We have blurred out the political message. The entire community is devastated to see this beloved treasure vandalized. MnDOT has been notified, and will file a police report.
Graeser Park recently became eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. PLEASE, if you have any info, call the Robbinsdale Police at 612-596-1223 or the State Patrol at 651-201-7100.
Graeser Park's restored beehive fireplace was graffiti'd. Will be hard to remove paint from 1940s mortar/stone. Was part of a $500k, 3-year restoration paid for by MN taxpayers. One of two beehive fireplaces left, and only one restored to Nat'l Historic Standards. #graeserpark #lilacway #mpls #mn
I like to think that Lilac Way's 1930s WPA-built limestone picnic tables inspired Fred Flintstone cartoons in the 1960s. In 2023, MnDOT rebuilt 11 tables from stone salvaged from lost Lilac Way parks as part of a major Graeser Park restoration project. #lilacway #mpls #flintstones #MN #graeserpark
Stonemasons were paid $57/mo to hand-cut limestone blocks for Lilac Way's beehive fireplaces during the Great Depression. Families roasted hot dogs for picnics in the beehives. Only two survive today, but we have engineer Carl Graeser's 1937 original drawings. #lilacway #beehivefireplaces #mpls #mn
Two of the last three remaining 1930s Lilac Way parks are in St. Louis Park, MN. Rock Island Park and renewed Lilac Park are 'sister parks', protected under the park system. Along with Graeser Park, they are all that remains of the seven original Lilac Way roadside parks. #lilacway #stlouispark
The Graeser Park Angels Memorial Fund has closed, thanks to $2,878 in donations! The rock garden will get five shade trees and two flowering lilacs in spring 2025. Andrea S. Weber, PLA, MnDOT Historic Roadside Properties Program, designed the landscape plan #graeserpark #lilacway #robbinsdale #MN
Historic 1930s Rock Island Park has a south rock garden & a north meadow. The rare rock garden is now protected by the St. Louis Park, MN but they're open to developing the meadow. We support preservation of this home to deer, native plants & original lilacs. #lilacway #rockislandpark #MN #lilacs
Thanks to community support, this volunteer project has seen the restoration of Graeser Park (now eligible for Nat'l Reg. of Historic Places), protection of Rock Island Park and love for revitalized Lilac Park - Karen Laukkonen, Founder and Creative Director #restorelilacway #minneapolis #MN #MnDOT
Designed by famed landscape architect Arthur Nichols, Lilac Way included 7 roadside parks, 7,000 lilacs of 12 varieties and thousands of shrubs, trees. Based on NPS's 1930s ‘Rustic’ style, three parks and many lilacs remain today. #landscapedesign #arthurnichols #restorelilacway #minneapolis #lilacs
Revitalized in 2009 by the city of St. Louis Park, MN, Lilac Park is a fave destination of bikers and picnickers. The rare 1930s beehive fireplace was moved here to save it from destruction and the 100′ lilac hedge blooms every May! #lilacs #lilacpark #restorelilacway #stlouispark #bikeminneapolis
Highway 100's Lilac Way was a Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration projects. The WPA hired unemployed workers to build seven roadside parks during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Nearly 1 in 3 Minnesotans were out of work. #restorelilacway #minneapolis #minnesota #lilacs #landscapedesign
Beehive-shaped fireplace from 1930s has three openings for grilling at picnics.
Quirky beehive fireplaces are unique to Minneapolis' Lilac Way. Two of seven 1930s WPA-built roadside parks remain, Graeser Park's restored beehive is now eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks, MnDOT! #beehivefireplaces #restorelilacway #lilacs #MnDOT #minneapolis #minnesota
Lilac Way had beehive-shaped fireplaces, tapered fireplaces, and flat grills. Graeser Park’s 1940 beehive was beautifully restored by MnDOT. Only two of the four beehives remain today.
Restore Lilac Way documents the history of Highway 100 known as the Lilac Way. West of Minneapolis, MN, it was built by the WPA during the Great Depression. This volunteer project promotes preservation/restoration of roadside parks with beehive fireplaces. Founded and designed by Karen Laukkonen.