ST. PAUL, MN - The story of Swede Hollow predates the incorporation of St. Paul. The hollow's first settler of European descent was Edward Phelan, who constructed a small, crude log cabin near the former Hamm's Brewery. Hunters, trappers, and loggers soon followed. In the 1850s, Swedish immigrants began to settle into shanties that previous tenants had abandoned.
Although the ravine is a part of St. Paul, it has a history all its own. Time stood still in the half-mile-long stretch of scattered shacks as the capital city above grew and matured. The hollow remained a squatter settlement throughout its history. Families living in the modest frame shanties had no electricity or municipal services. Water was provided by nearby springs, and sewage was disposed of in Phelan (Phalen) Creek.
It was a world away from the hustle and bustle of life on the street.
Around 1890 the area became a true community of Swedish residents. As many as ninety families called the group of tiny hovels their home. They affectionately christened it "Svenska Dalen" for Swedish Dale, but it became more commonly known as Swede Hollow.
The area eventually became a melting pot for many different nationalities. Italian and Mexican groups were among the new residents. Whenever a family would leave the house for a life outside the hollow, a new one would take its place. By 1905 city records showed over one thousand people living in the area.
Residents of Swede Hollow contributed to the growth of St. Paul, going "up on the street" from the ravine to work and then returning home at the end of the day. Over time, many families who began in the hollow found life in the city. They left their home in the ravine and were replaced by new families hoping to one day do the same.
Houses were never for sale or rent. If a family went into Swede Hollow and a home was empty, they moved in. Nobody asked any questions. This cycle continued for years.
As the city moved further into the twentieth century and began to modernize, officials became concerned about the small community living in the ravine. The city wanted to improve its residents' living standards and eliminate ongoing blight and deterioration. Once considered an idyllic hamlet of old-time living, the collection of shacks in the hollow was now seen as a squatter settlement. In 1956, the homes that had been an integral part of the lives of many local families were to be no more.
Interestingly, despite the poor conditions, research by the city showed that the sixteen families living in Swede Hollow in 1956 did so because they genuinely enjoyed it. While residents probably remained in the ravine due to the low five dollars a month rent, finances weren't necessarily the issue. It didn't matter to the city, which felt that progress meant the community had to leave.
On December 11, 1956, the thirteen tiny houses still standing were burned to the ground by local firemen. The city's health department, concerned about the living conditions in the area, had deemed it a health hazard and forced the residents to move out. The last straw came when the spring that supplied water to those living in the hollow was found to be contaminated.
By the time of the fires, five families had already purchased homes outside of Swede Hollow, and two more were renting homes in other parts of the city. Those who hadn't yet found a place to live were placed in the McDonough and Roosevelt public housing developments.
Years later, people who talk about the hollow continue to do so affectionately.
People outside the neighborhood thought it was a slum, but Swede Hollow residents believed there was no better way to live. They rarely lacked the things they needed, and a sense of community always prevailed. Children played baseball together and fished for northern pike and crappie in the pool beneath the brewery.
Everyone looked out for one another.
Today Swede Hollow is a beautiful park near the heart of downtown Saint Paul. A paved trail encircles the ravine, and while it doesn't offer the entire picture of what the area once was, it gives a beautiful glimpse of what one of the most historically rich locations in the city used to be.
Sources
- Dupaul, Karin. A Walk through Historic Upper Swede Hollow. St. Paul: [Dayton's Bluff Community Council], 1994.
- http://www.swedehollow.org/Photos/SwedeHollowWalkingTour/SwedeHollowWalkingTour.html
- Hokanson, Nels M. "I Remember St. Paul's Swede Hollow." Minnesota History 41, no. 8 (Winter 1969): 362–371.
- http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/41/v41i08p362-371.pdf
- Nyberg, Polly, and Jerome Betts. "Swede Hollow: A Community's Love Affair with Its Past." Common Ground no. 3 (Fall 1974): 4–11.
- http://www.crcworks.org/commonground/cg3councils.pdf.
- Price, Mollie. "Swede Hollow: Sheltered Society for Immigrants to St. Paul." Ramsey County History 17, no. 2 (Fall 1982): 12–22.
- Reicher, Matt. "Swede Hollow." MNopedia, Minnesota Historical Society. http://www.mnopedia.org/place/swede-hollow.
- Twin Cities Public Television. Lost Twin Cities II: Success of the Cities. http://www.mnvideovault.org/index.php?id=16936&select_index=2&popup=yes#2
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