Join the hiking group for an urban hike along the west side of the Mississippi River below the University of Minnesota West Bank area and near the recently built Elmer L. Anderson Library at the University. The University of Minnesota was founded as a preparatory school in 1851, seven years before Minnesota became a state, closed during the Civil War, and reopened in1867. The University of Minnesota was established as a land-grant college under the federal Morrill Land-Grant Act, with land to use or sell to provide an education for students of all incomes and with a commitment to agriculture. William Watts Folwell was the first president of the University, the first bachelor’s degree was awarded in 1873, and the first doctorate was awarded in 1888. The University has 40,572 undergraduate students, 25,527 graduate, professional, and other students, and 4,088 full-time faculty. The University colors of maroon and gold were adopted in 1880. The “Gopher” nickname is as old as the state, derived from an 1857 political cartoon that depicted nine Gophers with the heads of local politicians pulling a locomotive, criticizing legislative action for a $5 million railroad proposal in western Minnesota. The “Minnesota Rouser” was written in 1909 by Floyd M. Hutsell, who won a contest sponsored by the Minneapolis Tribune. The Elmer L. Andersen Library, named for former State Senator and Governor Elmer L. Anderson, who donated his personal library of 12,500 rare volumes, houses eight special collections and archives units. Elmer L. Anderson (1909-2004) was born in Chicago, Illinois, graduated from the University of Minnesota's School of Business Administration in 1931, began work in the sales promotion department for H.B. Fuller Company, a manufacturer of industrial and home use adhesives, in 1934, became the firm's president in 1941, and became its CEO in 1961. He also formed a private corporation, ECM, which owned and operated community newspapers in the suburbs and small cities north of the Twin Cities. He served in the State Senate from 1949 until 1958 and was elected governor as a Republican in 1960 and served until 1963, losing the 1962 election campaign to DFL-er Karl F. Rolvaag by a 91 vote margin after a prolonged recount. He also served on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents from 1967 to 1975, on the Augsburg College Board of Trustees, and on the board of the Bush Foundation. He was involved in the Afton Land Company and the establishment of the Afton State Park. Elmer L. Anderson was also a book collector, although he was blind in his later years, and was a major supporter and benefactor of the University of Minnesota. Anderson endorsed Democrat John Kerry during the 2004 Presidential election. The Anderson Library is located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River on the west end of the Washington Avenue bridge. Its 185,000 square feet house the majority of University Libraries archives and special collections, including the Archie Givens, Sr. Collection of African American Literature, voluminous Sherlock Holmes collections, the Kautz Family YMCA Archives, the Children's Literature Research Collections, the Immigration History Research Center, and the Elmer L. and Eleanor J. Anderson Collection in climate-controlled conditions.
If driving: From I-94, take the Riverside Avenue exit and proceed south on Riverside Avenue to Franklin Avenue. Go east (left) on Franklin Avenue about three blocks to Seabury Avenue. Meet on the corner of East Franklin Avenue and Seabury Avenue in Southeast Minneapolis.
If coming by public transit: Take Metro Transit route(s): 8. The closest bus service point appears to be the corner of Franklin and Seabury Avenue. Applicable Metro Transit Map / Bus Schedule information
Interested hikers will reassemble after the hike at a nearby restaurant (Perkins, 901 27th Avenue South (27th Avenue at Riverside Avenue) for dessert or dinner.
Map to hike starting point:
E Franklin Ave At Seabury Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55406
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This page was last modified on January 26, 2009.