No preview available
 /
     
Document - Historical information/data - Historic tidbits about Eagan. 41 pages total. - 1/1/1860isroRc TcsE ITS EAGAN • SEPTEMBER 28, 2006 SUN n CURRENT 750 Vol. 31, No. 39 In the Community, With the Community, For the Community www.mnSun.com SCOTT THEISEN • SUN NEWSPAPERS Town hall history Mike Nelson (right) of Eagan talks to Joanna Foote (left), communications coordinator for Eagan and historical soci- ety member, about the differences between townships, villages, cities and their governments during a Sunday visit to Eagan's historic town hall. At rear is Kim Hazel of Eagan. The town hall was open for visitors to tour Sept. 21 and Sept. 24. (For more photos, visit our online Photo Gallery at www.mnSun.com.) I 1 ( /30 I.,iti2LCrz � C• )Z'n k L- f /;v 'i '1 i— 3 'C -r� 4 2OO. I2.2t.12p 1914 HISTORIC FACTS • Start of WW I • Woodrow Wilson was President • U.S. Population was 99,111,000 • Panama Canal Opened • World's 1st Red & Green Traffic Light Installed in Cleveland • There were 48 States • Charlie Chaplin was in the Movies • Mother's Day was recognized • Babe Ruth began playing for Boston • First Scheduled Airline Flight • Henry Ford Introduced Assembly Line Model-T • Ford Motors Increased Pay to $2.40/Hr, 9 Hour Day • 1st Successful Blood Transfusion in Brussels • 1st Full Color Film • Greyhound Bus Co. Started in MN • Foxtrot Dance Introduced by Harry Fox in Amsterdam • First Transcontinental Phone Call • There Was NO Electricity in Eagan `dam Ice cam` IT'S SPLENDIFEROUS. IT'S HEALTHY!? IT'S FATTENING. IT'S HOMEMADE. IT'S THE COWS Saturday, August 9th, 2014 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM 4825 Erik's Blvd. Gordon & Lorraine 2 9 5'/ 1,01•Lak,,, 17, ordii High -Tech Summer Camp Gives Youth Hands-on Experience - Eagan, MN Patch Page 2 of 4 Govemment Volunteers In the Newa The Neighborhood Files High -Tech Summer Camp Gives Youth Hands-on Experience Eagan Television's Video Camp lets kids experience all facets of television video production. By Mary.yKu?loi Entail the author Jury 24, 2011 Print 0 Common Is Email Twcol View full size Tell Your Neighbors About Patch Eighteen youth, ages 10 -15, participated In Eagan Televl5(Qn's third annual Video Camp last week. From Monday through Thursday, children learned about all aspects of television video production including, script writing, videography, lighting, control room, directing and editing. The campers divided into three groups of six to plan and produce their own video that will be cablecast in a few weeks on Eagan Television Channels 15 and 20. Although the majority of video campers are from Eagan, others are from surrounding suburbs and as tar away as Minneapolis- Some Thomson Reuters employees have enrolled their chikiren in the camp as well. The E-TV studio is located al Thomson Reuters in a first -of -its -kind public rlvate partnership. Studio Supervisor Jeff Ongstad says the the camp is a great opportunity for kids to get hands-on experience with the professional equipment the studio owns. It is also a way to get more people using the facility. Video Camp introduces kids to the station at a young age and, Ongstad hopes, they will come back again and again, either as a volunteer or to produce a show of their own some day. For fifteen year old Frankie Donovan, back for his second Video Camp this year, being introduced to E- TV in 2009 has set him on a trajectory for a future career. Donovan wants Ongstad's job someday. For the last two years he has been volunteering at the studio Soli& Itritii4 yak ddrlcommunity events such as con{giftlprl{@pg eg Ws j) gflgight to you. it aN - from camera and audio to graphics and instant it Lertns of Service PrlvacyPolicy Close http://eagan.patch.com/articles/high-tech-summer-camp 7/25/2011 V)-N-ccul tr- _101_ te6aST412:7 .0 • 'le•••"* /70,J1 czen___Y_zitazz err17-7.- 7( -)6'1(cee("AieNi-\' 033zr --qUAQA" caxg°-svg-4 l,i M` aco iszec �� ego y-�-3-V LI SO% PivIcksItt.g!5-en --\xes).0 sad o� ar,� Doe;Ait, IL— 1S Reran\ *(X.YYNtimis e_.1;1:0.1145-44- Ctivklt c-6Q -1sta Qc34_,NN.k. icrc`c* A'N ga-le 52 Historic Tidbits l 'w.',, A -e 1. Black Dog Road - The current Highway 13, is referred to on the 1879 Eagan Township map as "Black Dog Road." This road was named for the "Black Dog Village," a Native American Village which sat on the banks of the Minnesota River, on the Eagan side, near the current Cedar Avenue Bridge. As more fur traders and "Indian Farmers" moved through the area (approximately 1837,) the "Black Dog Village" was moved to the present day Highway 13 and Blackhawk Road. Evidence indicates that the "Black Dog Road" was likely used by the Native American tribes as a route following the Minnesota River as early as the 1600's through the late 1800's. This route was a part of the original "West Plains Trail," a route for covered wagons taking settlers west. The road also roughly follows the original (1851) military reservation line. rJ 2. Dodd Road - Dodd Road was one of the first "military roads" 'Which were the earliest constructed roads through the territory. Originally tagged the "Mendota -Big Sioux Road" this 65-mile stretch of roadway from St. Peter (then known as Rock Bend) to St. Paul, was begun (without waiting for congressional approval) by Captain William B. Dodd. Dodd gathered a group of ten laborers and a surveyor and funds from area settlers and began the road project in 1853. The road followed the high ground between the Minnesota and Cannon Rivers. When the state Highway system was created, State Highway number 1, which ran from Albert Lee to the north shore of Lake Superior, followed Dodd road through Eagan Township. This section was among the first roadway sections in the state to be paved. 3. Highway 55 - Si 'ficant sections of what/is now Highway 55 through the eastern portion of Eagan appear on the 1879 map in an alig ent thAt4oughly follows its present route. Though the road is not given a specific name on this map it was referre o as tIXMendota Roa&and later, State Trunk Highway number 1. The road intersects and merges at several points wi 1 odd Road and what is now known as Jefferson Highway. Segments of this route were used by the stage co. • h e "Halfway House," a hotel and tavern at what is now the intersection of Highways 55 and 149, was the frst relay station on the stage coach route from St. Paul to Dubuque. Uy4.J V11hrs 4. Lone Oak Road - Though the Lone Oak Tree was a significant location for the sharing and disseminating community , / 17 information, only a very short section of what is now known as Lone Oak Road appears on the early Eagan map. An approximate 1/8-mile section of road from the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad line, heading east to a connection with Dodd Road at a Blacksmith Shop, appears on the 1879 map. This section does appear to run in front of the site of the `�' Lone Oak Tree, just slightly south of the location of Trinity Lone Oak Church. S°- 6 4, 5. : i ' oad This roadway to rts name from the large outcropping of rock which towers above the Minnesota River (where Acacia Cemetery now sits) that was used as an early navigational marker or "pilot" for tugboat captains, e' military expeditions, fur trappers and Native American tribes traveling along the river This -site -wag aehuaf -eensidered, c u. for a time, the 1oratinn where the Minnesota State Capitol would be built. The roa begins at this outcropping_ and travels -sat th thrnhi ji a portion -of Mendota and through centralEagan to points further south. Within Eagan, the road has also besrrreferred to, in earlyy tiwnship days, as "Fish Lake Road," tak,ig-thatname-€rem-the-lati' jnatilorth of the current .. .: was one of the earliest routes that took travelers through much of Dakota C-ounty. 6. Blackhawk Road - This section of roadway south from what was Black Dog Road (now Highway 13) connected to a very small section of what is now Cliff Road. The roadway was not named on the 1879 map, but ran through several farm properties and was the path to School number 13 (located at the intersection of what is now Blackhawk Road and the Highline Trail). The road was later reported to be named for John Conklin, a soldier at Fort Snelling, who was given the nickname "Blockhaute" (Blackhawk) because of his stories of having captured the Indian Chief Blackhawk in Illinois in the 1820's. 7. Highline Trail - The route of the Highline Trail from what is now Blackhawk Road (the 1879 location of school number 13) to a lake on the Thomas Fallon Property (now Schwanz Lake in Trapp Farm Park) was one of the few east/west roadways noted in Eagan in 1879 and with the exception of Pilot Knob Road, was one of the longest stretches of road in Eagan at that time. 8. Rahn Road - Although the roadway w not named until much later when the Ced�GLOVe Development was established, the section of roadway now know as Rahn Road, appears on the 1879 map in roughly its current route. It travels roughly south from the then Black Dog Road (now Highway 13) to where it ends at a connection to a very short section of what is now Cliff Road. 104 rS /-v 9. Diffley Road - An approximate Yz-mile section of what is now Diffley Road, from school number 14 near the location of a the current Lexington Avenue to Dodd Road, appears on the 1879 map (although Lexington Avenue does not appear off'" on the 1879 map). This roadway section, even in 1879 runs to the northwestem-most corner of property owned by William Diffley. It is likely that the Diffley children traveled this section of roadway to attend schoolhouse number 14. 10. Cliff Road - Only two very short sections of what is now known as Cliff Road, appear on the 1879 map. One, less than %-mile section runs from what is now Rahn Road to what is now Blackhawk Road. The other longer section runs from just west of Dodd Road into what is now Inver Grove Heights just past State Highway number 1, now, Highway 55. 11. 1914 Town Hall - Eagan's second Town Hall was built at its current Pilot Knob location for $ 1,047 in 1914. The site of approximately 1/3 acre was chosen because it was as close as possible to the exact center of the township. this—Tewullall__ buil a as a mee m and pollingplac,e for several decades. The 1 1 owrrHall has been preserved and now serves as a display area for the Eagan Historical Society. - . ��f 12. 1892 Town Hall site - Eagan's first Town Hall was built on land located southeast of the present Lone Oak and Pilot Knob intersection. Its first use was as a polling place for the 1892 Presidential election. The building burned in 1914. 04 p 13. Lone Oak Tree - Eagan's symbolurr Oak Tree grew in the northeastern part of the city near the Hwy 49 and 55 intersection for an estimated 200 — 300 years. It was used during early township days as a posting spot for official township notices and later for advertising and notes. After time, traffic and pollution took its toll, the State Highway Department cut it down in 1984. 1''&t 14. Nicols Station - One of two early Eagan railroad depots, Nicols Stai was built in the early 1900's. The site was next to where Nicols Road crosses the railroad tracks near the Minnesota River. s was on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Line, and was named for John Nicols who was a former owner of the site. 15. Halfway House - The earliest store in the township was Alexander Huard's Halfway House. This combination store and saloon opened in 1865. This store, which is currently in operation, is located at the corner of Highways 55 and 149. The Halfway House also was the first relay station out of St. Paul for stagecoaches on their way to Dubuque, Iowa. This was also a popular stop for the Solders stationed at Fort Snelling. ' 3 16. Wescott Station - James Wescott opened an Inn at the comer of Dodd Road and the old Cannon Falls Road (which is the present route of County Road 71), in 1850. In 1866 the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad line built a depot at this same location. This depot was called Wescott Station. Over the years, other businesses were built near this location including a post office. Note: a "T" in the spelling of Wescott was dropped over the years. y j r �tt� (A)Ps efr,6f. 17. Black Dog's Village site 18. Old Cedar Avenue Bridge - The old Cedar Avenue Bridge connected Eagan with Bloomington over the Minnesota River. The bridge was built in 1890 by Hennepin County at a cost of $31,000.00. It took four men to open the bridge via a turnstile mechanism to allow river traffic to pass. Before the turn of the century, (20th century), 200 passenger steamers would come through during the summer. The bridge was built for horse-drawn vehicles and cattle. � The bridge was replaced with * e �� oncrete freeway bridge in 1980. A portion of this old bridge can still be seen as one drives over the new cedar Avenue Bridge. 19. Patrick Eagan Farm site 20. Trinity Lutheran Church — 21. Shields Sorghum Mill 22. Shields by the Lake Q-gypyr 4-C2ly> 23. Moonshine Park - On the east side of LeMay Lake was stir achter f. lyyfarm. On the south side was a small old barn which was deserted. = - _ . .. .. .. . ' ge gas engine and other s am. a man named Jake made moonshine there which was sold to a lot of customers. Dieir-dad sold a load of rye to Jake and when delivery was made, Jake gave him a clear 25. Holz Farm - 26. Ames Estate Library glass of liquid which he drank. When this was swallowed, the sun went down at once. That's where the name of Moons a Park came from. t c / /hug., 24. Touchdown Field - In 1941,- (Ted Wachter)as cultivating corn with a team of horses. stopped the horses to rest ( was hot). I passed the time by counting the Navy Be -Plane trainers taking off and flying over me. They came from the airfield cross the rive_tin•Blootningtone4he planes flew to Louis Trapp's farm, which was leased to the Navy to practice touching down and then -immediately taking -off. I counted a hundred planes. L e .I t- 5 One time I went to the Old Town Hall to sign up for soil conservation and other farm programs offered by the Government. One of the planes crashed in Edwin Englert's pasture, west of Town Hall. The student was hurt but the instructor was okay. e- ` > 14,110 l .54 27. Radio Center — In the 1900's, the area around Wescott Station became an important area for Eagan residents. With the railroad line passing through, it was possible to get from Wescott Station to Rosemount and points south for 14 cents. The train would take people north to St. Paul, etc. for 30 cents. With few roads and even fewer automobiles, the train was the best means of travel o,�} gal citizens. In 1920, Wescott Station area had a school, post office, blacksmith shop, garage, stores and food grinding mill. 8, KSTP built radio towers and transmitters in the Wescott Station Area. The towers were located very close to the intersection of Yankee Doodle Road and Highway 149. For a time this small community took the name Radio Center - even on official highway maps. KSTP removed the towers about 5 to 10 years later for better locations north of St. Paul. N "'fitoti ,y 28. Oil Wells - When I (Ted Wachter, long-time Eagan Resident/City Councilmember/historian) was about eight years old, we were picking strawberries when a car stopped on the road and a man walked over to us and wanted my dad to invest $50 in an oil well venture. My dad told him even if he had $50 he wouldn't invest it in this wild scheme. Sometime later, dad and I drove to Eagan to buy oak fence posts on Pilot Knob Road, cross from Thomas Lake Park, and dad showed me the wooden tower which was the oil well. It had been a failure and only produce water. A lot of people lost a lot of money. The large well casing is still thereto the best of my knowledge. 3 p.tar 5PIA... , 5 b•9.r'�w 29. 1965 City Hall/Police Station — Located at the northwest corner of Wescott and Pilot Knob Roads, the first City Hall building also housed the Police Station. Later, in 198_when the second Police Station was built across the road (in what is now the first floor of the Municipal Center) and even later, after the Municipal Center also moved across the street to its current location, this building became Eagan's Fire Administration Building. In 1996, the original building was removed and replaced with the current Fire Administration building. The original wood ceiling beams of the 1965 City Hall were preserved and are currently used in the Lexington-Diffley Park picnic shelter. e (ux.. 30. Current Municipal Center site - 31. Cedarvale Mall 32. Robert O'Niel Farm site 33. St. John's Lutheran Cemetery 34. Robber's Ravine Park 35. Threshers Fields —Long-time Eagan residents recall this being the site of large "threshing parties" each fall, in the early through mid-1900's. Farmers would gather from many neighboring farms with special threshing equipment to help harvest each other's wheat and oats. These "threshing parties" were also an occasion at which young farmers would show off to one another by performing feats of strength and agility. Some folks recall that the Heuer brothers were known to grasp large sacks of grain, often weighing 70 to 100 pounds, between their teeth. With their hands clasped behind their backs, they would begin swinging the sacks until enough momentum was gained to swing the sacks up onto the wagon -bed all while holding them between their teeth. The Park was named by the Eagan Historical Society to commemorate this history. 36. Scott's general store 04'eg104we cxnn�v7 ` t u GavM ���� 37. Onion Ca ( Eagan) - Wescott Station was a busy spot with a grocery store and a blacksmith that repaired farming equipment rpened plow shares. Across the road and to the west side of the road was a railroad spur at Wescott Station. That is where .4_ "( Le c tif14 td 41. Art Rahn 42. Cedar Grove Utilities 43. Establishing the Eagan Police Department 44. Establishing the Eagan Fire Department 45. Township established 46. Village of Eagan 47. The spelling of Eagan — Egan vs. Eagan G,%aza�Y a od..o 5fa-t,u farmers brought loads of onions to sell to Mr. Bernier who shipped them to other distributors. West Publishers used this side track and is still in use today. 38. Patrick Eagan G,f itAi' ,A -1 r v l k : ,) tu.an.x„� M 7 As.39. Robert O'Neill k�`n` ' ` (! 40. Herb Polzin - Herb was involved in early politics in the township days of Eagan. At the annual meetings, as long as I can remember, he was always appointed as Clerk. He also was the township treasurer. He was the man responsible to have the Town Board appoint me to the Planning Board which was advisory to them. I (Ted Wachter) did this for 13 years. poi , ' • ,. AA PD ( Z ` 4/ Si (/ 0-t.4.1€444 r , 7 48. Yankee Doodle Road was named during WWI. Early town roads were commonly called by the name of the fami past whose farm they went, and a segment of this road (which was then little more than a trail) was called Schmidt's Road . Anti -German feelings were high during the war, and admitting that one lived on a road as German -sounding as "Schmidt's" would be met with a lot of teasing. So when asked where one lived, people along this trail would say "Yankee Doodle Road". 49. Johnny Cake Ridge Road This name was given to the road by town Board action in October of 1964, after the Lawrence Fitzgerald family, who lived along it, submitted the name. The Fitzgerald's several years earlier had come across a road by that name in Ohio and suggested it for the Eagan road. 50. School Districts splitting Eagan — 51. 35-E and Blackhawk 52. Fourth of July Celebration /)((_ Ice c'/‘t.ti`.3 l� � P�vw Cep f s en- Vk (n gr 49- - , f -e-r 56u 3 zs►` e b 4 cLA 3 , 4.w ,-c'40 -4/ / L ? 417141_ jfr€j ? tWA CAAVA-1( -II etir722-rs-ze.z4z4*--71.24-4 1-4/858. G/cz. - te. rrn 4/2e a (/17e *R7eiz y) -' - ` " ""— e is o� e. S / 3 T •6ao- 7;ecL.R.a.t-ee - STj �e is47 Ju,e;44, ge 1444;ie2 of/g / T.4fi�-,n. �•���.• 0/5-WV/F6o /7is/c!zyof l%2,64- Sie 1 1,//1/o • e, ,--}-22.-/A-71-Tk , °C-- ‘---ipt_A,c--" 1.-0--71-1, uz_ , ,,j, c,L.t, 7-6.--„,—,. 07,-Altie--,un, - i,4c.a.--7 da e (-et-- 4M7,1-Vt-41.11-4-42('' 0 0.-..'se lite4_40L-r--).--z ----7.--k-z-4 Z- .- y 4--- --c;eez--i-,9 4e/ ' I 7 ,7,4-(-, / 1-Tr-'0/.._ 5_,i . , ,,,,14./7,t xi.)--- cvse-d vLee, r.erzeiz_iz gv-r-r-zi-- .-r-e;1-e--,e, f e.J2--.-k-ii-c.-e--4 6,- 1 r ere) e • . ..e.--,---1,-- --pc7,_,2_ -_ gt - f‹_.*E.W..z-i-- eir,--d--e fek.--, A.5, o-ie-e 6 v_.,,er ie-,:t4 alk.,!-( 117-ne-1\- e4,--h. 4./ ,,„_.....,...„....; L.,,,--4,,...:4 „....,...„...4 ,--d., "SAy4II i Z- • ; , <, 7,, ,/,,...,„ , --r.)-c_d_0_,Nt.' 74-(1-t4k/ Co-m.44-i; ith---4 •a-4-4-e-.41-4.--; 6-.)Litut.-rp I& it.wd 142r,--a'Cee,cii A'e-ezieze 74 kt-) tiket`tri Wd/19 z-1-u7/v-c-nf) f1 1-14„. 4/ 2x,d, " 26/%- ,-t-eC-r--4-A 4,.„e 42t'64 7.,- - ) At 4°44'16 Zilert...4 • 4 1 7 1 . e ci 6Q-c,-1 OX-C-tec,gt t, ) 5:(6):174-71- 1.-1 (Za-P-114. 4_6 ) /9 c:// A°L--7"-et.. a-i3-01-‘1..2 . 744_ ri 4-1-61ty ) 44-4L4' ,t,-/ 1 - 11.7i 1, 5-1 et) 4fr / j• 1;1/4 teld..4 *CT /4 4/11/3-1 / RA( erY /1'47/ V -.44/14A /1/. /tete ‘4.c to-r4 ide ei 677, a Oz-c,-7-L. • 44-"z-‘,174-ct fL) 4 1 ono is... ..... La ON no co ono ••••....• • • • Im•-• Mumma Fri.. I \arra M... I,. I.. An. I.. T.. Ma. 1••• .1••••••• bar• TI•••• EAGAN TOWN BOARD) I Supervisors pose during the recent open house. From Left front row Are Mrs Alyce Bolke, Clerk; Art Rahn. chair— man; !d Schwanz. supervisor; Second row John Klein. supervisor; and Herbert Polzin. treasurer. 1965. Ital.%• Mos v. donna sae med. Non helaw X.,. In. NI Ir.. L araner. 0.11ser rein. Le 1•Nre Polo. er 1,11.4 Oak. Dor 1111./ ••• EU. 1.• I ran\ laaltier•N rad 4.laa.a. loy. ...an loon, •I 41•11...E1 I ...Oil. Mawr. 4.a.. • Odonl /am. C.11.01.; 100,10.111 O.Obida IN O•b• ...sn. Minn WIN11.1.11.411.1.4••• ▪ W. womb. c ....... Jan Marin. ‘41. M.... Alia dosoor • • • 2 4� • • • BOARD l•MICTBERS 1965 CHAIRMAN SUPERVISOR SUPERVISOR TREASURER CLERK JSUTICE OF TEE PEACE JUSTICE OF TES PACE POLICE CHIEF POLICE OFFICER POLICE OFFICER POLICE OFFICt EAGAN VOLUNTEER FIRE DT ARTM2NT FIRE CHIEF 1ST ASSISTANT 2;ND ASSISTANT CONSULTING ATTORNEY CONSULTING ENSINTER Arthur Rahn Edward Schwanz John J. Klein Herbert polzin alyce bolke Helen Kennedy Silas Palmer Martin Des Lauriers Vernon Le Terdrs Richard LeMay Donn Smith ADVISORY PLANNING BOARD Donald Van Engen Frank Lamb arger Jay Berth, Luther M. Stalland Bonestroo, Rosen, Anderlik & Assoc. James Klingel, Chairman Herbert Polzin Ted Wachter Don Christenson EAGA7 PARK BOAS Vernon Cole Thomas Stearns Jan Marien EAGAN TOWNSHIP PROJECTION PRESENT POPULATION 1965 TEAR 1955 Y*AR 2000 Gordon Beaudette Tom Diffley William Rydrych Mavis Westbrook John Conso,r Richard Thorpe 7,000 62,000 112,300 • • • Recognized for their service to the City of Fagan are, from rigor left Arthur Rahn, Herbert Polzin and William Rydrych. At the last city council meeting for 1977, December 20, three men ended a total of 72 years of public servive. They are Mayor Herb Polzin, Council Member Art Rahn, and Council Member William Rydrych. City engineer Robert Rosene was also honored. All three elected officials have served !;agan long and well, but Mayor Polzin goes back the furthest in his public oervice.Herb began in 1944, serving as treasurer of Tagan y- 4F- Township and continued in that office for 2g years. In 1972, Herb left histreasurer job because he had been elected mayor (the first one of the Village of Fagan). In'&d— dition to these capacities, he was also a member of the ragan Advisory Planning Commission from 1956 to 1972. Art Rahn served on the Fagan Town Board of Supervisors from 1953 to 1972. Rahn left his position as chairman of the town board in 1972 because he had been Alected a council member. William Rydrych was appointed to tho advisory planning commission in 1965. In 1972 he was elected to the town bo- ard and later that year he was elected to the city council. He has served on the council since 1972. At the close of the council meeting, Theodore Wachter their fellow council member, thanked them forltheir service and presented each of them with a framed certificate of ap- preciation while commending them on their years of dedica- tion and service on behalf of the council and the City of Eagan. Future Mayor Leo Murphy suggested that the gavel be re- tired with them and placed in a display cafe at the city hall, since it had been around for so long and had quite a history. The council agreed with the idea. Mayor Polzin noted that thp carvod work, Eagan, on thn gavel was whittled one day long ago by a former member who got bored by the meeting he was suffering through and so ent- ertained himself with his handiwork. Polain thanked everone for their help and th. meetin was adjourned. On Jan. 3. Leo Murphy will begin his term as mayor. That meeting will also begin the terms of council memebers Mark Par- ranto. Thomas A. Egan. James A Smith. _1 a re-elected former member. And Theodore Wachter (also a re-elected former council Member). • • cagan's rirst Mayor . Council Take Office THE FIRST council meeting in Eagan was f.W Monday. At the council table, from left to right, ore Cleric-trwsurer Alyce Rolle, councilmen lames Smith, Arthur Rohn, Mayor Herbert Polsin, councilmen Ted Wachter, William Rydrych, village attorney Paul Houge, and engineering cons!dtoat Ro►ett CLERK -TREASURER Alyce Bolke is shown swearing in first Mayor of Eagan, Herbert Polzin, Monday/November 6, 1972, at the Eagan Town Hall, as councilman Arthur Rahn looks on. The first Organizational meeting was held as the community changed from township to village status. Eagan village had its first council meeting Monday No- vember 6, when Mayor Herbert Polzin and councilmen Arthur Rahn, Ted Wacter, James Smith and William Rydrych were sworn in by Village clerk Alyce Bolke, whose power continued from township government. She was named clerk -treasurer, in the council's organizational meeting. Arthur Rahn was named act- ing mayor. The Dakota County Tribune was named the official news- paper. and the Valley National Bank of Eagan the official depository. The three posting places for legal notices were designated the famous Lone OakTree, Applebaum's and the town • • At the December 20, council meeting, Polzin paid tribute to the city engineer, Robert Rosen,. Polzin spoke of Rosen, recently being awarded the Golden Beaver (one of the highest scouting awards). and also being named a WCCO Good Neighbor. He presented Herb Polzin with a small framed phote of Pilot Knob Road., amidst much clapping and laughter. • • • Mayor Elect hall, Meeting dates were given as the first and third Tuesday and other Tuesdays for special meetins. Time was 7 P M in the winter with 7:30 P M., for hearings, and 7:30 P M., in the sum- mer with g:00 P M for hearings. Marcy Anderson of 2R35 Vilas Lane, speaking for the local league in the of Women official Voters, asked that council agendas be published � t 1 E 9 6t, 1.041 It was decided to do this. newspaper. Paul Hauge of the firm Stalland and Hauge of Eagan and Minneapolis was named the village attorney; Bonestroo, Ander- lik, and Associates, engineer;,J uran and Moody, fiscl consultant Dr. 'Erickson of Rosemount, Health Officier. Other persons named were: Martin DesLauriers, police chief; Roger Sperling, on MASAC (airport noise); William Schulta, fire chief; William Branch, publich works superintendent; Dale Peter- son , building inspector; Wilkerson, Guthman, and Johnson, Au- diting firm. Present members of the planning koard were renamed. Serving to 1975 are Jon Marble and Joe Harrison; 1974, Leo Murphy and Er- win Hoelmken. Nominated to vacancies, one due to the death of Thomas Diffley, were Francis J. Dembroski, 1040 McKee Street Charles Hall presently on the town board; John Toso, 1933 Tur- quoise; Bea Bloomquist, 2054 Copper Lane; Robert Losinski, 2P99 Fairlawn Place; and Donald Christenson, 3650 Pilot Knob Rd. A former planning board member. Members named were Francis J. Dem- broski, Charles Hall and Mr. Toso. Mr. Hall is to continue on the park board as well Ji 0.6 M ayor elect Assessment committee memberships were continued. Health and hospital committee members are -David Lundst.n, Peg Black, Joe Krisnik, Wayne Winsor, and Al Hauser. Salary of the mayor was made a $175 per month, the same receive, as the town board chairman, and councilman will recieve $125, per month. Township supervisors had received $150.00 per month. Committee assignments for councilmen were: Park and play— ground, Ted Wachter; utilities, James Smith; Street and bridges Arthur Rahn; Public Safety, William Rydrych. All serve on the zoning committee. The tax levy adopted at the October 10 continued annual township meeting was reconfirmed. All township ordinances were adopted as law. The meeting was well attended by interested residents. The council meets November 14 at 7;00 p. M. Francis J. Dembroski • • • • n Breaks Ground For Police Fa �...,.., . „a . .........»..�. •o....._....« swp •••yam .. «i.. nn t....e er. weacser I.r.. ray.. ..D ... to County V " n~Wnin p.v•••. ...R Groper... raw Nava city ....._.. i. e. ..r .•'~� .w.11 SAGAN BR:".AXS GROUND FOR POLICE FACILITY Dignitaries taking part in the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Eagan Police Department facility are, from the left, Henry Miidcelaon, contractor, Ray Eklund, contractor, Janes Horne, architect; Paul Hauge, city attorney, Arthur Rahn, councilman; Red Boyd, Dakota County Sheriff; Herbert Polzin, Mayor; Martin DesLauriers, Police Chief; Alyce Bolke, City Clerk; Rep. Ray Kempe, District 53L; congressman; second District; Thomas Hedges City Administrator; Jamee Sinth, councilman; Jay Berthe, assistant police chief; and William Rydrych, councilman. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on the site of the future 'Eagan Police Department, Friday November 4, 1977. The new police department facility will be an 'S,000 sore y4r<, foot, single story building with a full basement. I t allows for future construction of a second story that could be used for admi- istrative offices and city council chambers. Tagan's Police Facility The new facility will be located an 20 acres of land on the east aide of Pilot Knob Rd. acrossfrom city hall. Th, site allows for future constrcction of municipal offices, a fire station, a community building or other possible facilities such as a library. The construction contract was awarded to Henry 0. Mikkelson in th• amount of $l7,555. The building will be funded by the use of federal revenue sharing funds. The completion date for the new police facility is expected to be June 1, 197g. 1 • • • • • • wing Pains For Rural -:,... -- A.. .- �, _ ........... « ma ..» One of the problems of a growing community such as Cedar Grove is the delivery of mail. The above picture which might at first glance appear to be a rural carrier's nightmare, is the poet office departments's method of handling nail tempor ° kJ. arily for a new pro cat ;until the roads are surface and the streets become more establiched.t Above photo was taken at Ce- dar Grove, on Cedar Avenue near Highway 13, where the situat- e ion changes daily. Temporary Carrier Herbert H. PJ.lzin of 940 Blue Gentian Road, has almost 60 boxes at one stop outside Ce- dar Grove. He has 455 patrons on his 62 miles of Route 1, St. paul 11. Postal officials say the problem appears inside the post office as much as outside. The carriers must "case“ all mail before delivery, and the incomeini families need an inside casing space, as w.11 as an outside box. Tventually the will deliver mail directly to the houses at Cedar Grove. carrier Seh7, r r2Q e�y Mr. Polzin is replacing the late George Casey who died November 21. Officials at Cedar Grove say their goal is 2000 dwellings. And if the present rate of conetruction keepa up, they'll no doubt make it. • • BOARD MaM B~'R.3 1965 CHAIRMAN SUP'_RVI SOR 3LLc4'RV I SOR TRL'ASUMR CLERK JSSTICE OF TR PEACE JUSTICE OF THE PAC POLIO' CHIEF POLICE OFFICER POLICE OFFICER POLICE OPFIC 'EAGAN VOLUNTEER FIR DMPARTMTNT FIRS' CHI 1ST ASSISTANT 2ND ASSISTANT C0*.SULTING ATTORN7IY CONSULTING ENSINETR Arthur Rahn Edward Schwanz John J. Klein Herbert go1zin alyce bolke Helen Kennedy Silas Palmer Martin Des Lauriers Vernon Le Tendre Richard LeMay Donn Smith ADVISORY PLANNING BOARD Donald Van Engen Frank Lamberger Jay Berth, Luther M. Stalland Bonestroo. Rosen, Anderlik & Assoc. James Klingel, Chairman Herbert Polzin Ted Wachter Don Christenson EAGAN PARK BOARD Vernon Cole Thomas Stearns Jan Marien EAGAN TOWNSHIP PROJECTION PRESENT POPULATION 1965 VAR 19a5 MAR 2000 Gordon Beaudette Tom Diffley William Rydrych Mavis Westbrook John Consoer Richard Thorpe 7.000 62.000 112,300 • AR/472 ir.RBTRT H. POLZfl1 MAILMAN POLITICIAN Part of the History of Eagan Township - 1963 through 1972 by John J. Klein The period in Eagan's history from 1960 through 1972 was one of major transition and preparation for future growth, during which the foundation was laid to accomo • date its development. Policies were established to build a total community in which people could live, work, and play. All varieties of housing would be pro- vided, and businesses and industry would not only be welcome, but they would not be exploited. them to locate industrial tax Developers were given prompt, fair decisions, and this encouraged in Eagan thereby providing it with a 50-50 ratio of commercial and base ve'?is residential. Eagan has consistently had the lowest tax of the 70 or 80 most populous communities in the Seven County Metropolitan Area. In 1963, Eagan was on the threshhold of highly accelerated growth, and it had no police, fire, or public works departments, no utility program, and was operating out of a little one room town hallwithno water facilities and a one -seater out- house. It was heated by a pot-bellied stove which either roasted you or permit- ted you to freeze depending upon where you sat during the cold winter night Town Board meetings. There were about 10 rows of seats made from unpainted 2 by 12 planks, and 2 file cabinets. Recognizing the potential for explosive growth, the Town Board established Police, Fire, and Public Works Departments. The consulting engineer firm of Bonestroo, Rosene and Associates was engaged to prepare comprehensive Storm Sewer, Sanitary Sewer, and Water Supply Plans. The Luther M. Stalland Law Firm prepared the neces- sary legal documents establishing these departments and utility programs.' Eagan was the only community in Dakota County and perhaps the whole Metro Area which had two foot topographic maps flown and prepared for its entire area. At the time,the $20,000.00 cost for these maps was a major budget expense, but the two foot topo maps were essential to the engineers in establishing a sound utilities system. Aerial photographs needed for topographic maps can only be flown in the early (S�jpring ram, after the snow has melted and before the trees leaf out or in the lateOutumn after the leaves are down and before the ground is covered with snow. Potential devel- opers and landowners would haze hPen limited to these two times of year for topo- graphic information. The initial cost of $20,000.00 for these topo maps has been recovered many times over through their sale .at the rate of $6.00 per acre)and has served as one of the many4110 Page 2 ways a community can be helpful to private development. The first comprehensive Storm Sewer, Sanitary Sewer, and Water Plans were ready in 1965, and Eagan embarked upon building its utilities program. A systematic, common sense approach to implementing the system made it very acceptable to the citizens of Eagan, old time land owners and newcommers alike. On August 22, 1965, dedication ceremonies were held for the new Eagan Town Hall complete with modern facilities, an office, and a meeting room which could accom- odate 200 people. In less than three years Eagan had outgrown its new Town Hall, and in 1968 built an addition to it to provide additional office space and to also provide facilities for a greatly expanded Police Department which included lock- up cells, squad rooms, an interrogation room, and dispatcher facilities for both the Police Department and the Fire Department. Eagan Township had the only lock- up cells in western Dakota County. In 1963, fire protection for the township was being provided by contracts with the Mendota Heights and Rosemount Fire Departments. The Cedar Grove area which was the most populated part of Eagan was not adequately protected by these two departments because of the distance factor. To provide better protection, a Special Fire District was delineated and established by a vote -of the people lying within its boundaries. Implementing this new dis- trict became impossible because Minnesota taws prohibit taxing for a fire'district until it is providing the service, and bonds could not be sold for building and equipping the special fire district. Once this became known, the Town Board ex- plained the situation to the citizens of Eagan, and in October of 1963, the Special Fire District was dissolved by the Town Board; the Eagan Volunteer Fire Department was formed. The first fire hall was built on Rahn Road in the Cedar Grove area, and the contracts with Mendota Heights and Rosemount continued for the protection of the rest of Eagan)until the Eagan Volunteer Fire Department grew and expanded to adequately protect all of Eagan. A second and third fire hall were built, and Eagan was then served exclusively by its own Volunteer Department. In 1959 the Minnesota Legislature created the Minnesota Municipal Commission (MMC), a three member appointed body to hear petitions for incorporations and annexations. The law contained an exclusive method for incorporating any unincorporated area, iht townships, into villages, and it P g provided for right of the people in the affected area Page 3 to vote on the issue of their form of government. The MMC would hear testimony and receive evidence in cases of annexation or in- corporation, and either approve of the application and set an election for that purpose or disapprove, in which case the request to annex or incorporate was de- nied, and the community boundaries and governmental structure would remain the same. • Incorporated communities (cities and villages) could annex all or parts of un- incorporated townships, and in 1961, the City of Bloomington petitioned to annex the area of Burnsville Township which contained the Blackdog Power Plant. This plant provided nearly 90% of Burnsville's tax base at that time, and Bloomington's action was a pure and simple attempt at pirating that tax base. To protect the retention of the Blackdog Plant in Burnsville Township they filed a petition with the MMC to incorporate into a village, but the MMC had already revealed its "grand plan" to force incorporation of the five townships of Burns- ville, Lebanon (now Apple Valley), Rosemount, Inver Grove, and Eagan into one larr, municipality with a area three times the combined size of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Another MMC philosophy was to expand existing commun'ties at the expense of cutting up others, so when Burnsville petitioned to incorporate, the MMC arbitrarily decided to add 12 sections of Eagan into the incorporation order for the new Village of Burnsville. They had to recind that order, because the residents in those 12 sec- tions had not been officially notified. The MMC then voted to arbitrarily order 8 sections of Eagan into Burnsville, but after tremendous public pressure, this was reduced to 2.7 sections of Eagan. These 2.7 sections contained about half of Eagan's population and assessed value. It would have split the Cedar Grove area and would have left the Eagan Fire Hall with 2 volunteers, and the other 42 volunteers would have been in the new Village of Burnsville. It was the intent of the MMC to cut up the rest of Eagan Township and annex part of it to Mendota Heights and part to Rosemount. Had the MMC p & it in their Burns- ville order, it would have been the beginning of the end of Eagan. The MMC then ordered an incorporation of the new Village of Burnsville which in- • cluded all of Burnsville, 2.7 sections of Eagan which was the area west of Rahn Road, and that part of Lebanon (Apple Valley) lying west of the proposed I-35E alignment. • • Page 4 The wording on the ballet made no provision for choice in the annexations, but the people could only vote "For" or "Against" the new village as set forth by the MMC order, and only those living within that area could vote on the issue. The other 32 sections of Eagan were disinfranchized. All voting was, by MMC order, to take place in the Burnsville Town Hall,denying the Eagan voters the right to vote in their established voting precincts and requiring them to travel 16 miles to a location unknown or unfamiliar to them. There would have been no way to ascertain how the Eagan citizens voted on the issue. The Eagan Town Board requested the MMC to permit its residents to vote in their normal precincts, and when this was denied the Board filed an appeal with the Dis- trict Court. Judge Bruenig ordered the MMC to permit the people of Eagan to vote in their own precincts. The incorporation vote favored incorporation of the new Village of Burnsville by a 909 to 625 margin, but because of Judge Bruenig's order, we were able to determine that the Eagan residents in the 2.7 sections voted 5 to 1 (519 to 125) against. Had all of the 34.5 sections of Eagan been able to vote, the issue would have surely been rejected. On the basis of Eagan's vote, the MMC's order to incorporate the Village of Burnsville was appealed by Eagan to the District Court. Judge Bruenig ordered the MMC to delete the 2.7 sections of Eagan from its order. The MMC refused to comply and appealed to the State Supreme Court which sustained Judge Bruenig's order. Luther Stalland, the attorney for Eagan, litigated the entire appeal process in a superior manner. Had Eagan not fought for its right to vote in its own precincts, no separation of the vote would have been possible, and there would not be the community of Eagan today. In 1969 an 8 member committee was formed to study the merits of incorporation. It recommended that Eagan should by-pass the village status and incorporate directly into a Charter City. To do this required special legislation, and although the majority of the Town Board was not in favor of this, the board requested the legis- lation in the interest of democracy)so that the people would have the right to vote on their form of government. Special legislation granted an election on the issue, and the election was held on November 3, 1970. The Eagan Incorporation Committee prepared a report which was distributed to every household in Eagan, and a public informational meeting was held on the issue on October 21, 1970 in the Cedar Ele- mentary School. Considerable debate took place between the committee members who were in favor of the Charter City and Town Board Chairman John Klein and Supervisor Art Rahn who were opposed to it. The results of the November 3rd election were 2,050 against incorporating into a Charter City and 1,231 for. /'C--Vise I Over the years?since 1959 when the MMC was first established, each legislative ses- sion alternately provided for a vote of the people or removed their right to vote on incorporation matters. In 1971, the law did not provide for the right to vote, and a petition by one hundred freeholders could request the MMC to incorporate Eagan into a village without the vote of the citizenry. The over 400 freeholder petition against incorporation was disregarded by the MMC, and it ordered Eagan to be incorpor- ated into a village on October 19, 1972 without a vote of the people. Subsequently, state legislation _eliminated the village form of government and made all villages statuatory cities. Today, the City of Eagan is a statuatory city. Eagan, as a Township, was providing all of the necessary services such as police, fire protection, public works, administrative, parks, planning, etc. and still maintaining the lowest taxes in the Metropolitan Area. Even the MMC admitted this at the hearings. The Township form of government is the only form of government • left in which the electorate set their taxes at an annual meeting. It is inter- esting to hear various people talk about having an old time Town Hall meeting for it suggests the feeling of true democracy, and it would have been a grand experi- ment to have permitted Eagan to function under the township form of government)as long as it adequately provided for the nee'ds of its people. On September 9, 1965, the Dakota County Board held a public hearing on a Uniform Street Naming and Numbering System)which it intended to adopt throughout the county. The communities which were cities at the time)could opt to retain their existing street names and numbers, or they could elect to adopt the new county system. Burns- ville Village and Eagan Township were the only two communities which strenuously ob- jected to being forced into the new county system which had a sterility of numerical names for the East/West streets such as 101st St., 102nd St., etc., and a monoton- ous and limited alphabetical series of names for theNorth/South streets. All of the North/South streets in the first mile would be required to have names beginning with the letter "A", all in the second mile with the letter "B", etc. • Eagan has always placed a high value on its heritage and history and insisted on • • Page 6 being able to retain its historic street names such as Pilot Knob Road, Lone Oak Road, Yankee Doodle Road, Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Rahn Road, Silver Bell Road, Blue Gentian Road, etc. Eagan also wanted its street names to reflect its vibrance and beauty with names such Cherrywood Court, Mourning Dove Court, Kings Wood Drive, Blue Bill Circle, Carnelian Lane, Turquoise Trail, Oak Chase Lane, Wilderness Run Circle, and others,which not only add color to the community, but actually have a beneficial effect on the value of the homes. Fortunately, through the strong efforts of the Town Board, Eagan was not forced into the county system and was permitted to retain its naming and numbering system. Eagan Township became famous statewide, for it was unwilling to accept state laws which were conflicting or poorly conceived, and Eagan became very visible at the state leg- islature attempting to correct them. Laws such as those which permitted townships to establish voting precincts, but which would require all voting to take place at the Town Hall when a bond issue was on the ballot needed to be corrected. It was like requiring St. Paul or Minneapolis t re in their city halls when bond issues were on their ballots. Or the right to establish a Special Fire District, but deny any way of implementing it. There were numerous bad or conflicting laws dealing with taxes, roads, franchises, salaries, police enforcement, bonding, etc. that Eagan Township became famous for bringing to the attention of the legislature and correcting. In 1965, Eagan, along with many of the suburban communities recognized the need for attending to the sewerage problem in the 7-County Metro Area, and joined with them to find a sollution to the problem. Several sewer disricts were formed. The Minne- apolis -St. Paul Sanitary Sewer District (MSSSD), the North Suburban Sanitary Sewer District (NSSSD), the Southwest Sanitary Sewer District (SWSSD), and the Bloomington - Eagan -Burnsville Regional Pollution Control District were established to cope with the problem on a regional basis taking into account the natural topographic consider- ations for minimizing interceptor lines and treatment plant costs while providing maximum efficiency of treatment facilities. Polarization took place between the Minneapolis -St. Paul District on the one side, and the various suburban districts on the other. The MSSSD tried to force the entire 7 County Area into the one -plant concept at Pig's Eye, and the NSSSD, SWSSD, and B.E.B. Sanitary Sewer Districts believed a more efficient, more flexible, less expensive, and less polluting system of regional plants would be the best manner in abating the C wn sewerage problem. Page 7 Eagan Township, Burnsville Village, and the City of Bloomington officially formed • the Bloomington -Eagan -Burnsville Pollution Control District in 1966, and after three years of battle before the State Legislature and the State Pollution Control Agency, the B.E.B. broke the back of the one -plant concept] nd was granted a PCA Permit to construct the B.E.B. Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in Eagan on September 8, 1969. This plant immediately treated the sewage at 95% efficiency as compared to the MSSSD Pig's Eye Plant which was only treating`at 35% efficiency. The State Legislature created the Metropolitan Sewer Board in 1969)giving it control of all treatment plants in the 7 County Metro Area as of January 1, 1971, and re- E' quiredgevery treatment plant become the property of the newly created Metro Sewer Board as of that date. The B.E.B. Plant which was fought for, designed by, and nearly completed by the communities of Bloomington, Eagan, and Burnsville)had to be signed over to the Metro on January 1, 1971. It is the second largest plant of its kind in Minnesota, is the most efficient, and is being used to monitor all:f. sewage treatment in the 7 County Area. The B.E.B. name was changed to the Seneca Wastewater Treatment Plant and was officially dedicated on September 6, 1972. • Ironically, the very people who tried to stop the construction of the B.E.B. Plant, and who delayed its approval, were the recipient of a National Award for its excellence and regional concept for sewage treatment, 400 years ago, Sir Francis Bacon, the brilliant advisor to Queen Elizabeth I,, said there are three things essential to the greatness of a countryy 1 rtile Ads, 2. Industrious people, and 3 Good roads to move the people and products from place to place. The Romans knew the value of good roads. Early on, Eagan also realized the value of adequate transportation corridors and a good thoroughfare system, and has worked cooperatively with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Hwy. Dept.) and the Dakota County Hwy. Dept. in the development of Eagan's Major Thoroughfare Plan. Eagan's local roads and the county roads are basicly completed, and after long and tireless efforts a new Cedar Avenue Bridge is in place. The I-494 Bridge and no r + 1, v n Freeway across the nothern part of Eagan will be opened to traffic in the Fall of 1982, and after a long, drawn out battle on the location at Blackhawk Lake, I-35E is once again under way and is scheduled for completion in 1985. Page 8 • With the completion of the Interstate Highway System and the elimination of the bottlenecks at the river crossings, Eagan will grow even more explosively than it has in the past. Fortunately, it has'weri preparednand provided for its growth. • •