Lake Phalen has long been a magnet for people looking for a place to gather and connect with nature. As early as 1879, the Phalen Chain of Lakes was advertised as a resort area with excellent boating, fishing and hunting opportunities. The park was established in 1894.
The Chain of Lakes is Born:
Glaciers that moved through this area over the last 2.58 million years left behind submerged river valleys and dramatically changing landscapes. The last time they passed through, about 20,000 years ago, the glacier left a chain of lakes including Lake Phalen in an old river valley where the St. Croix River used to be located.
Dakota Water Way:
For many years, the Dakota traveled from the Mississippi through a creek to Lake Phalen. The Phalen Chain of Lakes offered prime hunting and fishing grounds to these Native Americans.
Drink Up!
In 1869 the St. Paul Water Company began supplying water from the lake for homes and businesses in St. Paul. The lake continued to be a primary source of city water through 1913.
Street Car Stop:
A streetcar station on the west side of the lake, built in 1894, increased visitors to the park which spurred on canoe rentals, beach houses, pavilions and bandstands.
Canoeing in the Lagoon:
In the early 1920s park visitors lounged
in rented canoes in the island lagoon. It was a popular site to listen to music (played on portable phonographs) while paddling.
Tarzan Comes to Lake Phalen:
A Phalen Beach crowd watches a performance in 1931 by Olympic swim champion Johnny Weissmuller, star of Tarzan movies.
Linke's Landing:
Linke's Landing was a familiar landmark and popular launching site for hunting, fishing, swimming and rowing in the early 1900s.
Bringing Bulrush Back:
The bulrush, an important native plant species, was removed from Lake Phalen by the 1940s. Restoration efforts have brought the bulrush back.
Coming Full Circle:
Since the early 1900s, the Lake Phalen shoreline has been drastically altered; the lake bottom dredged, native plants removed and wetlands filled. These practices destroyed fish and wildlife habitat and caused erosion. In 2001, the community came together to restore the shoreline to a more natural state.
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