On Aug. 20, 1904, a deadly tornado started in South Dakota and made its way through St. Louis Park, killing three local residents. In all, 14 people died in the storm, the St. Louis Park Historical Society reports. According to Hennepin County Emergency Management, winds from the storm hit 110 mph in St. Paul—the highest official wind speed ever recorded in Minnesota of more than one minute. The historical society notes that the damage was extensive: The storm continued on to St. Paul and Stillwater. Significant damage was done to both downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. In the Park, the storm…

Want a good ghost story on Friday the 13th? We've got one, and it comes from right here in St. Louis Park. According to legend, Lamplighter Park is said to be haunted by the caretaker of the old Silver Fox Farm. The St. Louis Park Historical Society notes that it is not exactly clear where specifically this fox farm was, or when it existed. But it is clear that foxes were bred in the Park, likely starting in the 1920s or '30s and ending in the 1940s. Legend has it that an eerie light reflects off Lamplighter Pond at night, with the explanation that the light comes from the lamp of the …

With the 2012 Minnesota Boys Basketball State Tournament starting today, it seems appropriate to honor a St. Louis Park team that made its mark on this event 50 years ago. The 1962 Orioles basketball team won the state championship, defeating more than 480 schools for the prize in what was a one-class, eight-team event. Park finished the season 22-2. The late Lloyd Holm, who coached the team, was inducted into the St. Louis Park Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005. Last year, the entire team received a "Team of Distinction" award. You can read more about the '62 Orioles in this Sun Sailor piece. If…

In a span of 125 years, St. Louis Park has gone from being a humble village of 350 people to a bustling suburb of more than 40,000. On Sunday, Oct. 16, that history will be celebrated, as the St. Louis Park Historical Society hosts a birthday bash at the Veteran’s Amphitheater. The event will run from 1-4 p.m. Before that celebration, St. Louis Park Patch will be recognizing the city’s history by presenting 125 things you might not have known about St. Louis Park. We’ll be running 25 of these per day starting on Wednesday. We’d love your input as we work on this. If you know an interesting …

From humble beginnings, the St. Louis Park Community Band has grown into one of the most beloved groups in town. The roots of the band trace back to 1891, when the Monitor Drill Band formed. According to the St. Louis Park Historical Society, this band consisted of 10 members and took many trips, playing regularly at the Minnesota State Fair and local Fourth of July celebrations. Over the years, however, the Monitor Drill Band had trouble finding a place to call home. Two of its regular bandstands were destroyed by storms, and a third building was demolished to make room for area railroad …

One way or the other, you’ve probably ended up at the Park Tavern at least once over the years. Maybe you hosted your kid’s birthday party there. Or caught a Twins game—or Twins players chatting with fans—there. Maybe you’re like this writer and have the bowling Groupon, which gets me to the lanes a lot. Whatever the reason, St. Louis Park residents have been heading to the Park Tavern regularly since it opened in 1959. The original Park Tavern was located at the corner of Minnetonka Boulevard and Louisiana Avenue—about four blocks north of the current location. According to the St. Louis …

When it opened in 1962, the Cooper Theater auditorium was described by the Star Tribune as “a perfect circle without a quivering piece of hardware.” That was the beginning of a nearly 30-year run for the St. Louis Park theater, which was one of the first in the country to be specially outfitted for Cinerama, a style that used three film projectors synchronized to make a panoramic image. Opening night featured a showing of "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm," and then-U.S. Sen. Hubert Humphrey and his wife, Muriel, were among the people on the guest list, according to the St. Louis …

Over the years, the Minnehaha Creek has gone through many changes as local residents have built dams and other structures, but through it all, the waterway has been a vital part of life in St. Louis Park. The earliest reports on the creek date back to 1822, when two 17-year old boys—William J. Snelling, the son of Col. Josiah Snelling of Fort Snelling fame, and Joseph Renshaw Brown, a drummer boy from Maryland—followed the creek up to Lake Minnetonka, according to the St. Louis Park Historical Society. Snelling apparently couldn't take the mosquitoes and headed back, but Brown and two …

The dust has settled on St. Louis Park's 2011 City Council primary election, and Jake Spano and Claudia Johnston-Madison advanced to the Nov. 8 general election. It was the third time the city has had a primary in the last four elections, with 2007 being the exception. A primary is required in St. Louis Park anytime three or more people file for one seat. The primary then whittles the pool down to two for the upcoming general election. In 2005, Susan Sanger and Ann Thomas advanced from Ward 1, and C. Paul Carver and Michael Cohn advanced from Ward 4. In 2009, Julia Ross and Bill Theobald made…

Long before St. Louis Park youngsters were running off to Susan Lindgren or Peter Hobart, a one-room schoolhouse was the destination of choice. The Pratt or Prattville School was built in the fall of 1859, and was located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Excelsior Boulevard and Pleasant Avenue (later to be known as Wooddale Avenue), according to the St. Louis Park Historical Society. Local boys attended the school only during the winter term—the rest of the year they worked on local farms. The historical society reports that these students were known for torturing their teacher…

If you’re in the top, left spot of a series of photos, it often means you were first at something. Inside St. Louis Park’s City Council chambers, Joseph Hamilton gets this prestigious spot, and he was indeed a “first”—the city’s first mayor. Hamilton was born in Dexter, ME, in 1836. In 1855, he laid claim to 120 acres of land just south of where St. Louis Park High School is today and began to farm, according to the St. Louis Park Historical Society. In the 1880s, he was one of the main proponents on incorporating St. Louis Park as a village. His work paid off when, in 1886, St. Louis Park …

If you’ve ever been skating at the Roller Garden in St. Louis Park, you’ve gone around and around a building full of history. The spacious structure opened in 1930 as an indoor horse riding facility, according to the St. Louis Park Historical Society. As horse riding was a much more popular activity in those days, the arena drew a number of large shows and big crowds. But as the popularity of horse riding waned—at least in urban areas—the arena evolved. By the early 1940s, the arena was flooded in the winter and used for ice-skating. An electric organ entertained the skaters. In 1943, a …

Editor's Note: This is the first in a new weekly series that will highlight interesting tidbits from St. Louis Park's history. Information will generally be drawn from the St. Louis Park Historical Society, but if you have history you'd like to share—including text, photographs and possibly video—please email local editor Michael Rose at michael.rose@patch.com. When people think of tree houses, they generally think of small structures big enough for a kid or two. And then there is the tree house in St. Louis Park. The seven-level landmark on Minnetonka Boulevard is a massive marvel that …