City of Golden Valley Historic Context Study - Prepared for the Golden Valley Historical Society Golden Valley, Minnesota Prepared by Thomas R. Zahn & Associates LLC December 2020 A Cover photographs clockwise from top: Robert W. Moser House at 5732 Golden Valley Road 1939 Atlas Quarter Section map Theodore Wirth Park Chalet at 1301 Theodore Wirth Parkway The Mission Church at 6731 Golden Valley Road Kingdom Hall of Golden Valley of Jehovah’s Witnesses at 1950 Douglas Drive North General Mills Headquarters at 1 General Mills Boulevard Minneapolis Streetcar and Shelter at Theodore Wirth Park in 1951 (Courtesy of the Minnesota Streetcar Museum) Historic photographs included in this report are from the collections of the Golden Valley Historical Society, the Minnesota Historical Society, the Minnesota State Historical Preservation Office, and the Minnesota Streetcar Museum. This project was financed in part by a Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grant through the Minnesota Historical Society. These grants are made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment. Additional funding was provided by the Golden Valley Historical Society. B City of Golden Valley Historic Context Study Prepared for the Golden Valley Historical Society Golden Valley, Minnesota Board of Directors Ken Huber President Steve Schmidgall Vice President Don Anderson Secretary David Kuball Treasurer Jenny Brookins Jim Elert Larry Fonnest Grants Manager and Curator Crystal Boyd Prepared by Thomas R. Zahn & Associates LLC Thomas Zahn, Principal Bethany Gladhill, Project Associate December 2020 i ii City of Golden Valley Historic Context Study Table of Contents Executive Summary __________________________________________________1 Quick Reference for National Register of Historic Places Evaluation Recommendations ________________________________________3 Quick Reference Preservation Planning Recommendations ______________6 Study Importance and Methodology___________________________________7 The Importance of Historic Contexts ___________________________________________ 7 Objectives and Methodology __________________________________________________ 8 The Village of Golden Valley 1938-39 Land Atlas — A Snapshot in Time _____________ 9 The 1939 Golden Valley Atlas Map with Color Overlays _________________________ 10 Contextually Speaking ______________________________________________________ 12 City of Golden Valley Defined ________________________________________________ 13 Contextual Analysis Comparative Maps _______________________________________ 15 A Brief History of Golden Valley_____________________________________16 City of Golden Valley Area Map 2020 ________________________________17 Chapter 1 – Early Settlement _______________________________________________ 18 Setting the Stage for Early Settlement __________________________________________ 18 Early Anglo-European Settlement ____________________________________________20 Golden Valley’s Century Old Homes _________________________________________21 Golden Valley Public Cemetery ______________________________________________22 Early Settlement Property Types _____________________________________________23 Recommendations and Future Actions ________________________________________24 Chapter 2 - Agriculture and Farming _________________________________25 Truck Farms _______________________________________________________________25 Larger-scale Farming _______________________________________________________26 Dairy Business_____________________________________________________________26 Agriculture and Farming Property Types ______________________________________27 Recommendations and Future Actions ________________________________________28 Chapter 3 - From Creek to Highway – Transportation __________________29 Bassett Creek ______________________________________________________________29 Railroad __________________________________________________________________29 Streetcar Service ___________________________________________________________30 Roads ____________________________________________________________________31 Highways _________________________________________________________________32 Roadside Parks ____________________________________________________________33 Transportation Related Resources ____________________________________________34 Transportation Property Types ______________________________________________ 34 Recommendations and Future Actions ________________________________________35 Chapter 4 - Social, Cultural, and Religious Activities ___________________ 36 Public Schools _____________________________________________________________36 Private Schools and Colleges ________________________________________________37 Library __________________________________________________________________38 Churches and Synagogue __________________________________________________ 38 Hospitals and Courage Center _______________________________________________43 Community Activities ______________________________________________________44 Social, Cultural, and Religious Activities Property Types ________________________45 Recommendations and Future Actions ________________________________________45 iii Chapter 5 - Parks and Recreation _____________________________________47 Golden Valley Parks _______________________________________________________47 Golf Clubs ________________________________________________________________50 Parks and Recreation Property Types ________________________________________51 Recommendations and Future Actions _______________________________________52 Chapter 6 - Commerce and Light Industry ____________________________53 Services __________________________________________________________________53 Retail __________________________________________________________________54 Industry _________________________________________________________________55 Commerce and Light Industry Property Types ________________________________58 Recommendations and Future Actions _______________________________________59 Chapter 7 - Suburban Development and Civic Life ____________________60 Formation and Early Development __________________________________________60 Residential Subdivisions ___________________________________________________60 Racial Covenants __________________________________________________________65 Government ______________________________________________________________65 Utilities __________________________________________________________________66 Fire Services ______________________________________________________________67 Police ____________________________________________________________________67 Suburban Development and Civic Life Property Types _________________________68 Recommendations and Future Actions _______________________________________68 Chapter 8 - Residential Architectural Styles ___________________________70 Building Styles and Vernacular Architecture __________________________________71 Golden Valley’s Most Prolific Residential Architecture Styles ___________________ 72 Vernacular Homestead (circa 1850s to 1900) ___________________________________73 Revival Styles (circa 1900 to present) _________________________________________74 Modern Residential (circa 1935 to present) ____________________________________81 Architectural Styles Property Types __________________________________________87 Recommendations and Future Actions _______________________________________87 Sources ___________________________________________________________89 Appendix I • Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation ____93 Appendix II • Evaluation Criteria for Listing on the National Register of Historic Places _____________________94 Appendix III • Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits _______________95 iv City of Golden Valley Historic Context Study Executive Summary This study is an examination of the historical and extant built environment within the City of Golden Valley within the study period of 1852, when settlers began moving into the area to claim homesteads, to the modern era that for this study ends in 1975. The observable themes that were examined for this study include the following chapters: • Early Settlement (1852 – circa 1916) • Agriculture and Farming (1860s – 1950s) • Transportation (1950s – 1970s) • Social, Cultural, and Religious Activities (1880s – 1970s) • Parks and Recreation (1890s – 1970s) • Commerce and Light Industry (circa 1887 – 1970s) • Suburban Development and Civic Life (1890s – 1970s) • Residential Architectural Styles (1860s – 1975 ) While the above themes represent components in the development of the community, the properties discussed do not represent a comprehensive listing of Golden Valley’s historic resources, but rather a guide to future evaluation, designation, and good preservation planning practices. Historic contexts have a number of important primary purposes that will help Golden Valley to “build its future from its past.” The themes can also be changed and adapted as the city develops its preservation priorities. Primary ways in which historic context studies are used in preservation efforts and in city planning are: • to serve as a framework for evaluating historic resources • to provide a set of organizational tools for categorizing the past • to stand as a planning tool for guiding future development while incorporating the past • to act as a rallying point for educational and outreach activities. Each individual topic in this study contains its own