5.3 HPSR 02-24-2016 Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission
Annual Report
(October 1, 2014 — September 30, 2015)
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The following is the annual report of the Elk River Heritage Preservation
Commission (HPC) for October 1, 2014—September 30, 2015. The report was
prepared according to the guidelines outlined in `Procedures for Applying for
and Maintaining Certified Local Government Status (CLG).' The Minnesota
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) administers CLG status for the
National Park Service in Minnesota. An annual report is a requirement to
maintain CLG status.
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City of City of Elk River
(1*...‘
Elk Certified Local Government
River 2015 Annual Report
Background
The Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) is a Certified Local Government (CLG)
for the purposes of expanding local involvement and participation in historic preservation issues.
The CLG program is administered by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). A requirement
of the CLG program is submission of an annual report to SHPO documenting the activities of the
HPC for the previous Federal fiscal year,which runs October 1,2013,to September 30,2014.
The HPC consists of five Elk River residents appointed by the City Council. Each serve three-year
terms beginning on the first day of March. The HPC shall include, if available, a member of the
Sherburne County Historical Society.
Exhibits:
A. HPC Members
B. Annual HPC Certified Local Government Assurances Form
C. Draft Historic Walking Tour Brochure
Analysis
The HPC held four regular meetings during the reporting period. All meetings were posted as public
meetings and conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Minnesota Open Meeting Law
(Minnesota Statues 471.705). Minutes of each meeting are recorded and filed at City Hall and can be
viewed on the city website.
2015 Projects
Ongoing Review of Development Proposals
The HPC reviews development proposals using archaeological modeling. During 2014, there were
no other development proposals deemed a threat to historical sites or historical information this
year.
Jackson Street Water Tower
The Jackson Street Water Tower (circa 1920) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2012. Since that time, the HPC has worked to increase public awareness of this historical
structure with a 3D model and printed materials of the tower's history at schools, environmental
workshops,messaging on the city website and at city open house events.
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The HPC utilized a CLG grant award from 2013 and hired Collaborative Design Group to complete
a Condition Assessment of the tower. The report has been very helpful in preparing for the final
goal of painting and repairing the water tower. The estimated cost to repair the structure was below
previous estimates received by the city. The reduced cost was a pleasant surprise as Elk River
Municipal Utilities, the current owner of the tower, has earmarked money for tower repairs. That
money will be used for matching funds in a future CLG grant application.
Elk River Walking Tour
The HPC continues to work with students and faculty at St. Cloud State University to prepare a self-
guided walking tour of historically significant locations in Elk River. Late fall 2014 the city hosted a
presentation from St. Cloud State University students where they presented a number of different
draft brochures.The HPC will utilize these to prepare a mobile brochure on the city's website.
Oral Histories
Commissioner Mortensen continues to conduct oral histories with residents willing to be
interviewed. The HPC is also in the early stages of expanding this program to encourage additional
members of the community to not only be interviewed,but interview other residents.
36th Annual Statewide Historic Preservation Conference
In September 2015, HPC Commissioner Debra Mortensen attended the Statewide Historic
Preservation Conference in Little Falls,MN.
Houlton Farm Natural Area
The City of Elk River worked with the Trust for Public Land to acquire the Houlton-Olson family
farm and add it to the city's park system as a conservation area.
The 335-acre riverfront property is located west of downtown near the Orono Dam and has been in
the family since the 1870's. The park will open to the public in late 2016.
2016 Proposed Projects
Preservation of Jackson Street Water Tower
The HPC plans to apply for a CLG grant to assist with restoring the Jackson Street Water Tower.
Matching funds are available,and the city hopes to accomplish the project in 2016.
Oral Histories
The HPC will continue working on conducting oral histories of some of the older generation
residents from Elk River.
Historic Neighborhood District
The HPC will continue to explore creating a historic neighborhood district in the City.
Educational Opportunities
HPC will continue to work with the Elk River Community Education Department and Parks and
Recreation Department to incorporate educational opportunities into their programs. A historic tour
could be coordinated with the Parks and Recreation Department. Elk River Community Education
may be willing to host training to conduct oral histories in the community.
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Exhibit A
Heritage Preservation Commission Roster as of September 30,2014
Joshua Fox (Chair) H—763.241.7893
10372 180th Ave NW fojo0404 @gmail.com
Elk River MN 55330
Term Expires:02/28/19
Lance Lindberg
18621 Simonet Dr NW W—763.241.7614
PO Box 877 LanceLindberg @KW.com
Elk River,MN 55330
Term Expires:02/28/17
Robert Jones H—763.441.1966
13514 Island View Dr NW
Elk River, MN 55330
Term Expires:02/28/15
Debra Mortensen C—763.498.2281
17149 Olson Ct NW d.morten @yahoo.com
Elk River, MN 55330
Term Expires:02/28/17
Mike Nicholas C-612.251.4502
18001 Sunrise Circle NW MVanpa2943 @aol.com
Elk River MN 55330
Term Expires:02/28/15
Staff Liaisons to the HPC
Zack Carlton W—763.635.1035
13065 Orono Parkway NW zcarlton @elkrivermn.gov
Elk River, MN 55330
City Council Liaison to the HPC
Jerry Olsen H—763.241.9396
18264 Kent Street NW Jerry.Olsen @ElkRiverMN.gov
Elk River MN 55330
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Exhibit B
Annual HPC Certified Local Government Assurances
Name of HPC: City of Elk River Heritage Preservation Commission
Fiscal Year: October 1,2014—September 30,2015
State of Minnesota
County of Sherburne
City of Elk River
1. I hereby certify that the Elk River,Minnesota Heritage Preservation Commission has adhered to the public
participation provisions as stipulated under Section III.D of the "Minnesota Certified Local Government
Procedures Manual" issued by the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office.
2. I hereby certify that the Elk River,Minnesota Heritage Preservation Commission has adhered to the procedures
of the State Archives Department of the Minnesota Historical Society,regarding commission records (see the State
Archives publication "Preserving and Disposing of Government Records," pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 138.17,
online at www.mnhs.org/preserve/records/recser.)
Witness my hand officially on March 7,2016.
John" Dietz,Mayor
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Orono .
Cemetery is 4, ;
the oldest Elk r`''# *
River cemetery. ""' ., Orono Dam -ow
It contains the
graves of Civil °'
War veterans • a M ': The original dam was downstream from City of
and at least one , the present site and was a mere 6 feet Eik hi h.It was built in 1851 b Ard Godfre �""''1
War of 1812 B by Y
veteran. and was the source of power for his •
sawmill and gristmill Vii ,,..,,r
■ i Union • ,;10. :. G
Church .`
._ •, _ �, Historic points to visit: x
The church is built in 1881 designed and I. Orono Cemetery o.
constructed by W.F Chadbourn of Elk River. ii. Mansur House >I/
The church reproduces the traditional d , a y named Elk Hi iii. Orono Dam
0` detailing,of the existing church,while Stadium,is an example of community o C
providing modern amenities spirit. WPA-did'the=stonework in the 1930. iv. Handke Stadium I- n
The school building-next to the stadlUm; v. Union o
now called the Handke Family Center--was Congregation
built in 1930 and named after Robert:_ bd
, vi. Rivers Edge Park o
Handke,,a school superintendent c)
;: vu Bank of River
__ Elk
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viii. Jackson Street
Rivers Edge Commons Park : .
ix. Water Tower
Commons Park is the year-round xr, "`` . -
hotspot for weddings,with the ■
mighty Mississippi as a beautiful ■ •
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Elk River has been=rramedto ' „' _.-...,,_. r
the National Register.of`
Historic Places. t
The water tower was built in - .4
1920 by the Minneapolis .t.,4, ' . `
Steel and Machinery Co.as ,' A
part of an effort to protect Elk
In 1856 Willard L.Babcock,migrated to
River from fire.There was i Jackson Avenue used to be Highway 169.For Santiago in Sherburne County from
very limited fire protection in ' Vermont with his pregnant wife
years,the intersection of this road and p g wife,a small
Elk River and several fires Highway 10 was the only one with a child and a team of oxen. He was driven
nearly wiped out the city's stoplight in Elk River and on major travel away from Santiago by warring Indians.
business district. weekends,traffic would backup half way to He became a retail merchant,operating a
The Sally's Point is home to Anoka.Work on Highway 169 to bypass Elk general store in Elk River.The Bank of Elk
an active bald eagle's nest, River began in 1961 as well as Highway 101 River is indeed in a unique position as
and variety of other wildlife between Rogers and Elk River began in 1968 one of the few banks in the state more
including deer,coyotes, which decongested the city. than 119 years old that still remains
turkeys,otters and foxes. independently owned.
It's so close to downtown °a = _ .'. independently r
but still feels as though it is n■-„s ..11
�' crowded with wildlife. The G,x, ��rsn '��
.•p• r= Ci4FiY"t �� T .,s[s.•. �, ..v+.w d 74ph&h y 4
city of Elk River closed on "` z *� �• j '',.,
the purchase Nov 20, '.” S _ `.. i 5
buying the 26-acre boot �r ;, %„gin:. r.r.UVt
shaped peninsula from, P „, ,,• ,o,y h _ x�. t.15 John and Nancy Babcock. �{ = '''''4 4 '' '4 `'R-� *� r w .' 4
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Thought to be the oldest existing building in .� - '"k,� ` •h<• `
Elk River,the Mansur House was built
between 1857 and 1860.The home C1: , . ° '' 1
POIt : '4,4 belonged to Charles Mansur,a Mexican C ,}� �.a:r�.r, ,^' ::
War veteran and partner of Ard Godfrey, «., $Y
who built a sawmill near the site of the ''' ``
,
present-day Orono Dam.The home . Orange=Driving
rF•
remained in the Mansur family for more Green=Walking 4
than 100 years,until 1969. '�"-
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