It all began in the winter of 1883 when a small, but influential group of determined Minneapolis citizens met to consider how to promote the interests of the rapidly growing city. They decided the city needed parks—an objective long sought, but never achieved. Bypassing a city council that had never liked the idea—and throughout history has often opposed the park board—they went straight to the state legislature for the authority to create an independent Board of Park Commissioners for the city. Minneapolis voters approved the Park Act on April 3, 1883, establishing what would become an important contributor to the quality of life in all parts of the city.

Today, the MPRB is an independently elected, semi-autonomous body responsible for governing, maintaining and developing the Minneapolis park system. The 6,400-acre system consists of local and regional parks, playgrounds, golf courses, gardens, biking and walking paths, nature sanctuaries, lakes and a 55-mile parkway system.

Take a step back in time to discover how the world-renowned park system got its start.

Historical Timeline
City of Parks Book
Park Histories
Historic Markers