News

June 2020:  Boys Totem Town Land Preservation Group, in partnership with Native-Led, East Side environmental conservation nonprofit Lower Phalen Creek Project, was awarded Legacy grant funding through the Minnesota Historical Society to contract with 106 Group, a cultural resource consultation firm, to explore the cultural history of the Boys Totem Town Property.
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The purpose of the project is to conduct historical and archaeological research on this 80 acre parcel of land (70 acres of which are have never been developed), where Boys Totem Town Juvenile Detention Center was located for 113 years and was permanently closed in 2019. The site lies on the bluffs of the Mississippi River overlooking Pigs Eye Lake where the Mdewakanton Dakota's historic Kaposia Village was located prior to 1837.

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2/2/2021 Press Release:  
Final Report published - made public!  
​See Report page for more information and to read / download a copy of the report.

Press Release 2/2/21

9/29/2020 Press Release:  
Legacy Grant Awarded to Research Boys Totem Town Land for Historical Significance
1/30/21  Update.  Final report has just been approved!  Press Release to go out on Tuesday, Feb 2, 2021 - at which time we will post the final Report.

Press Release 9/29/20

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Meetings: 
    TBD over Zoom?

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Articles

• St. Paul neighbors have contrasting visions for the future of the leafy Boys Totem Town site  Some neighbors want Totem Site site to be park; others want housing.  By Shannon Prather  | 11/1/20  |  Star Tribune
• Groups study Totem Town site, hoping to make case for parkland  They will examine the property for Dakota artifacts and history. By Shannon Prather | 09/30/20 | Star Tribune
• Environmental group will use Legacy Grant to study former Boys Totem Town site  By Deanna Weniger | 09/30/20 | Pioneer Press
• Ramsey County to close Boys Totem Town juvenile facility;
  by TAD VEZNER | 05/21/19 |  Pioneer Press
• ​Neighbors want a positive re-use for Boys Totem Town
  ​by Marjorie Otto  |  01/15/17  | LillieNews.com

Other Nature Area Projects in St. Paul

• Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary: Reversing harm, adding history with Wakan Tipi Center    by Tiffany Bui | 07/09/2019 |  MinnPost
• Ramsey County officials to redesign Battle Creek Regional Park  By TAD VEZNER | 06/19/19  | Pioneer Press
• Ramsey County announces new master plan for Battle Creek Regional Park  | Ramsey Cty  | Online Survey  |  Dates
• Indian Mounds Regional Park - Cultural Landscape Study & Interpretive Plan   |  City of St. Paul  | Listening Session 7/22

Other Development Projects in St. Paul

• Four approaches come into focus for redeveloping St. Paul’s Hillcrest site  - approaches include between 1,000 - 1,500 housing unit.  By Fredrick Melo | 8/10/20 | Pioneer Press
• St. Paul Port Authority plans vote on buying Hillcrest golf course for $10M    by Frederick Melo  |  06/11/19  | Pioneer Press
• It sure seems like there's going to be  single-family homes at the Ford site development  by Jessica Lee  |  04/04/19  |  MinnPost

Websites & Info​

• Lower Phalen Creek Project 
  Engage people in honoring and caring for our natural places...

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• District 1 Community Council
  ​(Projects > Boys Totem Town)

• Natural areas : protecting a vital community asset : a sourcebook for Minnesota local governments and citizens.
  DNR: Book about preserving  natural areas

• Funding Parks and Trails through Land Trust Partnerships
  Recorded Webinar

• MN Supreme Court Rules in Favor of the Environment: Minneapolis 2040 Plan Thrown into Doubt
  Could we utilize this decision?