09-06-2016 Park Commission Packet

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1` 77 CjVintA./T Z Orono Park Commission Workshop Notes August 2, 2016 West Hennepin History Center — Long Lake Attendees: Orono Park Commissioners Jan Berg Brenda Johnson Bryce Johnson Sara Lindahl Paul Pesak Julie Ruegemer Adam Edwards, Orono City Engineer Mike Gaffron, Orono City Planner Lizz Levang, Orono Council Member Bob Gasch, Professional Storyteller and WHHC Board Member Jan Berg, Park Commission Vice Chair, called the workshop to order at 1 pm. Bryce Johnson briefly summarized the rationale for the workshop as a means of providing perspective for the history, value, and future use of Orono parks. Bob Gasch began by providing an overall historical perspective of the Lake Minnetonka area. The Woodland people were active in the area over 1000 years ago and are now known to have used the dugout canoe found in North Arm in the 1930s. They were also responsible for the original burial mounds spread throughout the area. The Dakota arrived in the 1700's, the result of migration westward. While it is not certain if they were related to the Woodland people, they did adopt some of burial mounds, adding diagonal trenches that held various artifacts. The primary reasons for Dakota campsites in Orono were for gathering food, medicine and for spiritual purposes. Some mounds are still known to be in an area near Hwy 12 in Maple Plain. Co. Rd 19 was primarily used by walkers and horses and was, for the most part, an original trail used by the Native Americans. The original Big Woods in the Orono consisted of two types of trees: ® Maple Elm Basswood forests, had roots that spread out and hence liked clay soil 4 Oak forests had deep roots and preferred a gravel base James J. Hill was responsible for stripping many of the trees, especially around the lake as the railroads and hotels appeared. Most of the cleared land was used for farming, with the first crop being wheat, which thrived in the 12-24 inch top soil. There were many dairy farms and most of them also produced fruit, which they also sold and traded. Most of Orono's parks were farm land. Highwood, Saga Hill, and Lowry still have remains of the Big Woods. Orono beaches, long and narrow, were fire lanes that provided access for the many small houses that characterized early plats. Summit, an exception, was the site of a resort and has a strong historical context.