Greg Pierce   Cocoa,Fl -- 2001-05-31

Bridgemans was a hangout of mine during the Sixties. I was in the Class of '68 at Marshall. Many of the evening and weekend staff at Bridgemans were Marshall students. Could the date for the anti-war protest be wrong, do not remember one in '67 could it really be part of the protest from 1970?? Would really be great if you could add a picture of 'The House of Hanson'.

Jeanette Fleming   St. Anthony Village MN -- 2003-05-21

I agree with another commentary that this picture was probably a couple of years later than 1967. I was working part-time at this Bridgeman's in 1967, while attending the "U," where I learned to always put the comma before the ending punctuation, and where the campus protests didn't really pick up until 1970-1971. There was a "People's Park" patch of ground across 4th Street (across from the old Varsity theater), and that wasn't until 1970 or 1971, either. No matter, the look of a righteous protest remains the same, and was something to listen to when your classmates were getting drafted right after getting their diplomas! Great site, this phototour. Been away from Mpls. for many years, returning in middle age now. Love your site.

Bob Thorne   Los Angeles -- 2004-09-02

I'll never forget the day People's Park rose up in the spring of 1970. The VietNam War was in full flare, with little hope of settlement. The campus was rife with protest. Washington Ave. SE was blocked in front of Coffman union.
A man named Christiansen was going to tear down an old building on SE 4th St. Students and other occupied it to prevent demolition and the loss of that bit of atmosphere in the neighborhood. The developers held off for several days, while who-knows-what debauchery prevailed inside.
Then one morning around 4:30 a.m. the bulldozers and police came; the building was emptied and down within an hour or so.
I think that was the day helicopters sprayed mace over Dinkytown. But in any event, some genuine hippies built a "People's Park" right on the site of the demolition. They worked their butts off, and the thing was gorgeous.
That night, a rally was held there, complete with live bands, and speakers from both sides of the issue.
The development company sent a very transparent pair of representatives. The man accomodated his dress to the crowd by taking off his coat and tie. The young woman was a hoot, dressed like the faux hippie girl on the "Smothers Brothers" show. They endeavored to explain how they were "of the people" too, and how the new, architecturally indistinct building would serve the community and provide jobs. The crowd was having nothing of that.
The most memorable speech of the evening was by a lanky Black man of about 30, dressed in overalls and feeling no pain. I remember his words verbatim, 34 years later:
"Look here...I'm voodoo. I don't know what'cha'all are exactly on about. But I know you're fighting against the man. And if this is against the man, it got to be FOR me." An ovation ensued.
For a while, the park was occupied 24/7 to protect it. Three weeks later, it was in complete disuse and decrepitude.
No one did more than grumble when the developer eventually came in and began construction on his building.

Nancy Neumann   Konawa, Ok -- 2007-04-02

I usedto work at the ice cream store in the afternoons and weekends durning football season at the U of M.