You might assume the West Side of Saint Paul is so named because it is on the west side of St. Paul, but it's because at the time of its inception, it was on the left side (and down, to be specific) of the Mississippi River. In fact, it was the only St. Paul city on that side of the Mississippi at the time.
This area has always been welcoming of immigrants, and it currently is home to a very active Latino community. The West Side's Cinco de Mayo is one of the ten largest celebrations in the United States. The most notable district is the District del Sol, which is in tribute to the Latino influences in the community. It's a solid middle-class neighborhood, quiet in nature, with many job opportunities and plenty of diversity.
There are many businesses and attractions that have called the West Side their home, including breweries, the Wabasha Street Caves, and the Covington Inn. It is also notable for Harriet Island, on which there are several major events throughout the year.
West Side Boundaries
West Side Then And Now
The West Side is located on the left ('west') and down side of the Mississippi, and it took some time before it before it fully integrated into the city of St. Paul. It was established in 1851, and it has grown and change in several different ways since then. In the beginning, there was a booming ferry business to help carry people across the river. However, with the threats of flooding, many people moved to the bluffs.
In the early years, there was a split between who lived in the sandstone bluffs and who lived down below. The wealthy tended to build up high, whereas the working class stayed down below. Over the years, however, this dynamic has leveled out somewhat, and there is a more even distribution of who lives where throughout the city.
The West Side was attractive to breweries such as Yoerg Brewing Company (Minnesota's first brewery) and Bruggemann Brewing because of the caves in the bluffs were favorable for aging. There were other manufacturing companies, too, which appealed to the working class community who resided in the West Side.
Nowadays, the West Side is known for several things, including their strong Latino community, mostly of Mexican heritage. The District del Sol is a nod to this part of the community, and the West Side's Cinco de Mayo is one of the ten largest in the United States. The West Side has always been filled with immigrants, starting with Germans (thus, the plethora of brewing companies), French-Canadians, and the Irish.
(rev. 1/30/21)
West Side Environmental / Green
In December of 2019, St Paul adopted a Climate Action & Resilience Plan, in conjunction with the Great Plains Institute. In this document, St Paul is setting a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. St Paul is pushing to have increase sustainability in a couple different ways.
1. They are looking to reduce carbon by making buildings more efficient. This would include changing the building codes to increase efficiency.
2. They are looking to have the transportation sector change to electric vehicles. They also want people to drive less.
West Side Resident's Top Ten Pics
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