Above: the old West Side Flats, c. 1916. Image from the Minnesota Historical Society.

Our work today as a community organization is rooted in our history here on this land, the West Side of Saint Paul. That means that all of our work is grounded in the histories of displacement that have affected the West Side, from the forced removal of the Dakota people in 1851, to the destruction of the immigrant community on the Riverside Flats in the early 1960’s, to today’s displacement of low-income people of color due to gentrification. To organize for a just and joyful West Side today, we must also learn about and understand the lessons from our past.

Let's learn about our history, together. We are beginning to listen to stories from our elders and compile archives from the West Side's past, and will share what we learn here, beginning with stories from the old West Side Flats. If you have a story, photograph, or other piece of history to share, please reach out to us at [email protected]!

Above: La Casa Coronado Restaurant, 154 East Fairfield, St. Paul, in 1947. Image from the Minnesota Historical Society.

The West Side Flats

"What I remember about the West Side is just being safe. It was a community where you knew everybody, just about, and they knew you," – Anthony Vazquez, born in 1945 on the old West Side flats.

The old West Side flats is a part of our West Side neighborhood in Saint Paul, Minnesota that has changed dramatically over the generations. It was the first neighborhood that many immigrants arrived in when they came to the city, and grew into a vibrant neighborhood with Jewish, Mexican, Lebanese, Syrian, and many other communities. In the early 20th Century, Mexican immigrants began putting down roots and creating a rich cultural neighborhood including places of worship, stores, schools, and homes. The Mississippi River flooded the neighborhood frequently, including a series of devastating floods in the early 1950s. Later, these floods were the pretext used to displace families from their homes, and only afterwards was a levee built to hold back the waters and allow for industrial development. This historic displacement has had a devastating impact on generations of families, who nevertheless have fought to maintain their identity, culture, and community here on the West Side.

Click here to learn more about the West Side flats.