Built during the Great Depression of the 1930s, Lilac Way parks feature rare beehive fireplaces and handcrafted rock gardens.
Lilac Way beehive featured in StarTribune’s Curious Minnesota
Writer Erica Pearson recently contacted Karen Laukkonen at Restore Lilac Way to investigate local “beehive” structures. The story was sparked by reader Mary Johnson, who asked, “What is this ‘beehive’ structure?”
Thanks to Mary for her curiosity and Erica for the fabulous, detailed storytelling. Read a gift article or listen to their podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Lilac Way supporters have made history.
Graeser Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2025.
After decades of hard work and countless volunteer hours, the Lilac Way community is celebrating a well-earned success.
On December 23, 2025, Lilac Way’s landmark Graeser Park in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
These efforts officially began in 2021, when MnDOT’s Historic Roadside Property Program launched a $550,000, three-phase project to preserve and restore Graeser Park.
As program manager, Andrea S. Weber was committed to restoring Graeser Park in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
Without that level of restoration, the park could not have been considered for listing on the Register.
The National Park Service agrees: Graeser Park is a national treasure.
Restored to historic standards, Graeser Park has been beautifully preserved by MnDOT’s Historic Roadside Preservation Program. The park includes one of only two remaining beehive fireplaces in the United States, a prominent rock garden, and eleven stone tables rebuilt with original Depression-era stone salvaged from lost Lilac Way parks.
Rock Island Park, protected rock garden
Protected Rock Island Park includes a rock garden and a handcrafted curved stone bench.
Lilac Park, renewed with a saved beehive
Renewed Lilac Park sits just off the Cedar Lake LRT Regional Trail, with a beehive fireplace and five stone tables. Its 100-ft. lilac hedge blooms every May.
About Lilac Way’s fireplaces
Seven rustic roadside parks built in 1930s
Buy a cool poster to help support this volunteer project.
Four poster designs. Two sizes. For the one and only Lilac Way.
Display your love for Lilac Way’s historic parks and quirky beehive-shaped fireplaces, and support this volunteer project by Karen Laukkonen.
Show off your favorite park, or get the whole set for a lovely series. Includes restored Graeser Park, renewed Lilac Park, protected Rock Island Park and the classic Restore Lilac Way.
Available in 11″ x 14″ and 16″ x 20″, ready for easy and affordable framing. Get a poster for yourself, and another for a gift.
Pick it up in St. Louis Park to save shipping costs!
What was Lilac Way?
Lilac Way was considered the ‘Showcase’ section of Highway 100 in Minneapolis, MN. Built as a WPA project during the 1930s, this 12.5 mile stretch of highway was lined with thousands of lilacs and seven historic roadside parks.
Lilac Way was lined with thousands of lilacs, seven roadside parks, and decades of memories.
When Highway 100 was built just west of Minneapolis, MN in the 1930s, it featured a 12.5 mile ‘Showcase Section’ known as Lilac Way.
Built to providing employment during the Great Depression.
The highway featured handcrafted roadside parks with beehive-shaped fireplaces and stunning rock gardens.
Families drove past more than 7,000 lilac bushes to grill in the beehive and picnic on a stone picnic table.
What are those weird stone things in Lilac Way parks?
Park visitors used to grill hot dogs in beehive-shaped fireplaces.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt launched the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to provide jobs for the unemployed.
Located just west of Minneapolis, MN, Highway 100’s Lilac Way was one of those projects. Seven rustic roadside parks were included in the design.
Those iconic stone beehive-shaped fireplaces had three openings for grilling, and were a community favorite for picnics and events.
They were nicknamed ‘beehives’ because they look like skeps—baskets placed open-end-down—used to house bees for more than 2,000 years
Watch almost 160 Lilac Way videos on YouTube. Choose the Graeser Park playlist, renewed Lilac Park playlist and Rock Island Park playlist.
Follow the Facebook page with more than 1,500 other Lilac Way fans.
Where were the seven Lilac Way parks located on Highway 100?
If you grew up in the area, you probably remember the roadside parks with with picnic tables. The fireplaces had round tops and were nicknamed ‘beehives.”
Only two of the seven parks remain today, plus a rock garden from a third. Sadly, the other parks were razed for Highway 100 reconstruction. Check the map for locations and info.
Meet the designer and Lilac Way enthusiast behind this volunteer project.
Karen Laukkonen launched restorelilacway.com to document Lilac Way’s history, and support and encourage restoration.
The pro bono project was conceived, written and designed through her website design company.
Browse the photo albums.
RESTORED: Graeser Park
Robbinsdale, MN
RENEWED: Lilac Park (formerly Roadside Park)
St. Louis Park, MN
PROTECTED: Rock Island Park
St. Louis Park, MN
Photo Albums
Start your virtual drive down Lilac Way’s history and parks right here.
Share your Lilac Way story.
The best way to honor Lilac Way’s wonderful history is by sharing stories about its seven roadside parks and Highway 100.
Just email your memories to Karen, she will add them to the Lilac Way Stories page, and keep Lilac Way’s memory alive.
Read Paula Brookins Pentel touching story of visiting restored Graeser Park in 2023.
Read the Lilac Way love story from Tim and Michele Wendling Olson.