MnDOT’s ‘Beehive Graveyard’ found new life in Graeser Park.

In 2008, we toured a pile of 1930s Lilac Way stone known as the ‘Beehive Graveyard’ in MnDOT’s parking lot. We were stunned to see picnic tables bases, beehive fireplace stones, and chunks of walls.

The salvaged materials were from three lost Lilac Way parks that were removed for a 2001 $100 million Highway 100 construction project.

Thrilled, we posted photos on this website.

Shortly after I posted the photos, the City of Robbinsdale moved those historic materials to their storage facility.

Salvaged materials were from three lost Lilac Way parks

These 2008 photos show stacks of 1930s picnic table tops, table bases, pieces of walls, and loose stones.

All Lilac Way stone structures were built by hand during the Great Depression as one of Minnesota’s largest Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects.

Reborn in Graeser Park in Robbinsdale, MN

We are grateful for the foresight of former Robbinsdale City Manager Marcia Glick to store the salvaged stone. In 2020-21, MnDOT’s Historic Roadside Property Program rebuilt 11 picnic tables and preserved Graeser Park’s beehive fireplace using those salvaged pieces.

We are thrilled to see the historic 1930s stone is once again home in a Lilac Way park.

Big thanks to Marcia Glick and Andrea Weber, PLA, Manager of MnDOT’s Historic Roadside Property Program.