St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-30
ELMO RESIDENCE PARK.

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The entire Northern End of Lake Elmo on the
line of the Rairoad,was purchased some time since
by number of gentlemen of St. Paul, who incor
porated in 1885 as the Elmo Park Company for the
purpose OF providing the citizens OF st. Paul and vi
cinity with the most beautiful Residence Park in
this country. For three years the Elmo Residence
Park scheme has received the careful study of the
ableS specialists in landscape art and civil engl-
neering. Prof. H. W. S. Cleveland, the eminent
landscape gardener, was given charge and sent by
the company to the East to visit all the prominent
residence parks there for the purpose Of securing
every valuable feature for this park. The systems
Of other parks have been examined with great care
that this undertaking may profit by their example
or take warning from their errors carefully pre-
pared design OF arrangement and subdivision OF the
ground has been made by Prof Cleveland in ae-
cordanee with its natural topography. The resi-
dence sites were first selected and the walks and
drives laid out to conform to them, which is the re-
Of the usual method. BeneZette Williams, the
well known civil engineer Of Chicago who desig ned
and constructed the water and sewerage system at
Pullman, Illinois, which is renowned for its COM
pleteneSS, has perfected the plans for a similar
system for Elmo Residence Park, which will be
pushed to completion in time to meet the demands
Of those building.
The Elmo Park Company has plated $50 of the
$50 acres owned by it at Lake Elmo. About $50
acres north of the railroad have been plated the
town site of Elmo, and south of the railroad about
$50 acres bordering the lake are enclosed and will
be known as elmo Residence Park 1t is believed
that no residence park scheme OF equal complete
in all of its details has before been offered
to the public Here residents will enjoy all the
forts Of the city amidstheautful surroundings, and
families will be safe from Jwelcome intrusion at all
times, the entrance to the park being in charge OF
a superintendent. The lots average about one-haf
in area, but differ in size for the reason that
the object sought has been to give each lot per-
feet building site, regardless OF its SIZE strip
about 100 feet in width along the lake front will be
reserved foreverfort the common benefit Of alllotown
Pleasure grounds forthe especial OF children
as well as lawn tennis and ball grounds, have been
set apart for the permanent use of the residents
within the Park. The walks and drives within the
Park are dedicated to the use Of lot owners only,
and not to the general public. 1t is not intended to
prohibit respectable visitors entering or driving
through the grounds, but simply to retain the con-
troll of the roads and the power to forbid the en-
trance upon them as public highways Of persons
who are any account Objectionable. 1t is not the
purpose Of the company to convey the idea OF ex-
clusiveness, but simply to secure for the residents
within the Park the same control of their common
property that every individual has the undisputed
right to exercise OH his own estate.
The growing tendency on the part or business
men in large Cities both East and West, to procure
for themselves permanent homes in the midst of
pretty suburban scenery, where purer air and
greater freedom in outdoor life can be found, has
contributed to the success Of most OF the schemes
presented to the public during the pastten years of
the suburban parks.
These schemes have mainly been devised by
spectators in real estate in order to hurriedly dis
pose of the property after having subdivided and
let the residents solve the difficult problems which
necessarily present themselves when population
increases at such points 1t is ordinarily observed
in visiting suburban residence district which has
grown up without any carefully formulated plan
having been made for its development, that the
proximity of an unattraetive stable belonging to
one resident to the parlor windows of another has
been subject Of dissatisfaction and discomfort
This will be obvated at Elmo Residence Park by
the provisions that buildings other than resi-
dences will be allowed within the Park, except in
stable quarters, where private stables may be built
Of any comprehensive system in other parks for a