10,000 Minneapolis Kids Moved a House in 1896!

The incredible story of how 10,000 Minneapolis kids moved a house across the city in 1896 – talk about the original community spirit! 🏠👫🎉

✅ Listen to 10,000 Minneapolis Kids Moved a House in 1896 on our podcast. We release new episodes of Travel with Jack and Kitty every day! Subscribe on your favorite podcast app. 🎙️❤️

Quick Summary

Discover the jaw-dropping tale of how 10,000 Minneapolis school kids pulled a house across the city in 1896…

The Stevens House: Minneapolis’ first home on the Mississippi’s west bank
A quirky six-mile relay journey involving schools across the city
The day ends with speeches and fireworks, sealing the event in the city’s history 🎆

The House That 10,000 Kids Moved

Ready to unearth the incredible story of how 10,000 Minneapolis kids teamed up to move a house across the city in 1896 – talk about the original community spirit! 🏠👫🎉

The Birth of an Extraordinary House

Picture a time machine taking you back to 1849. John Harrington Stevens and Frances Helen Miller become the first European-Americans to build a house on the west bank of the Mississippi in Minneapolis. 🏠

It wasn’t just a home, but a social hub where Indigenous American chiefs like Little Crow and Shakopee would stop by for visits. Imagine the smell of salted pork and crackers wafting through the air! 🍖

More Than Just a Home

This house wasn’t ordinary—it was where major events went down. 🗺️

Think Hennepin County’s founding and Minneapolis’s very first school district! It was basically the place where Minneapolis was born. 🌟

A House on the Move

Fast forward to years later, and this house has already been moved twice! 🚚

First to the Cedar Riverside neighborhood, and then to its current home in the dreamy Minnehaha Regional Park. A park that’s an oasis in the city, with waterfalls, lush greenery, and a love story of its own between Hiawatha and Minnehaha. 🌳🌹

The Incredible Journey: 10,000 Kids to the Rescue!

Here’s where it gets wild! Imagine moving a house six miles without trucks or horses. Who needs ’em when you’ve got 10,000 school kids?! 👦👧

Yep, in 1896, the city pulled off this insane feat with the help of youngsters. 🤯

A Parade Like No Other

So on May 28, 1896, kids from Jackson School grabbed two massive 600-foot ropes tied to the house. A trumpet blared, flags waved, and they began to pull! 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️

The house literally glided down the road. And this wasn’t just a Jackson School affair. It was a relay—each school’s students would pull the house a few blocks, then pass the “baton,” or rather, the ropes, to the next school. 🎉🏁

Drama, Rivalries, and Streetcars

Now, every good story needs a little drama. At one point, there was even a flag-swapping showdown between rival schools, South High and Central High! 😅

Oh heyyyyy, now would be a good time to say that your girl Kitty went to South High and is a tiger through and through! 😸 #OnceACheerleaderAlwaysACheerleader 😭

Ok, back to 1896: let’s not forget sharing the road with streetcars—a hiccup that made them start late but didn’t stop them from making up time. 🚋

The Big Finale

Finally, at 2:15 PM, the house rolled into Minnehaha Park, right on time. The kids were thanked with fireworks and 1,000 Japanese lanterns lighting up the sky. Talk about a thank-you gift! 🎆

Visit the Stevens House Today

Now, this amazing piece of history stands proudly in Minnehaha Park, a must-visit spot in Minneapolis. It’s more than just a house—it’s a tale of community, history, and the extraordinary things we can achieve together. 💪🏡

So, next time you’re in the Twin Cities, take a break from the hustle and bustle and visit this historic home. You’ll not only get in touch with nature but also feel a strong sense of connection with the past. 🍃🕰️

Find the John H. Stevens House at 4901 S. Minnehaha Park Dr., Minneapolis, MN 55417. Admission will break the bank: $1 for adults, free for kids (perhaps as a thank you to their hard work over a century ago).

✅ Don’t miss out! Listen to today’s podcast episode, 10,000 Minneapolis Kids Moved a House in 1896 – where we go even deeper into this story. Remember, we release new episodes of Travel with Jack and Kitty every day! Subscribe on your favorite podcast app. 🎙️❤️