Swede Hollow

Down on Saint Paul’s historic East Side, a deep depression in the landscape, surrounded by trees and lush foliage, stands out among the urban canvas. This valley among the trees, in the middle of Saint Paul’s bustling cityscape, once was home to generations of immigrants. People whose experiences, impacts, and legacies carry on in the heartbeat of the East Side today. This place is known as Swede Hollow.

This deep ravine on the East of the quickly growing frontier town was the land claim of one of Saint Paul’s first residents, Edward Phalen (sometimes spelled “Phelan”). He came to the US, via New York City, in June of 1835 where he enlisted in the Army. He was stationed at Fort Snelling. 

When Phalen was discharged three years later, he built and lived in a log cabin with John Hays, a fellow soldier from Fort Snelling (Wisconsin Territory at the time). Ultimately, Hays was found beaten and murdered, floating in the Mississippi River near Wakan Tipi (Carver’s Cave, below Dayton's Bluff). Edward Phalen was the prime suspect. He ultimately was jailed in Fort Crawford, Wisconsin Territory while awaiting trial. Even with the convincing testimony and evidence against him, he was let go.

During his time away, squatters took his claim. He tried to get it back by force to no success. He ended up selling the claim for $200. He fled the area to avoid prosecution as he was accused of perjury, only to be murdered by his companions on a wagon caravan to California. 

In 1850, early Swedish immigrants to Minnesota Territory settled the ravine. The Swedes named the place “Svenska Dalen”, or “Swedish Dale”.

Homes in the Hollow were built using found materials, mostly from the steep hills surrounding the ravine. What folks “up on the street”, in the surrounding neighborhoods threw down the hill as trash, residents of the ravine found as useful items to build their homes. Though today Swede Hollow’s time as a neighborhood is looked back on with nostalgia, but in reality, the place was a true slum.

The Hollow was never electrified, and never had running water or plumbing. Residents gathered their water from springs at the base of the hills surrounding the ravine, used candle and oil lamps for light, and had outhouses propped up over the creek for bathroom facilities. To say the least, those downstream on the creek had some very unpleasant sights and smells to deal with some spring and the warm weather.

There was only one way in and out of the hollow for wagons and vehicles - the Drury Tunnel. This is still the only way directly into the Hollow today. At one point in time, there was also a set of stairs at the south end of the Hollow, going up to E. 7th St. Another set was later added in the northwest side, leading up to Payne Avenue. The concrete supports of this staircase are still visible today from the Bruce Vento trail (the former track bed of the Northern Pacific line to Duluth).

In 1865, the railroad graded the bluff along the northwest side of Swede Hollow to install a new line heading north from downtown Saint Paul. The area around the Phalen Creekbed was preferred, as it was the easiest way up out of downtown (the rest of the area was surrounded by bluffs).

Generations of immigrant families started their lives here. From the Swedes first, to the Italians in the late 1800s, to Mexican families in the 1930s until the Hollow’s end as a neighborhood.

In 1956, the City of Saint Paul finally put its foot down. Swede Hollow was deemed a health hazard and all residents were forced to leave. The city called in the fire department, who torched the place, burning all man made structures to the ground.

For about 20 years, the ravine that was once home to so many new Americans, was left abandoned. In the mid 1970s, a group of community members approached the city about turning Swede Hollow into a park. Ever since that time, Swede Hollow has been (in my opinion!) one of Saint Paul’s best parks, but also its best kept nature secret. It is peaceful and eerie all at the same time.

If you have the chance, take the time to go for a walk in the Hollow. Reminisce the past, think of those who called this place home, and see the few remnants that still exist today of human life in Swede Hollow.