Whose view? From where? — July 2013

Whew! So many great guesses from knowledgeable people this month!

Congrats to Patrick Ciernia, who writes, The overlook at the intersection of Shepard Road and Gannon Road just across the river from Fort Snelling. One for one!

Also congrats to James Schoettler: This is the overlook built on the end of the old West 7th Street bridge across the river to Fort Snelling. You can see the new Highway 5 bridge in the distance. This overlook affords a beautiful view of the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, Pike Island and of course, Fort Snelling. It has spectacular vistas every season of the year.

And further congrats to David Inman, who provides even more historic detail: The view is of the Two Rivers Outlook in St. Paul (where Shepard Rd., Mississippi River Blvd., and Gannon Rd. intersect), looking across the Mississippi towards Hennepin County. The 1961 Fort Road Bridge, which carries T.H. 5, is visible on the left. The Outlook is built on the abutment of its predecessor, the second (1912) Fort Snelling Bridge.

Brian Tourtelotte writes, The Two Rivers Overlook provides a great view of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, Fort Snelling, and Highway 5 bridge seen in the background of this photo. Designed by Jody Martinez, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Landscape Architect, and artist Philip Rickey, the overlook provides artistic representation of curvilinear water patterns, stones carved by flowing water, and just a place to rest with a nice view.

Multi-award-winning guesser Eric Otterness keeps it brief but accurate: This picture is from an overlook on the east bank of the river just downstream from the Highway 5 bridge looking upstream towards that bridge.

Frank Gannon writes, The view is from the overlook at the intersection of Gannon Road and Shephard Road/Crosby Farm Road in Saint Paul. In the photo we are looking up the Mississippi River. Across the river from the overlook one may see Historic Fort Snelling, Pike Island, and the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, which is reflected in a map depicted in the stone deck of the overlook. A plaque provides information about the importance of the area to Native Americans (and might also mention its historical military and trading significance).

Jonathan Riehle writes, I got it right last month, so now I am hopelessly sucked in to trying again. I think Julys photo/view is at the overlook next to the Highway 5/West 7th/Fort Rd. bridge over the Mississippi in St Paul. If correct, this overlook sits atop the point at which a previous bridge crossed the river.

A special note from the author, Bob Spaulding:

As you may have read elsewhere on this website, six years after starting this feature, this is my last Whose View? From Where? feature. We decided to start it as a means of opening a conversation about the visual resources of the Mississippi River. In the years since weve begun, that work has taken root in our Mississippi River Explorer (currently going offline for maintenance) a database of many dozens of 360° panoramic photos. And it has more recently been included in the National Park Services soon-to-be-released Visual Resources Protection Plan, to guide the future of the parks visual resources.

But fear not loyal readers and guessers! The loyal staff of FMR will keep you guessing in months ahead.

Thanks for all of your insight, context, and participation, and please, keep the guesses coming, and continue to protect what makes each of these views special for future generations of guessers.

Now, happy guessing!

About Whose view? From where?

Each month in this section, we feature a photo somewhere along the river corridor in the Twin Cities that is in some way significant or important or just plain scenic. Individuals may then e-mail us and identify the view and explain why they believe it is significant to the community or important to them personally. Well publish some of your responses in the next issue of Mississippi Messages, where we will also reveal the correct answer.

To submit your guess and response, e-mail Bob Spaulding, River Advocate, through our contact form. The respondent to provide the first correct identification of the view and hopefully some interesting thoughts about its significance will receive a valuable prize for their effort. All entries must be received by the first day of the following month for consideration.