If you are enjoy looking around the ruins of old brickyards, the Lilydale Regional Park is for you! This park contains the ruins of the Twin City Brick Company, which was in business for many years in the Twin Cities area. This park is really a hidden jewel, basically right along the Mississippi River across from downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. Harriet Island is also close, which features boat tours of the Mississippi River. It is a beautiful location which shows the extremes of big city life and a wilderness area right next door.
Good luck finding this area though, it is kind of tucked away. If you look on a search engine for the Lilydale Regional Park, you will find it has a page on the St. Paul Parks and Recreation site. Therefore I thought it would be well maintained spot with good markers to find it. Sadly, however, that is not the case. The lack of funds in Minnesota must have resulted in the downturn of this old park. I found the park alright, which is on Lilydale Road. This road must be well known to the area bikers, as many of them were pedaling on both sides of the road. Better be careful, as they think they own the place and do not move out of your way!
I traveled along Lilydale Road next the Mississippi River for a number of miles and did not see any signs marking where the old brickyard ruins were. I ended up at Harriet Island, so I knew I had gone too far. Looking at my online maps, I had to guess that a little fork hidden in the road led to the parking area for the brickyard ruins. The online maps show more roads that would take you closer, but these are just walking trails. You have to park in the parking lot that is hidden near this fork in the road. I was the only one there on the day I visited, but by the time I came back there were several other families heading up there.
This is a good hike and you have to be in good shape to do it, as you are generally heading uphill. The hiking trails are in tough shape and appear to get washed out with heavier rains. Therefore be careful, there is a lot of uneven ground. There is a sign in the parking area which gives some history of the area along with a map of the grounds. However, someone has defaced the sign as well as almost every other one. The maps and contents are hard to read due to their lack of maintenance. The map shows you have a hike to get to the main brickyard area, which is near Pickerel Lake.
As you make the trek to this main area, there are pieces of brick everywhere. There are additional maps which give a layout of how things looked when the brickyard was in operation. However, the area has been reclaimed by nature and it is almost impossible to get an idea of what was once here. There is some concrete, an old brick kiln, many paths, and lots of elevated hiking. The signs often tried to point out various features that were no longer easily seen. This was kind of frustrating. The weeds and tree growth have really taken off, so I imagine it took a lot of effort to keep them up.
There are some pretty neat things to see though. There is still a railroad which runs across the Mississippi River and Pickerel Lake. The portion over the Mississippi River is a swing bridge, which is cool. If you drive along Lilydale Road, you will also come across some fragments of a railroad track almost right on the bank of the river. I imagine these were used to get the product to market. There are some neat waterfalls, just be careful as you could easily fall in or down some sharp slopes. The views of St. Paul are amazing, as are some of the tall bridges in the area. If you go in the summer, pack the bug spray. The horse flies were pretty bad.
Allison Severson
I grew up a couple blocks away from Cherokee Bluffs and the old Brick yard. My parents still live in the same house.
I think I’d be a different person if I didn’t have those bluffs to go explore and get away from people for peace. I was there yesterday for the first time in a couple years. I love that the place is grown over. It definitely looks different than it did in the 90’s. There used to be a fire pit on top of the bluffs but it’s fallen over the side from erosion. There’s also been at least a few landslides over the past 10 years. The first landslide I noticed around 10 years ago. The landslide choked a stream which a small waterfall eventually filled and created a beautiful little swimming hole. I never jumped in but I saw a group of kids one day swimming in it. It looked magical, especially knowing what was right on the outskirts of this small forest- traffic, society, rules, government, laws, expectations etc.
I don’t remember how long it lasted but the water eventually broke through and the pool emptied. I remember going to that area during the early 2000’s before the landslide. You could hardly see the sky, there were so many trees and the hill was almost as steep as a wall…. And water would be constantly dripping through the side of the hill. I’d be dead and buried if I would have been there. Now the old hang out area is buried.
I wonder how much clay was removed. There are steep walls around the middle clay pit. If we get enough rain, I can foresee a road crumbling and maybe even some houses. All that past mining seems to have increased the erosion- leading to landslides.
I hope this place remains hidden. It would get ruined if it became more popular.
Troy Schoenberger
My great grandfather worked for Twin City Brick Company with several other relatives after coming to the United States from Germany. I’ve been curious for many years about where it was located and today finally searched the web for it. Thanks for posting this information! It turns out, I’ve been biking on the trails in that area and had no idea I was passing through the ruins of the company. Also, I’ve always been a respectful bike rider, but I’ve seen the riders you’ve referenced!
Frank Korvemaker
Twin City brick was also used in Canada. In a 1914-15 construction Specification for the Humboldt Court House, Saskatchewan, the architect specified that “Twin City # 717 or equal veriegated brick” be used. Ultimately, a local Saskatchewan product, called “T.P. Moka” was used, but this shows that Twin City brick was well respected and my research here suggests that it was used in several Saskatchewan cities.
Thomas Edw. Eskelson
My father was born to the family of a laundryman in the neighbourhood of 29th and Washington in North Minneapolis in 1894. When I was a child many many years ago, I remember the streets over in that area were all paved in brick. I have not lived in Minnesota for many decades but a couple of years ago, I drove around that area (or what is left of it. The whole west side of Washington Avenue is now I-94.
I forget the streetcar line that went through there I think it also went up Lyndale. At any rate, my question is: when I was driving, I noticed that there are still several bricked streets. Is the city doing anything to maintain those few places as they were built?
Tim Pratt
My family, starting with my great grandfather Charles Pratt, provided horse and wagon in the 1800’s and eventually trucks that hauled all of the Twin City Brick Co. brick in the Minneapolis/St.Paul area.
My dad Lloyd Pratt, was the last of the line when twin City Brick closed in the 1960’s.
He was preceded by my uncle Dolphin Pratt, my grandfather Fred Pratt.
After leaving Twin City Brick my dad went on to work for Wonder Kline. My dad had become known as the Brickman of the Twin Cities.
The old brick plant was located along the Minnesota river not far from the old Mindoda bridge.
All of the old red brick schools built in the Twin Cities were from Twin City Brick.
Thanks for the chance to reminess.