This is a great spot for walking, running, biking, rollerblading, boating or watching a riverboat and imagining the days of old when steamboats ruled the river. Please park on the opposite side of the levee from the river and take the stairs. If you require handicapped parking, there are handicapped spots on the river side of the levee, quite near the cache. To reach the handicapped parking, take the road from the parking lot that goes up and over the levee. Please do not park anywhere other than marked parking spots as you may interfere with boaters who are trying to launch or retrieve their boats. Trackable dollar for FTF.
The 6.5-mile South St. Paul Riverfront Trail is built atop a levee between the river and downtown South St. Paul. You can see Pig’s Eye Island Heron Rookery, two smaller islands, the site of the former meatpacking plants, and stockyards. A smaller stockyard still operates today, and a new industrial park is home to many diverse companies including the largest and oldest manufacturer of fire hydrants in the country.
At one time South St. Paul was home to the largest stockyards in the world. Alpheus B. Stickney, a prominent railroad businessman, had the vision, and in 1886 organized the St. Paul Union Stockyards. The stockyards eventually attracted four major meatpacking plants. Meatpacking and related businesses became the heart of South St. Paul’s economy. World War II brought peak years to the industry when the plants had government contracts to supply military needs worldwide.
In the late 1960s and 1970s the market decentralized and the sprawling plants became obsolete. These closings had a devastating effect on South St. Paul’s economy, but the community has persevered. In 1990 the last plant was demolished and replaced with an industrial park, and the riverfront has become the city’s new focus for redevelopment.