The History of Loring Park
Back in 1855, Joseph Johnson established a farm on the land that is now Loring Park. There was a bog on the property that, in 1882, became the inspiration for a pretty pond as the centerpiece of a park. Architect Horace Cleveland designed the park, and in the spring of 1883, the park was dedicated and named Central Park.
The park’s name was changed in 1890 to Loring Park to honor the first superintendent of the new Minneapolis park system, Charles Loring. The little wood-frame building he used as his office has been renovated and still graces the shore of Loring Pond.
The beauty of the park sparked a building boom in the neighborhood. Large brick homes, mansions, and row houses were built in addition to luxury apartment buildings and apartment hotels. Despite major redevelopment in the 1960s, many of these buildings are still in the Loring neighborhood and give the area its distinct historical flavor.