PLAQUE IN DOWNTOWN PARK
HOPKINS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
717 Highway 7, Hopkins, MN 55343' Area 612 938-8300
PASTORS REV DONALD UTZMAN
REV SUSAN ADAMS · TREMBATH
December 20, 1984
,",ONORING OUR HERITAGE
D~ck W~lson
Hopk~ns-M~nnetonka Recreation Dept.
14600 M~nnetonka Blvd.
M~nnetonka; MN 55343
Dear Mr. Wilson:
Th~ members of Hopk~ns United Methodist Church, as part of their
Centennial Celebrat1on, would like to place a placque 1n Downtown
Park, Hopk~ns. This is the original site of the Hopkins Method1st
Church, built 1n 1889 and used unt11 1954 when the congregation moved
to its present location on H~ghway 7. There 1S a poss1b~lity of a
picnic/unve~ling of the placque on July 21, 1985, if everything qoes
as planned.
Members of the Centennial Committee have 1nspected the park and con-
cluded that the s1rnplest way would be to place a rock about 10-15 feet
west of the 9th Street entrance. (There's a space in the shrubbery
bed.) The placque, which would read someth~nq like "Origina,.l Site of
Hopkins Un~ted Methodist Church 1889-1954" would be placed on this
rock.
John Fink, chairman of our Board of Trustees, has covered this infor-
mation with you and he will be attend1ng the January Park Board meetinq
to answer any questions you might have concerninq this spec1al request.
The Methodist Church was one of the p1llars of the Hopk~ns commun1ty
when the town was Just beg1nn~ng its growth, and it seems appropriate
that th1s original site be recoqn1zed during our 100-year celebration.
Thank you for your consideration.
Hopkins United Methodist Church
Centennial Committee
Joan Berry, Chairperson (938-7004)
""4i vl...it
DATE:
January 28, 1985
TO:
Honorable Mayor and City Council
THROUGH:
SUBJECT:
William Craig, City Manager
Richard Wilson, Recreation and Parks Director Jf~
Hopkins United Methodist Church Plaque in Downtown Park
FROM:
The Hopkins United Methodist Church is now celebrating their cen-
tennlal. They have brought to our attention that the original site
of their church was on a portion of what is now Hopkins Downtown
Park. The attached letter explains this, and details their request
to place a plaque in the park, acknowledging this part of theirs
and Hopkins' history.
'>
The above noted request was presented to the Hopkins Park Board at
its meeting of January 21, 1985. Mr. John Fink, Chairman of the
Church Board of Trustees, was in attendance to further describe
their intent and answer questions. Following that discussion, the
Park Board voted to recommend that the City Council approve the
Hopkins United Methodist Church request. Conditions agreed to by
Mr. Fink were:
1. That the plaque be of a size, material, etc., similar to
the plaque commemorating Jennie Arimond.
2. That the plaque be placed on a rock similar in size, etc.,
to the current rock with a plaque on it, subJect to the
approval of the Park Director.
3. That the wording of the plaque be as proposed in the
December 20, 1984 letter from the Church Centennial
Committee.
Based on the foregoing information, it is recommended that the City
Council, at its meeting of February 5, 1985, adopt the following
motion:
~.
That the Hopkins United Methodist Church be allowed, at
their expense, to install a commemorative plaque in the
Hopkins Downtown Park, subject to the conditions included
in the staff report.
RLW:ph