The Wake

A dead horse resides at 603 Fifth St. in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood.

The home in the historic Fifth Street district used to belong to women’s suffrage activist and writer Charlotte Van Cleve and her husband Horatio, a general in the Civil War. Horatio Van Cleve and his beloved warhorse, Bessie, both returned wounded from the war. They were nursed back to health at their residence in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood, where Bessie became Charlotte’s prized carriage horse and a family pet to the couple’s 12 children. When Bessie died at a ripe old age, legend has it that her family buried the horse in the backyard. Penny Peterson, the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood’s unofficial historian, says she’s not sure she believes the story, but agrees that it is intriguing

Marcy-Holmes, easily the oldest neighborhood in Minneapolis, is “a great place to live,” said Melissa Bean, staff worker at the Marcy-Holmes office and longtime resident of the neighborhood.

The Marcy-Holmes neighborhood, with a population of slightly over 9,000, is named after two area schools. The namesakes of the schools, William Learned Marcy and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., were two very different mentors to early settlers of the area.

Marcy was a U.S. Senator and a three-term governor of New York. His most famous words were, “to the victor belong the spoils of the enemy,” spoken during a debate in the Senate. He influenced many early lawmakers in the area. Holmes was a physician, poet, humorist and mentor. He is most famous for his “Breakfast-Table” essays. His son, of the same name, became a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

The neighborhood is perfectly situated between downtown and the University of Minnesota. The restored Stone Arch Bridge, on 6th Ave. just south of University Ave., provides a gateway to downtown as well as a great view of the city skyline and historic St. Anthony Falls. Those looking for more modern entertainment can look to Dinkytown’s handy shopping district. In Dinkytown, a student can shop Cummings Books for reading material, have a cup of coffee at the Purple Onion and make the short walk or bike-ride to off-campus housing.

Parking in the bustling Dinkytown area and the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood is always a problem. Though many homes have garages for the renters and homeowners, on-street parking is common. Many students and residents consider neighborhood parking quite inconvenient.

One reason for the crowded streets is increased enrollment at the university. Student numbers for the fall semester in 2002 reached 40,000 between the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses, according to the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood Association’s Master Plan. As an alternative to driving, the association encourages students to use bikes, walking paths and the bus system.

Despite the large amount of historic homes in the district, a casual observer can see sagging porches and chipped paint throughout the neighborhood.

“It’s a shame to see the neighborhood go to waste,” said Anthony Hossmann, Marcy-Holmes renter and “U” student.

Marcy-Holmes has several owner-occupied single-family homes, despite the large rental population. The neighborhood association, which meets once a month, encourages an active student voice. The association’s Board of Directors reserves two seats for students. The Neighborhood Revitalization Project, a broad project to update and beautify the neighborhood, aims for a high level of volunteerism. The project plans several events throughout the year, including a Halloween block party, neighborhood garage sales and participation in National Night Out.

The neighborhood also has a community garden that was established in 1999 at the intersection of 8th St. and 10th Ave. The association also offers “just water it” gardens to help beautify the area. These garden packs provide seeds and fertilizer to residents so that the only thing needed is water.

Students of all ages enjoy Marcy Park’s playground, also at the corner of 8th St. and 10th Ave. This is the same playground for which the band Marcy Playground was named. Singer, guitarist and songwriter John Wozniak grew up in Minneapolis and attended Marcy Open School. He later thought of his childhood when naming the band. Hossmann, who lives near Marcy Park, says the park, which covers the entire block, “makes it feel more like a neighborhood.”

Bessie the horse was unavailable for comment.