Public Transportation - Streetcar Connection to Minneapolis
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In 1912, private developers acquired the rights to run streetcar tracks between Anoka and Minneapolis. By 1913, the first gas-powered street cars rolled into Anoka. Although the gas-powered cars made faster and more frequent trips possible, riders complained of unreliable service and frequent breakdowns. |
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Headline from the Anoka Herald, May 30th 1913 |
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Photo of electric street car on Main Street, Anoka |
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Anoka had its real public transportation wishes answered in 1915 when power lines were installed along the length of the tracks (thanks to construction of the power plant in Coon Rapids). The electric street cars were both a product of and catalyst for economic development and population growth in Anoka. Ridership and trip frequency steadily increased until buses and personal automobiles pushed streetcars out of the market in the 1930s. Scroll down to read a news article from 1915 documenting the first electric street cars in Anoka. |
