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The Greater Longfellow Neighborhood may be best known for its bungalows.

It proudly declares itself a Traditional Bungalow Neighborhood on signs throughout the community, and has had its special homes featured in countless magazines and books. Built to be affordable, manageable and most of all beautiful, Longfellow provides the perfect setting for Craftsman cottages. But maybe it’s the Mississippi River and its biking and walking trails on the east, or historic Minnehaha Falls to the, or the new Hiawatha Light Rail line on its western border that Longfellow is best known for. Or perhaps, it is the lush, new, Midtown Greenway bike path on its northern border. It can be difficult to decide.

And you can’t ignore Lake Street, which travels through Longfellow to the Mississippi, providing a vast array of shops and businesses.  From sushi to Sliders, from motor scooters and car mechanics to veterinary care and cappuccino, you can find it here.

Longfellow remains an affordable, friendly, diverse and walkable neighborhood, with scenery second to none.

Images

Boundaries and Zip Code

Greater Longfellow is composed of the Longfellow, Cooper, Howe and Hiawatha neighborhoods.

North: 27th Street Railroad Tracks/Midtown Greenway
South: Minnehaha Park
East: Mississippi River
West: Hiawatha Avenue

Zip code: 55406

History

Longfellow Neighborhood was named for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in honor of his epic poem, The Song of Hiawatha, which featured the local landscape, and made Minnehaha Falls a national icon. It was written in 1855, three years before Minnesota became a state.

“In the land of the Dacotahs, 
Where the Falls of Minnehaha 
Flash and gleam among the oak trees, 
Laugh and leap into the valley. 
... And he named her from the river, 
From the waterfall he named her, 
Minnehaha, Laughing Water."

Minnehaha Park, at Longfellow Neighborhood’s southern border, has been a tourist attraction for over 150 years, and remains a very popular spot to picnic, hike and attend special events like Svenskarnas Dag and concerts in the park.

Longfellow was part of a land purchase transferring the area from Richfield to the City of Minneapolis 1887.

Housing Styles and Types

Longfellow came into its own as a “street car suburb” of Minneapolis.

With the arrival of the street car, city residents could move away from the downtown business area and its industry along the river, and discover the benefits of fresh air and homeownership.  With Longfellow lots available for as little as $300 with $5 down as advertised in the Minneapolis Journal in 1914, a home with a yard and garden was finally in reach for working class families and new immigrants.

Lumber was cheap and plentiful, as the vast northern forests were cut and timber was sent floating down the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. Dozens of home plans could be picked out of catalogs offered by builders and lumber yards, and “affordable and artistic” bungalows began to dominate the Longfellow landscape. The Longfellow Planbook provides a unique resource for homeowners that illustrates ways to remodel bungalows and other small homes to fit today’s needs without sacrificing their Arts & Crafts-era character. Copies are available for purchase at the Longfellow Community Council office.

Schools

Public Schools:

• Anne Sullivan Community School (K-8)
• Hiawatha Community School (K-5)
• Dowling Urban Environmental School (K-5)
• Longfellow Community School (PK-5)
• Sanford Middle School (6-8)

Charter / Alternative Schools:

• Minnesota Transition School (MTS)
• Lighthouse Academy of Nations (9-12)

For more information on Minneapolis schools, visit Live MSP's Schools page.

Public Facilities

• Brackett Park and Neighborhood Center at 38th Ave South & 28th St
• Hiawatha School Park at East 42nd St. & 44th Ave South
• Longfellow Park and Recreation Center at East 35th St. & 36th Ave South
• Minnehaha Park at 4801 South Minnehaha Park Dr.
• Minnehaha Off-Leash Dog Park—the largest dog park in the city (4.3 acres) with wooded paths and beach access on the Mississippi.
• Mississippi Gorge Park
• The Grand Rounds Scenic Byway—paved trails along West River Parkway, connecting to Minnehaha Park and the rest of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway.
• East Lake Street Library at 2727 East Lake Street
• Hiawatha Line LRT (3 stations are located in Longfellow.)

Home Purchase/Home Improvement Incentives

Longfellow Home Improvement Program
The Longfellow Community Council (LCC) offers low interest home improvement loans for Longfellow residents. Loans are available for interior and exterior work, as well as for making modifications to increase accessibility for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Please call 612-722-4529 or visit www.longfellow.org for more information.

For information about other incentive programs that may be available in this neighborhood, visit Live MSP's Incentive Programs page.

Getting Involved

The Longfellow Community Council (LCC) is the Citizen Participation organization for the greater Longfellow neighborhood, which is made up of Longfellow, Howe, Cooper and Hiawatha. Through LCC, residents develop initiatives that address housing, crime, youth and families, the environment, jobs and economic development, and a multitude of other topics that people in the community believe to be important. Visit www.longfellow.org for more information.

The Longfellow Business Association support businesses in Longfellow. Visit www.longfellowbusinessassociation.org for more information.

Latinos en Accion: This is a collaboration between the Resource Center of the Americas, Corcoran Neighborhood Organization, and Longfellow Community Council. The purpose of the project is to build cohesive and inclusive communities by conducting outreach to Latino businesses and residents, identifying and empowering community members to address issues that impact the Latino community, and by implementing ways to connect the Latino community to the work of the three partner organizations. For more information call 612-722-4529.

The Twin Cities Bungalow Club is dedicated to fostering an appreciation for these charming and livable early 20th century homes. 

News

The Longfellow Community Council (LCC) has an online community calendar located at www.longfellow.org. You can also sign up to receive monthly e-news from LCC or subscribe to email list serves for LCC’s committees (Housing, Environment, Community, Rover Gorge) by sending an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Statistics

• City of Minneapolis Neighborhood Profile (Cooper, Hiawatha, Howe, Longfellow)—Includes trend information on neighborhood demographics, economics, and housing, taken from the most recent census data

• Home Sales Information by Neighborhood—The City of Minneapolis Assessor’s Office allows you to search home sale prices by neighborhood. You choose the time frame that you want to compare (e.g. 1/1/2006 – 12/31/2008.)

• Minneapolis Crime Statistics—Crime maps, statistics, and reports compiled by the Minneapolis Police Department. Check out Interpreting Crime Statistics. to help you make sense of these resources.

Real Estate Listings

Search Realtor.com for listings. You can search for properties by either clicking on the map or entering the neighborhood name or zip code (noting that zip code boundaries span multiple neighborhoods) into the search bar.

OwnAHomeMN.org—Check here for listings of affordable homes sold by community developers. Note: not all neighborhoods have listings.

Contacts

Longfellow Community Council
612-722-4529
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.longfellow.org

Latinos en Accion
612-722-4529

Longfellow Business Association
612-722-4529
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.longfellowbusinessassociation.org

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