Comments on: Meat-Packing History in South St. Paul

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:16:18 +0000

Armour & Company along with Swift & Company is what made South St. Paul what it is. I had the oppertunity to go through the Armour Plant many times in my youth between 1980 and 1988. It is a shame that no one purchaised the plant and made it into some kind hotel and resturant complex. South St. Paul has become a sleepy bedroom community, too bad this plant is gone.

By: Tim M

Tim M — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:16:22 +0000

If it weren’t for the words “obtuse angles”, I would’ve thought they were describing the fence on top of the retaining wall..

By: Kevin D. Hendricks

Kevin D. Hendricks — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:34:36 +0000

Awesome update, Barbara! Thanks. I've been wondering about the fate of that sculpture for a while. It was mentioned in Monumental Minnesota: A Guide to Outdoor Sculpture (though they note that it was privately funded) and a description of it sounded pretty interesting:

"Fifteen beams project skyward from pilings and a retaining wall. The movable beams are vertical and at obtuse angles, interlaced at the top with cables. Three stones, one of which bears a commemorative plaque, stand nearby. The sculpture represents a community whose common base unites its members."

Though it does sound like something that could easily be under-appreciated. According to that site it was still around in 1993, but no update as to when it disappeared.

By: Barbara O'Brien

Barbara O'Brien — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:57:34 +0000

I grew up in South St, Paul and my family is all still there. In fact. Lois Glewwe, the town historian mentioned in your post, is my aunt.

I just wanted to fill you in on the mystery behind the missing sculpture. Many years ago the city in it’s wisdom commissioned a very expensive sculpture that was attached to the retaining wall at Wakota Arena.
If I remember right, it consisted of steel I-beams sticking out and up from the wall like a well intended construction project gone horribly wrong

The town, in general, hated it. The artist must’ve been ashamed also as he didn’t show up at the dedication ceremony. We were there, if only to witness the boondoggle, and a few officials but that was it.

Years later it disappeared, perhaps sold for scrap and melted down. I guess we will never know.