Sheridan Memorial Park

People work in raingarden below sphere memorial

Located along the east bank of the Mississippi River just north of the Broadway Avenue bridge, this site is home to a veterans memorial, an FMR-installed raingarden, and a multi-year community restoration partnership with the Sheridan Neighborhood Organization.

Where is Sheridan Memorial Park?

Home to the Minnesota Veterans Memorial, Sheridan Memorial Park borders the Mississippi River in Northeast Minneapolis.

FMR restores habitat at other riverfront locations north of St. Anthony Falls as well, like BF Nelson Park, Nicollet Island, James Rice Park and Ole Olson Park. Our restoration work through this stretch of the river is part of the larger Above the Falls Master Plan and FMR's Above the Falls program, providing opportunities for education, access and hands-on restoration.

The public is welcome to visit the Sheridan Memorial Park. (See Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board's webpage for more info.)

Our work here takes place on Dakota homelands. Learn more.

What's special about Sheridan Memorial Park?

The site is known for its Minnesota Veterans Memorial - a large spherical sculpture surrounded by a peace garden.

Located near the Grain Belt brewery complex along the river, the park and the memorial were dedicated in 2014 after a years-long planning process. The joint effort included Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, Sheridan Neighborhood Organization, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, elected officials, the Above the Falls Citizens Advisory Committee (which included FMR), neighborhood residents and veterans. The park board has since added a pavilion, playground and basketball court.

The park is part of a corridor of parkland on the river's east side, stretching from Nicollet Island and BF Nelson Park up through Boom Island and Graco Park. These sites are all connected by the Mississippi East Bank Trail for bicyclists and pedestrians. 

If you visit, you'll even be able to get down to the river in a few spots using two stone staircases.  And be sure to check out the view from the balcony overlook — across the water, you'll be able to see FMR's restored prairie at Ole Olson Park.

Our work at Sheridan Memorial Park

In 2014, FMR volunteers installed a large raingarden to beautify the park, provide bee, butterfly and bird habitat, and reduce the amount of polluted runoff flowing from the nearby parking lot and local streets into the Mississippi River. 

In 2021, FMR began work with the Sheridan Neighborhood Organization to steward the raingarden, supporting and growing local interest in volunteering and environmental stewardship.

FMR volunteers installed a raingarden in 2014, planting spiderwort, lobelia, blue flag iris, Canada anemone and other plants that help filter and retain water, provide pollinator and wildlife habitat, and improve park aesthetics. (Photos by Rich Wahls for FMR)

Surveys conducted by the Sheridan Neighborhood Organization identified native plantings and natural areas as two priorities for residents of the neighborhood. As a result, our partnership expanded to restoring and enhancing the park's riverbank, removing invasive species and planting native grasses and wildflowers in an effort to improve habitat, water quality and community connection to the river.

FMR is also writing a volunteer-centric natural resource management plan for the 1.5 acres of riverfront habitat, similar to plans written for James Rice Park and Bassett's Creek Park, to empower neighborhood organization volunteers with the knowledge and resources they need to be able to restore and maintain the park's natural spaces. Mississippi Watershed Management Organization has supported this relationship through a 2023 community grant and a 2024 planning grant.

Volunteers work on the riverfront habitat

Our work at Sheridan Memorial Park has expanded to include riverfront habitat restoration with the neighborhood organization. (Photo by MWMO)

Find out more and get involved

Partners and funders for our work at Sheridan Memorial Park

This work was made possible by the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the Sheridan Neighborhood Organization, Fair State Coorperates, and by our generous volunteers and donors like you!

Person smiles in the raingarden

We're grateful for the volunteers who help tend the raingarden and the riverfront habitat at Sheridan Memorial Park.

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Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
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