Photos from Mississippi River Blvd

Dan Zamlen has now been missing for over a week. He did not come home for his 19th birthday, and he did not make it home for Easter. I went out walking on Mississippi River Boulevard this weekend because I felt the need to do something. Although the search has been called off, I saw many St. Thomas students and other people like myself who were out hoping to find him. I have posted some photos and a description of the area. (Click on the photos to enlarge.)


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The area is a quiet upper middle- to upper class residential neighborhood with many large homes. It is within walking distance to St. Thomas University and Byrne residential hall. There were annual parking restrictions in effect on St. Claire Avenue, so we parked two blocks over on Princeton Avenue. You could see St. Thomas University, which was facing the river (to the right of our car, also facing the river).

From our car, we walked across the street to Mississippi River Blvd., and turned right (the direction of the University of Minnesota where Dan had said he was intending to walk).

The path along the river is a concrete sidewalk used for both pedestrians and bicycles. To the right was a patch of grass and then the street. To the left was 5-10 feet of grass (it narrowed in some places) then a gradually sloping hillside with some brush and trees.

There are places along the hill down to the river where the incline is more steep, but it seems that you would have quite a bit of warning before you got to the edge. There was a small scenic overlook with a railing in one area where the hill became more steep.

If you continue following the sidewalk, the residential halls for the University are on the right side ofthe street, followed by a couple of University buildings. Near Byrne Hall, you cross a small stone bridge with a culvert underneath leading to the river.

Continuing down the sidewalk, the path looks much like the photos above, with a gradual slope. Then you come to a small park with a statue. The statue has a round marble area surrounding it and an inscription on the base memorializing the losses of St. Paul and Ramsey County in World War I.

Beyond the statue to the left, there is an outcropping of rock--the only place I could see where it would be possible to fall direcly into the river.

Many people were sitting on the rocks.

If you leave the rock area, turning right, there is a steep embankment with a creek underneath. You could hear the creek. There were paths going down there, but they were steep and would require a good pair of hiking boots.

Looking to the right of the creek, was the street. The photo of the unicycle is looking back in the direction of our car.

We continued down the path, walking to Cretin Avenue before turning around. The whole walk was .6 miles. The last two pictures are on the way back to the car, just before we reached the park.

A reader also sent me more photos of the area that she took over the weekend of 4/19.