This original 1984 Art in Public Places project featured manhole covers designed by eleven different artists. Lining 6th and 7th Streets between Nicollet Mall and Hennepin Avenue, the manholes were meant to celebrate the entertainment options in the city.
According to the City of Minneapolis website, it is the most asked about public art in town (along with the 1990 Kate Burke manholes on Nicollet which are fabulous and can be seen here). There are two ironies related directly to that fact.
1. Whether in line for the bus, setting patio tables at Forum, or simply pounding the pavement, people fail to notice these gems on 6th and 7th street every day.
2. The City has taken down the original documentation about the artists and their work from its website. All that remains is a picture of all 11 manhole covers (here and click Eleven artists at the bottom of the page).
An archival search uncovered this old brochure with missing photos of some of the covers, and a link to the original description of the artist selection process. It was a statewide juried contest that decided which designs ended up cast in brass.
This posting has photos of just a few of the lovelies, which definitely beg to be seen on the street and underfoot in their full metal finery. Leave the protection of the skyway and enjoy treading lightly on the eleven manholes on a cool summer day.
There are some manhole covers in storage near Lyndale and Glennwood. One of them is the 1987 Disney Christmas cover. The others I can't see because they are stacked up.
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