Summit-University
 Summit-University neighborhood in 1923. Note the density of buildings. |
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Section of Summit-University neighborhood in 1957. Note the absence of previously present buildings. |
Summit-University is a neighborhood in Saint Paul, Minnesota that stretches roughly from University Avenue in the North, Lexington Parkway to the West, Summit Avenue to the South and to the East along John Ireland Boulevard, Kellogg Boulevard and Marion Street. Summit-University, Selby-Dale, St. Anthony Hill, Cathedral Hill, Woodland Park, Crocus Hill, Ramsey Hill, Hill District, Historic Hill District, Uni-Dale, North Quadrant, Thomas-Dale and Central Village all refer to parts of the neighborhood that is call Summit-University.
The neighborhood is an ethnically and economically diverse community. In 1983 the neighborhood was home to Saint Paul's largest concentration of minority residents. Among the many groups living in Summit-University are the Hmong community as well as the city's other Asian communities, of whom Vietnamese, Laotians and Cambodians are represented in large numbers. Summit-University also includes the historic Cathedral Hill neighborhood, as well as what remains of "old Rondo" - a former neighborhood of the city. Rondo was the center of Saint Paul's African-American community since the Civil War, but was nearly obliterated by the construction of Interstate 94 in the 1960s. Famous Summit-University natives include baseball great Dave Winfield. Writer F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in this neighborhood, although he is generally associated with the Summit Hill neighborhood where he later lived.
The neighborhood was settled in the 1880s and 1890s with duplexes and apartment building settled alongside mansions. Early development of the area was limited due to the steep slopes of Summit and Ramsey hiils. By the 1880s a portion of Summit-University had become the neighborhood in Saint Paul, after streetcar service made it accessible. Not all of Summit-University was populated by the rich, but the neighborhood was always middle class or better. The best housing was along the southern and eastern edges. Closer to University Avenue the housing was less grand. The whole area was predominately residential. Neighborhood stores were located along the streetcar routes but little industry intruded.
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