New immigrants to the West Side Community originally settled in the area next to the river commonly referred to as "The Flats."  The area was covered with poverty; many residents of St. Paul considered this area the least desirable area of the city.  The area was referred to as "The Flats" because it was very low to the river, and, consequently, it was very susceptible to the annual cycles of high water and flooding. 

In 1952, The Flats received a record level of floodwater, 22 feet.  After that, many residents retreated to the safety of the bluffs.

In 1960, the city of St. Paul mandated that all of the residents in the Flats be moved up into the bluffs.  At that time the city built a floodwall and industrialized the area.  Although the area prior to this had been seen as a ghetto covered with small shacks and shanties, many residents felt deep resentment over being moved into the bluffs.  The river had always been an important presence in their lives.  This resentment still lingers today among many of the older West Side residents.

The neighborhood, itself, contains a lot of history.  Many of the buildings and landmarks have historical significance.  In 1857, the Wabasha Street Bridge was first constructed with the intent of connecting St. Paul and West St. Paul.  The bridge was named after a lineage of Dakota Chieftains, the Wabasha, who were thought of as great chieftains, diplomats, and warriors in the area before the Native Americans were moved from the land.  The bridge was meant to honor their heritage.  The Wabasha Street Bridge was the first bridge to span the complete width of the Mississippi River.  The Saint Paul Bridge Company, a private company built the bridge, and it originally charged a toll for those wishing to cross.  In 1867, the bridge was purchased by the city of St. Paul.  St. Paul residents no longer had to pay a toll, however, residents of West St. Paul were still required to pay the toll when crossing the bridge.  Because of these tolls, residents of the West Side Community, as it is called now, seceded from Wet St. Paul and joined with the city of St. Paul.

Since its creation in 1857, the Wabasha Bridge has undergone a lot of changes.  The repairs started in 1869 when engineers noticed that the bridge had swayed 12 inches out of its plumb, and several bolts and braces were missing.  In the 1870s, several of the wood roadways and walkways were replaced with iron, and the construction continued for many more years after that.  The bridge cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Finally, the city tore it down in 1995, and reopened the new Wabasha Bridge in July of 1998.  It was an event long overdue. next

The new Wabasha Bridge opened in September, 1998.