Covered Wagon – Minneapolis
There were two Covered Wagons, one each in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
The Minneapolis Covered Wagon was located at 114 So. 4th St. at Marquette.
1933
The Covered Wagon opened in 1933 – the end of Prohibition and a popular time to start a cafe. The Minnegasco pamphlet below says that the place originally opened two doors north of the 114 4th Street site.
The obituary of James P. Ryan named him as Vice-President of the restaurant from when it opened in 1933 until it closed in 1957.
1943
The photo below appeared in Life Magazine on April 5, 1943. The caption read:
From old frontier days came the inspiration for the delightful Covered Wagon Cafe in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Historic guns and pioneer relics adorn the walls, and the booths along the side are designed to resemble such old-time Western institutions as the post office, sheriff’s office and the trading store. The Covered Wagon is also famous for its fine steaks – which are served, of course, with Heinz 57 Beefsteak Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Chili Sauce and other of Heinz wonder-working keystone-labeled condiments.
Just noticed that this is a Heinz ad! Nevertheless, nice picture.
1943 photo courtesy Minnesota Historical Society
1943 photo courtesy Minnesota Historical Society
1950
Hugo Benson was named as the proprietor in 1950. A gossip column in 1958 said that his name was Hugo (Benny) Benson, and that he was a former co-owner.
1953
In October 1953, BeBe Shopp, Miss Hopkins and Miss America 1948, made Barbara Flanagan’s column when she made her home town first stand at the Covered Wagon. BeBe’s instrument was the vibraharp. (Minneapolis Tribune, October 13, 1953)
Minneapolis Star, October 15, 1953
The caption on the photo below reads:
A small part of the Main Dining Room. Here you will find that real western hospitality that has made the Covered Wagon the Northwest’s favorite for twenty years.
Photo from 20th Anniversary Menu, 1953
The photo below, perhaps from the same menu, shows the staff in cowboy hats, natch.
A Minnegasco cookbook from 1953 touts the Covered Wagon’s 20th anniversary. On the menu were Mallard Duck, Ring Neck Pheasant, and Hungarian Partridge, but you had to call ahead in the morning so they could go out and shoot it, I guess.
1956
In 1956, music was provided by Loren McNabb and his band on the “Largest and Finest Dance Floor in Town.”
The ad below gives a different address: 34 S. 4th Street. Perhaps because of demolition in the area, patrons had to enter through a different door?
July 19, 1956, source unknown.
ARTIFACTS FROM THE WAGON
People seem to have a lot of souvenirs of the Covered Wagon, which is natural since it was around for almost 25 years. Here are some of them that have been shared, particularly on Facebook.
Ashtrays shaped like cowboy hats are irresistible! There were identical models for the St. Paul club as well.
Photo courtesy Susan Schempf
A menu of Steaks from Carolyn Lee Turner
A little spoon just begging to be slipped into a purse, courtesy Sherry Okeson Gross
And a letter opener that seems a little sharper than necessary from Bob Jackson.
Below is a small iron skillet, made by the Lodge Cast Iron Co., says contributor Scott Hartgraves. The company made these small miniature skillets for various companies from the ’30s to the ’50s. The Covered Wagon would have bought the blank miniatures and applied their own decal for resale. Scott says they were usually more ornate than this.
Image courtesy Scott Hartgraves
Music doesn’t seem to have been emphasized at the Covered Wagon – this was no Flame Cafe. Maybe people were too loaded down with steak to dance. The house entertainment was the Cow Hands Band, but they are mentioned on both the Minneapolis and St. Paul matchbooks, so maybe there were two of them.
COVERED WAGON MOSEYS ON
In 1956, the Federal Government Services Agency condemned several buildings along Marquette for a new Federal courts building. The GSA offered the Covered Wagon $200,000 for its land, furnishings, and business. The owner, identified as Fritz Benson, countered that the business was worth almost half a million dollars, and a jury was brought in to inspect the building. The amount awarded came to $305,500. (Minneapolis Star, April 25, 1957)
The wrecking permit was taken out on December 1, 1958. The Hennepin County Courthouse, at 110 4th Street So., was built in 1960. The Covered Wagon’s liquor license was transferred to Rusciano’s.
The End.
THE LITTLE WAGON
Kevin Flagstad reports that in 1957, new owners