On December 3, 2025, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Commissioners voted to remove the Pioneers monument from the public art collection in B.F. Nelson Park. This is the first time the MPRB has removed an artwork since adopting a new Public Art Policy earlier in 2025. The policy sets guidelines for officially removing items from the art collection.
The Pioneers monument was created by J.K. Daniels in 1936. It was first installed in Pioneer Square, now called Gateway Park, in downtown Minneapolis. John Pillsbury funded the sculpture, which was dedicated on November 13, 1936. The monument has been moved several times. In 2010, it was relocated to the entrance of B.F. Nelson Park with support from the St. Anthony West Neighborhood Organization, the MPRB, and the City of Minneapolis.
The monument is made of Minnesota granite. It weighs 14 tons and stands 23 feet tall. The front shows three generations of pioneers. The back has a relief of Father Louis Hennepin, a Belgian missionary, meeting Dakota people in 1680. The word ‘PIONEERS’ is inscribed on the base. The monument has been a notable feature in the park for over ten years…