are house ▁and ▁wh oles aling ▁district ▁compr ises ▁ 3 7 ▁contrib uting ▁properties ▁built ▁ 1 8 7 0 s – 1 9 2 0 . ▁It ▁was ▁listed ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁for ▁the ▁significance ▁of ▁its ▁river ▁and ▁rail ▁connections , ▁economic ▁impact , ▁architecture , ▁and ▁urban ▁planning . ▁In ▁recent ▁years ▁Low ert own ▁has ▁been ▁under going ▁changes ▁from ▁a ▁bo hem ian , ▁artist - community ▁into ▁a ▁gent r ified ▁neighborhood ▁filled ▁with ▁coffee ▁sh ops , ▁restaur ants , ▁bars , ▁bre wer ies , ▁and ▁market - rate ▁apart ments . ▁ ▁Park s ▁Dow nt own ▁has ▁three ▁city ▁par ks , ▁two ▁of ▁which ▁pre date ▁Minnesota ▁state hood . ▁The ▁land ▁for ▁both ▁M ears ▁Park ▁and ▁R ice ▁Park ▁was ▁don ated ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Saint ▁Paul ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁Both ▁par ks ▁have ▁gone ▁through ▁numerous ▁renov ations ▁and ▁host ▁several ▁festiv als ▁throughout ▁the ▁year . ▁R ice ▁Park ▁most ▁not ably ▁hosts ▁the ▁Saint ▁Paul ▁Winter ▁Car n ival ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁winter ▁car n ival ▁in ▁the ▁country , ▁having ▁operated ▁since ▁ 1 8 8 6 . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁M ears ▁Park ▁has ▁hosted ▁the ▁T win ▁C ities ▁Jazz ▁Festival . ▁ ▁Culture ▁ ▁The ▁Saint ▁Paul ▁Public ▁Library ▁system ▁oper ates ▁the ▁Central ▁Library , ▁which ▁has ▁been ▁on ▁the ▁National