Dakota County, Minnesota
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dakota County, Minnesota | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Minnesota |
|
 Minnesota's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | October 27, 1849 [1] |
|---|---|
| Seat | Hastings |
| Largest city | Eagan |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
586 sq mi (1,519 km²) 570 sq mi (1,475 km²) 17 sq mi (43 km²), 2.86% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
355,904 625/sq mi (241/km²) |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
| Website: www.dakotacounty.us | |
| Named for: Named after the Dakota people. | |
Dakota County is the third largest county in the U.S. state of Minnesota by population. The county is bordered by the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers on the north, and the state of Wisconsin on the east. Dakota County comprises the southeast portion of seven-county Minneapolis-St. Paul, the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States with about 3.2 million residents. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of Dakota County at 388,001 in 2006.[1] The county seat is Hastings[2].
Home to historical events that defined the state's future include providing materials for the construction of Fort Snelling across the river and the signing of the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux which ceded land from native Dakota; the county's history was initially tied to the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers which was strategically important for United States expansion and the convergence of the Dakota and Anishinaabe nations who regarded the site as sacred. Influence shifted westward during the post World War II settlement boom when Interstate 35 connected the western half of the county to Minneapolis and Saint Paul as cities there became bedroom communities. Today, Dakota County has a population that rivals the city of Minneapolis and like many metro counties is absorbing more industries and jobs from the city centers.
Dakota is named after the Dakota (or Sioux) Native Americans who were the previous settlers of the area. The name is recorded Dakotah in older U.S. Census records until it was simplified in the 20th century.
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[edit] History
Dakota County was named for the Dakota people who inhabited the land for centuries before the European explorers first visited the area in the 17th century. Within the Minnesota Territory, Dakotah County (later Dakota County) spanned from the Mississippi River to the Missouri River.[3] On what is now Picnic Island, on the Dakota County side of the Minnesota River in 1819, Colonel Henry Leavenworth built a stockade fort called "St. Peter's Cantonment" or "New Hope," where materials were assembled for the construction of Fort Snelling, to be built on the bluff on the north side of the Minnesota River.[4] Permanent settlement on the island was impossible due to annual flooding. The next significant white settlement occurred in the area known as St. Peters, now Mendota, where Alexis Bailey built some log buildings to trade in furs in 1826. Henry Hastings Sibley built the first stone house in Minnesota there in 1836, overlooking Fort Snelling across the river. Sibley was a partner in the American Fur Company, and considerable fur trade occurred at Mendota, where the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers converge. The land encompassing the current boundaries of the county were purchased by the U.S. government from the Dakota people (the Mdewakanton, Wahpekute, Wahpeton, and Sisseton bands) via the Treaty of St. Peters, the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux[5][6] and the Treaty of Mendota.[7] By the time Minnesota achieved statehood in 1858, power and influence had shifted from Mendota, across the rivers to Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
[edit] Hastings and South Saint Paul
By this time and continuing into the 20th century, the hub of activity in the county was in Hastings, the county seat, and a focal point of transportation, communication, and commerce. Hastings is critically located on the Mississippi River at the confluence of the St. Croix River and on the Vermillion River, which provided ample water power. Commercial interests built substantial wealth among the businessmen who dealt in lumber, milling, and railroads as the county residents depended on them to sell their agricultural products and to provide the goods needed for a growing economy and rising standard of living.
During this time, the stockyards and meat-packing plants in South Saint Paul became historically significant as the largest stockyards in the world;[8] this is where ranchers in the vast countryside to the west brought their livestock for shipping to the hungry populations of St. Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans, downstream.[9] These plants were worked by new immigrants from Romania, Serbia, and other Eastern European countries.[10]
[edit] Suburban growth
Beginning in the 1950s, population and household growth shifted to the western portion of the county. As population pressures expanded south from Minneapolis and Bloomington, the completion of Interstate 35W and 35E brought about major construction in the post-World War II period, turning villages into cities over the period of 20 years. Burnsville, Apple Valley, Eagan, and Lakeville brought over 200,000 people into the county by the end of the century. The Western and Northern Service Centers were constructed in the early 1990s each with an additional courthouse location. License centers were subsequently setup in Burnsville and Lakeville. Though pressure remained since the postwar boom to move the county seat to one of the larger communities in the county, the Dakota County Board maintained the seat in Hastings, while providing government services across the county.[11]
[edit] Historic sites
The history of the county is well-illustrated by the Registered Historic Places in the county, including the settlement at Mendota, the homes of well-heeled residents of Hastings, the ethnic gathering places in South Saint Paul, and other sites related to life on the prairie, including religion, education, transportation, commerce, and farm life.
[edit] Law and government
Dakota County is governed by the Board of Commissioners. The members of the Board as of 2007 are:
- Joseph Harris, District 1
- Kathleen Gaylord, District 2
- Thomas Egan, District 3
- Nancy Schouweiler, District 4
- Michael Turner, District 5
- Paul Krause, District 6
- Willis Braning, District 7
Dakota County also has an elected Sheriff (Don Gudmundson) and an elected County Attorney (James Backstrom). Additionally there are appointed boards for the library system, community development agency, and several advisory boards. Dakota County is also served by an elected board of their Soil and Water Conservation District.
Principal employees of Dakota County include (but are not limited to) County Administrator Brandt Richardson, Community Services Director Dave Rooney, Parks Director Steve Sullivan, and Court Administrator Van Bostrom.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 586 square miles (1,519 km²), of which, 570 square miles (1,475 km²) of it is land and 17 square miles (43 km²) of it (2.86%) is water.
[edit] Lakes and rivers
Major lakes and water bodies are in the northern portion of the county with creeks and rivers running through the southern portion. The northern and eastern border of Dakota County is marked by the Minnesota and Mississippi river. Many smaller rivers and creeks in the southern portion are tributaries for the Mississippi.
- Mississippi River: Adjacent to South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Rosemount, and Hastings.
- Minnesota River: Adjacent to Mendota Heights, Mendota, and Burnsville.
- Vermillion River: From Farmington through Eureka Township to Hastings.
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Burnsville Eagan
Eureka Township
Hastings
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Lakeville
Lilydale
Ravenna Township
Randolph Township
West Saint Paul
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[edit] Major highways
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Ramsey County (north)
- Washington County (northeast)
- Pierce County, Wisconsin (east, across the Mississippi River)
- Goodhue County (southeast)
- Rice County (southwest)
- Scott County (west)
- Hennepin County (northwest)
[edit] National protected areas
- Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (part)
[edit] Economy
Since the county grew as a bedroom community of Minneapolis and St. Paul, just over half of the residents (54%) work outside the county.[12]
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 355,904 people, 131,151 households, and 94,035 families residing in the county. The population density was 625 people per square mile (241/km²). There were 133,750 housing units at an average density of 235 per square mile (91/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.36% White, 2.27% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 2.89% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.29% from other races, and 1.75% from two or more races. 2.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.0% were of German, 13.0% Norwegian, 9.7% Irish and 5.9% Swedish ancestry according to Census 2000. About two thirds of the county's residents live in a cluster of large suburbs in the northwestern corner of the county: Burnsville, Lakeville, Apple Valley, Rosemount and Eagan.
There were 131,151 households out of which 40.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 21.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 34.30% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $61,863, and the median income for a family was $71,062. Males had a median income of $46,827 versus $32,189 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,008. About 2.40% of families and 3.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.90% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Cities and towns
Dakota County is home to sites significant in the state's early history. At Mendota, the Treaty of Mendota was signed, opening much of Southern Minnesota to settlement, and there prominent Saint Paul businessmen built their grand mansions. Though linked with the state's capital for much of history via rail, Dakota County owes much of its current growth to the expansion of Minneapolis' population which accelerated during the post-World War II boom era of the 1960s. This demand for housing along with two major interstate highways linking Minneapolis (I-35W) and St. Paul (I-35E) to the county concentrated major growth and demand along the northern end. Today, the cities of Burnsville, Eagan, Apple Valley, Lakeville, Rosemount, Hastings, and Inver Grove Heights are synonymous with the Twin Cities, as being part of "the Cities." Both Burnsville and Eagan are nearly developed and have become more like independent cities attracting major development than just residential bedroom suburbs.[14][15]
In contrast, the southern end of Dakota County reflects the rural past with small towns such as Farmington, Coates, Vermilion, Hampton, Rudolph, and Miesville where street grids and housing dating from the early 20th century can be found. Much of the county is self-contained except for two examples. The City of Hastings, the county seat, lies on both banks of the Mississippi River and was heavily linked historically and physically by rail to the early growing influence of the state's capital, Saint Paul. On the south border, the City of Northfield, technically in Rice County, has slightly expanded north into Dakota however the city itself is allowed into the municipal sewer boundary.
Though all of Dakota County is considered part of the metropolitan area and open to major development, the county government has steadily preserved farmland and continues to acquire new permanent natural lands in the southern townships.[16] This has further defined the boundaries between urbanized and rural which is starkly visible in the outskirts of the developed cities. While the center of population still lies north with more cosmopolitan residents, culturally Dakota County is a rural community and the Dakota County Fair is still a largely agricultural event and held in Farmington.
| Cities | Townships | ||
|---|---|---|---|
† Hastings is in Dakota County; a part of the city extends into Washington County.
‡ Northfield is mainly in Rice County; a part of the city extends into Dakota County.
[edit] Education
Dakota County is home to the state's largest school districts and some of the highest paid Superintendents.[17] Nationally recognized Independent School District 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan) houses 28,000 and is the fourth largest school district in the state.[18][19] Other districts include Independent School District 191 (Burnsville-Eagan-Savage) and Independent School District 197 (West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan).
[edit] Colleges and universities
Dakota County Technical College
Inver Hills Community College
[edit] Libraries
- Burnhaven Library in Burnsville
- Farmington Library in Farmington
- Galaxie Library in Apple Valley
- Heritage Library in Lakeville
- Inver Glen Library in Inver Grove Heights
- Pleasant Hill Library in Hastings
- City of South St. Paul Library in South St. Paul
- Wentworth Library in West St. Paul
- Wescott Library in Eagan
[edit] Recreation
[edit] Parks
- Big Rivers Regional Trail in Mendota Heights
- Lake Byllesby Regional Park in Cannon Falls
- Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan/Apple Valley
- Miesville Ravine Park Reserve in Miesville
- Dakota Woods Dog Park in Empire Township
- Spring Lake Park Reserve in Hastings/Rosemount
- Thompson County Park in West St. Paul
- Dakota County Bikeway System
[edit] Notable people
- Pierce Butler, U.S. Supreme Court justice
- Harold Stassen (R), Former Governor of Minnesota, Aide to Adm. Bull Halsey, Aide to President Dwight Eisenhower, Participant/Drafter of the United Nations Charter
- Ignatius Donnelly, Politician
- Henry Hastings Sibley, Politician, Indian agent
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ {[cite web | url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?-ds_name=PEP_2006_EST&-mt_name=PEP_2006_EST_GCTT1_ST2&-geo_id=04000US27&-format=ST-2&-tree_id=806&-context=gct | title=2006 Census Estimates | publisher=U.S. Census Bureau | date=2006 | accessdate=2008-05-10}}
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Dosh, Charles. Welcome To Dakota County, Minnesota - MNGenWeb. MN Genweb. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- ^ Historic Sites:Mendota Heights. Dakota County Historical Society (2005). Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
- ^ Carley, Kenneth (1976). The Sioux Uprising of 1862. Minnesota Historical Society. ISBN 0-87351-103-4.
- ^ Lass, William (1977, 1998). Minnesota: A History. New York, New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-04628-1.
- ^ Meyer, Roy Willard (1993). History of the Santee Sioux: United States Indian Policy on Trial. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press.
- ^ South St. Paul Riverfront Trail. Mississippi National River and Recreation area. Retrieved on 2007-03-19.
- ^ County Origin. Dakota County Historical Society (2005). Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
- ^ Historic Sites:South St. Paul. Dakota County Historical Society. Retrieved on 2007-03-19.
- ^ Dan Gearino (2000-08-11). County breaks ground on $36.5 million Northern Service Center in West St. Paul. Thisweek Newspapers. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
- ^ Kevin Monroe, Dawn Thongsavath, Heidi Welsch (May 2006). Public Assistance Caseload, Increase Analysis. Dakota County Employment and Economic Assistance. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Burnsville 'in great shape,' mayor says
- ^ U.S. Postal Service studies Eagan site for possible relocation of 3 metro post offices
- ^ [http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/PublicWeb/Templates/PrintFriendly.aspx?%7B0C851C49-2B63-4029-B5C2-49F7369FF9E9%7D }
- ^ State Auditor Awada says some Minnesota school boards mask superintendent pay
- ^ School District 196 Public Relations and Communications
- ^ About School District 196
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