Arden Hills

The city of Arden Hills is located in northern Ramsey County.

As of the 2000 census, the population of Arden Hills was 9,652:

• 20.0% of the population of Arden Hills was under the age of 18,
• 20.3% of the population of Arden Hills was age 18 to 24,
• 20.6% of the population of Arden Hills was age 25 to 44,
• 25.2% of the population of Arden Hills was age 45 to 64, and
• 13.9% of the population of Arden Hills was age 65 years or older.

The median income for a household in Arden Hills was $64,773, and the median income for a family was $72,236.

Arden Hills is bordered by the cities of Shoreview to the east and north, Roseville to the south, and Mounds View and New Brighton to the west.

The former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (the “Arsenal”), lies in the northern portion of Arden Hills, and Lake Johanna is the pride of the city.

Mounds View Independent School District 621

High Schools:

• Irondale High School, Grades 9-12 (go Knights!); and
• Mounds View High School, Grades 9-12 (go Mustangs!).

Middle schools:

• Chippewa, Grades 6-8;
• Edgewood, Grades 6-8; and
• Highview, Grades 6-8.

Elementary schools:

Valentine Hills - one of six elementary schools in Independent School District 621.

Institutions of higher education within the city of Arden Hills include Bethel University and Seminary, and the northern part of Northwestern College.

Blaine

The City of Blaine is located primarily in southeastern Anoka County, with a very small portion located in northwestern Ramsey County.

Blaine is bordered by the cities of Ham Lake to the north, Coon Rapids to the west, Spring Lake Park, Mounds View and Shoreview to the south, and Circle Pines, Lexington, and Lino Lakes to the east.

As of the 2000 census, the population of Blaine was 44,942:

• 29.1% of the population of Blaine was under the age of 18,
• 8.7% of the population of Blaine was age 18 to 24,
• 34.8% of the population of Blaine was age 25 to 44,
• 22.0% of the population of Blaine was age 45 to 64,
• 5.3% of the population of Blaine was over the age of 65 years.

By 2005, the population of Blaine had increased to 54,020. The median income for a household in the city of Blaine was $59,219, and the median income for a family was $63,831.

In 1877, Blaine separated from the city of Anoka and was organized as a township - named after James G. Blaine - a senator and three-time presidential candidate from Maine.

The city of Blaine is home to the 600-acre National Sports Center, which features 50 plus soccer fields - including a stadium, a golf course, a velodrome, and the Schwan’s Super Rink, containing 4 Olympic, and 4 regulation, ice rinks.

The city of Blaine is served by the Anoka-Hennepin, Centennial, and Spring Lake Park School Districts.

Higher education opportunities within the city of Blaine are offered by the Globe University/Minnesota School of Business, a private career college and trade school.

Fridley

The city of Fridley is located in Anoka County, and is bordered by the cities of Coon Rapids and Blaine to the north, Spring Lake Park to the northeast, Mounds View and New Brighton to the east, Columbia Heights to the southeast, Minneapolis to the southwest, and Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center to the west.

As of the 2000 census, the city of Fridley had 27,449 residents:

• 22.5% of the population of Fridley was under the age of 18,
• 10.2% on the population of Fridley was age 18 to 24,
• 31.0% of the population of Fridley was age 25 to 44,
• 24.4% of the population of Fridley was age 45 to 64, and
• 12.0% of the population of Fridley was 65 years of age or older.

The median income for a household in the city of Fridley was $48,372, and the median income for a family was $55,381.

Fridley was incorporated in 1949 as a village, and became a city in 1957.

Fridley is home to the world headquarters of Medtronic Inc. Other major employers in Fridley include BAE Systems (formerly United Defense), Cummins, and Unity Medical Center - part of the Allina Healthcare system.

Fridley is served by Fridley Independent School District 14, the Anoka-Hennepin School District 11, and Columbia Heights School District 13.

Fridley High School, Fridley Middle School, and two elementary schools (Hayes Elementary and Stevenson Elementary) are part of the Fridley Independent School District 14.

Also located in Fridley are:

• Totino-Grace High School - a private Roman Catholic high school (go Eagles!),
• Calvin Christian High School - a private Christian high school, and
• Al-Amal School - a private Islamic K-12 school.

Lino Lakes

The city of Lino Lakes is located in Anoka County. Lino Lakes is bordered by the cities of Blaine and Ham Lake to the west, Hugo to the east, and North Oaks and Shoreview to the South.

As of the 2000 census, the population of Lino Lakes was 16,791:

• 33.7% of the population of Lino Lakes was under the age of 18,
• 6.6% the population of Lino Lakes was 18 to 24,
• 39.8% the population of Lino Lakes was 25 to 44,
• 16.7% the population of Lino Lakes was 45 to 64, and
• 3.3% the population of Lino Lakes was 65 years of age or older.

The median income for a household in Lino Lakes was $75,708, and the median income for a family was $79,183.

The township of Centerville was organized August 11, 1857, and initially encompassed three “communities”,

• a "German settlement" west of the area’s lakes,
• a "Swede settlement" south of the area’s lakes, and
• a "French settlement" east of the area’s lakes.

In the 1950s, neighboring villages annexed land away from the township of Centerville. In response, on May 11, 1955, the residents of the township voted to incorporate into a village known as "Lino Lakes".

The origin of the word "lino" in the name of the city is uncertain.

The Village of Lino Lakes included the original Centerville Township area - with the exception of the Village of Centerville. In 1972, the status of Lino Lakes was changed into a city.

Mounds View

The city of Mounds View is located in northern Ramsey County, and is bordered by the cities of Blaine to the north, New Brighton to the south, Shoreview to the east and Spring Lake Park and Fridley to the west.

As of the 2000 census, the population of the city of Mounds View was 12,738:

• 25.8% of the population of Mounds View was under the age 18,
• 10.5% of the population of Mounds View was age 18 to 24,
• 32.4% of the population of Mounds View was age 25 to 44,
• 22.4% of the population of Mounds View was age 45 to 64, and
• 8.9% of the population of Mounds View was 65 years of age or older.

The median income for a household in Mounds View was $51,974, and the median income for a family was $60,685.

The city of Mounds View was created out of the former Mounds View Township, which included parts of present-day Shoreview, Arden Hills, and Spring Lake Park.

In 1958, the village of Mounds View was incorporated.

While the city is primarily residential, local businesses include Medtronic, Multitech, Liberty Checks, Sysco Distributing and the Mermaid Entertainment Center.

New Brighton

The city of New Brighton is located in northern Ramsey County, and is bordered by the cities of Mounds View to the north, St. Anthony and Roseville to the south, Arden Hills to the east and Columbia Heights and Fridley to the west.

As of the 2000 census, there were 22,206 people residing in the city:

• 22.2% of the population of New Brighton was under the age of 18,
• 11.3% of the population of New Brighton was age 18 to 24,
• 28.3% of the population of New Brighton was age 25 to 44,
• 25.6% of the population of New Brighton was age 45 to 64, and
• 12.6% of the population of New Brighton was 65 years of age or older.

The median income for a household in New Brighton was $52,856, and the median income for a family was $68,724.

In the 1700s, Dakota Indian tribes lived in New Brighton, harvesting wild rice.

After the railroads moved into the New Brighton area, wealthy investors from Minneapolis formed the Minneapolis Stockyards and Packing Company in 1888, and the City of New Brighton was incorporated on January 20, 1891. In recent years, New Brighton has celebrated "Stockyard Days" every summer at Long Lake Regional Park - the former site of many of the stockyards.

New Brighton has several beautiful lakes - including Long Lake, Pike Lake, and Stony Lake - one seminary, and many churches and places of worship.

Four public schools are located in New Brighton:

• Bel Air Elementary School,
• Sunnyside Elementary,
• Highview Middle School, and
• Irondale High School,

all of which are part of the Mounds View Public Schools (District 621).

Shoreview

The city of Shoreview is located in northern Ramsey County, and is bordered by the cities of Mounds View and Arden Hills to the west, Roseville to the south, Vadnais Heights, Little Canada, and North Oaks to the east, and Blaine, Circle Pines and Lino Lakes to the north.

As of the 2000 census, the population of Shoreview was 25,924:

• 26.2% of the population of Shoreview was under the age of 18,
• 6.9% of the population of Shoreview was age 18 to 24,
• 28.6% of the population of Shoreview was age 25 to 44,
• 28.6% of the population of Shoreview was age 45 to 64, and
• 9.7% of the population of Shoreview was 65 years of age or older.

According to a 2007 survey, the median income for a household in Shoreview was $77,433, and the median income for a family was $93,413.

According to a survey of Shoreview’s population over age 25 (16,933 respondents):

• 80.4% had completed high school or higher:
• 24.4% had completed a Bachelor's degree or higher:
• 17.9% had completed a graduate or professional degree.

The city of Shoreview has many fine lakes, including Turtle Lake, Snail Lake, Lake Owasso, Island Lake, and Lake Josephine.

The Shoreview Community Center, features fitness activities, private event rentals, and swimming facilities.

The majority of FM and television broadcasters in the Twin Cities-area have their transmitters and antennae based in Shoreview;

Spring Lake Park

The city of Spring Lake Park is located primarily in Anoka County, but a small section of Spring Lake Park is located in Ramsey County.

Spring Lake Park is bordered by the cities of Blaine to the north, Fridley to the east and South, and Mounds View to the west.

As of the 2000 census, there were 6,772 people residing in Spring Lake Park:

• 22.6% of the population of Spring Lake Park was under the age of 18,
• 9.4% of the population of Spring Lake Park was age 18 to 24,
• 29.5% of the population of Spring Lake Park was age 25 to 44,
• 26.3% of the population of Spring Lake Park was age 45 to 64, and
• 12.2% of the population of Spring Lake Park was age 65 years of age or older.

The median income for a household in Spring Lake Park was $46,646, and the median income for a family was $56,922.

The city of Spring Lake Park is served by the Spring Lake Park School District (Go Panthers!).

Anoka County

Anoka County is the fourth most populous county in Minnesota, having its county seat located in the city of Anoka. However, its largest city by population is Coon Rapids.

Anoka County is bordered by Isanti County on the north, Chisago and Washington counties on the east, Hennepin and Ramsey counties on the south, Sherburne County on the west, and the Mississippi River on the southwest.

Anoka County comprises the northernmost portion of the seven-county Metro area - the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States with about 3.2 million residents.

In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of Anoka County to be 327,005.

The Rum River - which flows through the county - was a common route to Lake Mille Lacs, for the Dakota Indians.

Anoka County is named after the City of Anoka - the name of which is derived from the Dakota word anokatanhan - meaning "on both sides", or "from both sides", referring to its location on both sides of the Rum River.

Early on, the area around Anoka became a center of fur trade and logging.

By an act of the legislature on May 23rd, 1857, Anoka County was created out of Ramsey County, and Benton County.

The 1857 boundaries of Anoka County were essentially the same as they are today, except for a small part of the southeastern tip along the Mississippi River - which is now known as the city of Fridley.

As of the 2000 census, there were 298,084 people residing in Anoka County. The median income for a household in Anoka County was $57,754, and the median income for a family was $64,261.

Ramsey County

In the spring of 1849, a bill was passed by the U.S. Congress which created the Minnesota Territory. Later that year, nine Minnesota counties were born, including Ramsey County, which at that time included:

• all of the present-day counties of Anoka, Isanti, Kanabec, and Ramsey counties,

  and

• parts of Aitkin, Carlton, Hennepin, Mille Lacs, Pine, and Washington counties.

The county is named for Alexander Ramsey, the first governor of the Minnesota Territory.

The county seat of Ramsey County is St. Paul - which is also its largest city, and Minnesota's state capital.

After the Civil War, construction of railroads made St. Paul, and thus Ramsey County, the transportation center of the great north woods, and the gateway to the Pacific Northwest.

Toward the end of the century, the Great Northern Railroad linked the region with Chicago and the Pacific Ocean. In 1888, eight million people passed through St. Paul's Union Depot, on 150 daily train arrivals and departures.

Ramsey County is the smallest county in Minnesota in terms of area, and as of the 2000 census, its population was 511,035.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was $45,722, and the median income for a family was $57,747.

Cities within the county include Arden Hills, Blaine, Falcon Heights, Gem Lake, Lauderdale, Little Canada, Maplewood, Mounds View, New Brighton, North Oaks, North St. Paul, Roseville, Shoreview, St. Anthony, St. Paul, Spring Lake Park, Vadnais Heights and White Bear Lake.

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