Surrounded completed by the city of Minnetrista, in Hennepin County, the small city of Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota is one square mile in area.
The chief routes through the city are Minnesota State Highway 7, and County Road 92, which forms the city's Main Street. Crown College, a private college affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, is located just south of Bonifacius.
The Carver Park Reserve is southeast of Saint Bonifacius, and Lake Waconia, as well as the city of Waconia, are to the southwest.
In the early 1850s, white settlers came across Upper Lake Minnetonka to stake out claims in the northern half of what was then known as Township 117. At around the same time, German immigrants came into the southern part of the township, coming north from Shakopee, Chaska, and Carver. Both groups were claiming land independently of one another.
In April of 1858, Township 117, Range 24 was set aside as a "German Home."
In early 1859, township residents met to begin the process of organizing the township, choosing to name it Minnetrista, which is a reference to a crooked lake in the Dakota language.
The German settlement in the southwestern corner of the township continued to be called German Home, although it was frequently known as Saint Bonifacius, for the Catholic church that had been established there. When a post office was established on Section 30, it was called Saint Bonifacius.
Settlement of Saint Bonifacius was chaotic. History records that John and Joseph Maerz claimed land adjacent to the current site of Saint Bonifacius in the fall of 1853, settling their families there the following spring. The Maerz brothers had come from Bavaria, originally stopping in Crawford County, Ohio before moving to the Minnesota Territory. Other families soon came from Crawford County, among them Joseph Bauer, John Hirschberger, and Alois Kramer. Together, they formed the Catholic parish of Saint Boniface in 1859.
In the mid-1850s, another group came from Dayton, Ohio to settle in the Saint Bonifacius and Minnetrista area. Originally from Mecklenburg, Germany, they included Carl and Rica Bruhn, Sophie Ganz, Franz and Marie Strobach, John Wendt, and Ludwig and Maria Zarandt.
Saint Bonifacius was incorporated as a village in 1904. At that time, it had a hardware store, a general merchandise store, blacksmith shop, harness shop, saw and feed mill, creamery, bank, and a hotel. That same year, the Great Northern Railroad extended its tracks through the village, leading to the establishment of another hotel, another blacksmith shop, and another bank, as well as a furniture store, barber shop, confectionary, meat market, livery business, grain elevator, millinery, an electrical shop, lumber yard, stockyard, two coal companies, several saloons, and several car dealerships. The Minnetonka Canning Factory, opened by Matt Hegerle, became one of the biggest canning factories in the Midwest.
By the 1930s, the business activity in Saint Bonifacius was in decline. The canning factory ceased production, both of its banks closed, and the lumber yard burned. The village's population continued to increase, but slowly.
By the late 1930s, war production allowed men and women to find work within driving distance, and Saint Bonifacius transitioned into more of a bedroom community, as it is today.
Although Saint Bonifacius has no bodies of water except for a small portion of Mud Lake, the city has several parks of various sizes, including Hidden View Park, Merz Marsh Park, Missile Park, Dave Wehle Memorial Park, Don Logelin Memorial Park, Shirley Logelin Memorial Park, Town's Edge Park, Pauly Park, and Wilbur Thurk Memorial Park.
The focus of this category is on the city of Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota. Websites representing the municipal government or any of its parks, departments, or services are appropriate for this category, as are any local schools, churches, organizations, businesses, or individuals.
Recommended Resources
Cathy Mackenthun’s Meats & Deli
The four-generation meat market and deli are in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota, offering handmade smoked meats, sausages, jerky, apple-wood smoked bacon and ham, brats, meat pies, braunschweiger, and other products, which are featured here, along with its deli menu and daily lunch specials. Also included a downloadable brochure on its wild game processing services and prices, shipping costs, and hours of operation.
http://www.mackenthunsmeats.com/
City of St. Bonifacius, Minnesota
Locally known simply as St. Boni, Saint Bonifacius is about twenty-five miles west of the Minneapolis-St. Paul region. The official municipal website offers information about the operation of the local government, community news, and answers to frequently asked questions, as well as promotional information for local events. Announcements, a calendar of events, agenda, meeting minutes, and a staff directory are included.
https://ci.st-bonifacius.mn.us/
The accredited Protestant college is associated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and housed on a 215-acre campus just south of Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota. Its on-campus and online undergraduate programs, online graduate program, and admissions policies are set forth, with an overview of its academics, athletics, and alumni programs. Its history, purpose, and employment opportunities are tendered.
https://www.crown.edu/
Created and maintained by the St. Boni Area Community Development Group, the site discusses the organization’s goals and the benefits of membership for citizens and businesses, as well as a membership application. The site also includes a local business directory, sorted by business category, a brochure that promotes community organizations, attractions, and events, and a gallery of photographs.
https://discover-stboni.com/
Don Stodola Well Drilling Company
Serving the Twin Cities region since 1945, the Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota contractor offers residential and commercial well drilling and installation services, well repair services, and well abandonment services to meet state requirements before closing on a home. The company also provides other pump and well services, including water analysis. Office contacts and client review services are included.
http://www.donstodolawell.com/
Located on Highway 7 in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota, the auto dealership carries a selection of used cars, trucks, SUVs, and other vehicles. Its inventory is highlighted, including photos and sometimes video, details about the car, mileage, and asking prices. Its cars may be browsed or sorted by price, year, make, model, or mileage. Directions, hours of operation, special offers, and contacts are posted to the site.
https://www.myjandkauto.com/
The annual Spass Tagen Festival is held in Missile Park in Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota each June, offering a variety of activities and events that may change from year to year, such as bingo, a magic show, live music, pony rides for the kids, wiener dog races, bean bag tournaments, food vendors, market vendors, a bloodmobile, and city-wide garage sales. Upcoming events are highlighted and contacts are posted to the site.
https://www.stboni-spass-tagen.com/
Locally owned and operated, the store is located on Highway 7 in Saint Bonifacius, about one block east of County Road 92. Offering a varied line of wine, beer, and spirits, its location, hours of operation, and contact information are tendered. Its VIP Beer Club, VIP Wine Club, and other promotional offers are highlighted, including its Monday Senior discounts, Tuesday wine specials, and other announcements.
http://www.stboniliquor.com/
St. Bonifacius, Minnesota Area Historical Society
Organized in 2001, the Historical Society has collected and displays thousands of old photographs, letters, newspaper articles, old diaries, maps, church records, and other documents relating to the history of the Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota region. Headquartered in the basement of the St. Bonifacius Library, contact information and its policies on tours of the museum are put forth. Histories of the community are available for purchase.
https://stbonifaciusmnhistory.org/
