Saint Louis Park is a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis, which it borders on the east. The city also abuts Edina, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and Plymouth.
Before white settlers came, the Saint Louis Park area was one of rolling hills, marshes, a few lakes, and a large creek. The Chippewa and the Dakota Sioux frequented the area, but the nearest Indian village was at Lake Calhoun.
In 1853, the Indians were forced to cede their land, and the land that was to become Saint Louis Park was surveyed and subdivided. Many of those who wished to get land were living there when the surveys were completed. Within a year, most of the available land in Hennepin County was claimed.
Early on, the new community had to deal with the American Civil War, which took most of its young men, some of whom would never return. Then, while the Civil War was still in progress, there was the Sioux Uprising, although most of the settlers fled their homes until it was over.
During this time and in the years after the Civil War, the railroads were busy. By 1872, two railroads passed through the area of Saint Louis Park, the Minneapolis and St. Louis and the St. Paul and Pacific, but there was no depot.
In 1886, there were 350 people living in the area. Thirty-one landholders signed a petition to incorporate a village. The originator of the movement for incorporation was the St. Louis Park Land and Improvement Company. When it came to a vote, sixty-five voted in favor and three opposed. The new village was platted by Rufus Cook. The Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad built a depot that year.
A post office was developed, although the name was Elmwood. When Joseph Hamilton established the first business in the village, a general store, the post office was moved there.
Three years after incorporation, there were few roads and none that were graveled. There was no water system, gas mains, electricity, or telephones. There were no doctors, and there had been no significant increase in its population.
In the furor of the competition between nearby Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Saint Louis Park was able to secure an industrial niche for itself in the 1890s. An industrial area was built where a large swamp once was. One of the first was the Monitor Manufacturing Company. Others soon followed. These included the Minneapolis Jarless Spring Carriage Company, the Thompson Wagon Company, the Minneapolis Malleable Iron Company, and the Minneapolis Esterly Harvester Company.
By 1890, the village had more than six hundred industrial jobs, mostly related to the manufacture of agricultural implements. Soon, the village's downtown area had three hotels and several newly established businesses.
Although many of these early companies didn't last long, others took their place. The Minnesota Beet Sugar Company was created in 1897. The beets were raised in the rural areas west of Hennepin County and were shipped by rail on the Minnesota and St. Louis and Milwaukee lines, which had built a spur to the track. Its plant covered 36-acres and included six large brick buildings, two of them three floors high.
Several elevators were built and, in 1899, the world's first concrete, tubular grain elevator was constructed in Saint Louis Park. It is now on the Historic Landmark registry.
World Wars One and Two brought a decline in the city's industries and, with improved transportation, people began to view Saint Louis Park as a place to live rather than as a place to work. Schools, libraries, parks, and service businesses were established and, although there were fewer jobs, the village's population continued to increase. Retail stores replaced manufacturing plants.
The population of Saint Louis Park increased by more than 100% between 1920 and 1930, by nearly 65% in the next decade, and by nearly 200% between 1940 and 1950. In 1954, voters approved a charter that gave Saint Louis Park the status of a city. At that time, the city was engaged in updating its zoning and construction codes, improving its water and sewer system, paving streets, establishing parks, and building schools.
Today, most of the city is developed and, while the city is home to both commercial and industrial concerns, it is largely a bedroom community. Its current population is approaching 50,000. There are more than 2,700 businesses in Saint Louis Park.
The chief routes through the city are Interstate Highway 394, US Highway 169, and Minnesota State Highways 7 and 100.
The focus of this guide is the city of Saint Louis Park, in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Sites representing the municipal government or any other government agency located in Saint Louis Park, as well as local businesses, churches, schools, organizations, or individuals, are appropriate for this category, or any of its subcategories.
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Recommended Resources
Based in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, Annomate offers a variety of financial services, including supplying ATMs for convenience stores, bars, nightclubs, salons, gas stations and other outlets, and is also a sales office for Wells Fargo Bank and First Data Merchant Services, and a licensed dealer of various point-of-sale systems. Its products, customer service center, and career information are featured.
http://www.annomate.com/
Located just west of Minneapolis, the city of Saint Louis Park allows for easy access to the rest of the Twin Cities metropolitan region. Discover St. Louis Park is a guide to lodging, dining, shopping, attractions, events, arts, culture, and recreational opportunities in the city. Hotels and other guest lodging facilities, shopping venues, restaurants, and area attractions and events are highlighted. Special offers are included.
http://discoverstlouispark.com/
The student-operated news site of St. Louis Park High School offers school news, including those of school clubs and activities, student and staff profiles, feature columns, and student reports on a variety of regional, national, and international news and events, opinion columns, editorials, and letters to the editor. Sports schedules and seasonal sports reporting are posted, along with staff contacts.
https://slpecho.com/
Headquartered in Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, the company has offices in Minnesota and Wisconsin, the company acts as a conduit for communication and execution between companies, and provides point-of-service reporting and analysis tools, assists buyers in creating planograms, and leverages the knowledge of stores and websites to drive growth. Its services, retailers, and client testimonials are included.
https://www.robcocorp.com/
St. Louis Park Historical Society
The membership organization offers programs for the community and schools where current, former, and future residents can learn about the history of Saint Louis Park, Minnesota. Membership policies, volunteer opportunities, its organizational structure, and a history of the Society is put forth, along with directions, hours of operation, and contacts. Several informational articles tell the history of the city.
http://slphistory.org/
The official municipal website features maps, demographics, and a history of the city, as well as a guide to its arts and cultural activities, facilities and buildings, neighborhoods, resources for residents, and things to do. Developmental projects are outlined, and an overview of its commercial development activities, and business resources. City boards and commissions, meeting schedules, agendas, and minutes are included.
https://www.stlouispark.org/
Locally owned and operated, the bowling facility offers twenty-four lanes of bowling, with automatic scoring, bumper bowling, an on-site pro shop, and full-service bar and grill. Its open bowling hours, fall and spring leagues, and its policies on youth birthday parties, adult groups, and other events, are specified. Hours and directions, menus, and daily specials are posted to the site, along with announcements.
http://www.texatonkalanes.com/