Eden Prairie, Minnesota
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Eden Prairie, Minnesota | |||
| Eden Prairie City Hall | |||
| |||
| Location in Hennepin County | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Minnesota | ||
| County | Hennepin County | ||
| founded | 1858 | ||
| incorporated | 1960s | ||
| Mayor | Nancy Tyra-Lukens | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 91.2 km² (35.2 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 83.9 km² (32.4 sq mi) | ||
| - Water | 7.3 km² (2.8 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 270 m (886 ft) | ||
| Population | |||
| - City (2000) | 54,901 | ||
| - Density | 654.4/km² (1,695.1/sq mi) | ||
| - Metro | 2,968,805 | ||
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CDT) (UTC-5) | ||
| Website: www.edenprairie.org | |||
Eden Prairie is a second ring suburb located southwest of Minneapolis in Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA. It is home to more than 2,200 businesses, including Supervalu, ADC Telecommunications, and the Minnesota Vikings. In 2006, Eden Prairie was selected as the 10th best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine.<ref>http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/snapshots/PL2718116.html Money Magazine Eden Prairie Snapshot</ref> The city has more than 170 miles of multi-use trails, 2,250 acres of parks, and 1,300 acres of open space.
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[edit] History
For most of its existence, Eden Prairie has been dormant, pastoral village on the far southwestern fringes of the Twin Cities area. Between 1880 and 1960, Eden Prairie’s population barely changed. During those 80 years, the population increase was only 1,300 people, from 739 in 1880 to 2,000 in 1960.
Native Americans were the first to live in the area. In 1851, a treaty opened land west of the Mississippi River to settlement allowing pioneers to settle in what is now Eden Prairie. The town board of Eden Prairie held its first meeting in a log school house on May 11, 1858, the same day Minnesota became a state. However, Eden Prairie's farming community grew slowly over the years. Flying Cloud Airport was the first sign of big development in 1946. The 1960s and 1970s were decades of growth for the City's parks and recreation system. In the mid-70's, the community earned a higher profile with the addition of Interstate 494 and the Eden Prairie Shopping Center. Eden Prairie became a Village in 1962 and a Statutory City in 1974.
[edit] Naming Eden Prairie
The City owes its name to Elizabeth Fries Ellet, an East Coast writer who visited the area in 1852. In her travelogue book, Summer Rambles in the West. By Mrs. Ellet. she described the Minnesota River valley, which adjoins the current day City of Eden Prairie, as the garden spot of the territory<ref>Ellet, E. F. (Elizabeth Fries) (1853). Summer Rambles in the West. By Mrs. Ellet. New York: J. C. Riker.</ref>.
| The celebrated valley of the Minnesota River—called St. Pierre by the French, and until recently, St. Peter's—extends in a general direction from west to east, and, with the country along its tributaries, forms the garden spot of the territory. (Ellet, 1853, p. 112) |
[edit] Geography
Eden Prairie is located approximately 11 miles southwest of Minneapolis along the northern side of the Minnesota River. It is located at at an elevation of 906 feet (276 m).
The land in Eden Prairie consists of rolling hills and bluffs overlooking the Minnesota River with zones of prairie and mixed (primarily deciduous) forests.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.2 square miles (91.2 km²)—32.4 square miles (83.9 km²) of it is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²) of it (8.04%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 54,901 people (though it is now estimated that there are more than 60,000 people), 20,457 households, and 14,585 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,695.1 people per square mile (654.4/km²). There were 21,026 housing units at an average density of 649.2 per square mile (250.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.66% White, 2.28% African American, 0.21% Native American, 4.82% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.57% of the population.
There were 20,457 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $78,328, and the median income for a family was $93,258. Males had a median income of $62,303 versus $39,196 for females. The per capita income for the city was $38,854. About 2.8% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
Among highest income places in the United States of cities with population at least 50,000, Eden Prairie ranks #19 in per capita income ($38,854) and #23 in median household income ($78,328).
[edit] Politics
Eden Prairie is located in Minnesota's 3rd congressional district, represented by Jim Ramstad, a Republican.
[edit] Economy
Today, Eden Prairie is home to more than 2,200 businesses, including many that specialize in communications and information technology.
| Businesses in Eden Prairie | |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 Company Headquarters | |
| Company | Description |
| C.H. Robinson Worldwide | shipping logistics |
| Supervalu | grocery retail conglomerate |
| Other Company Headquarters | |
| Company | Description |
| ADC Telecommunications | telecommunications and broadband hardware |
| Anagram International | world's largest producer of aluminized PET balloons |
| Cambria | natural quartz surface manufacturer |
| Compellent Technologies | enterprise data storage systems |
| CNS | health and personal care products, famous for nasal strips |
| Digital River | Internet software distribution |
| Fargouto Electronics | secure identity cards |
| Golf Galaxy | chain of retail golf stores |
| Ingenix | health care data management |
| Kroll Ontrack | data recovery and forensics |
| Lenox Group | glassware and ceramics, parent of Department 56 |
| Life Time Fitness | national chain of health clubs |
| Lifetouch | school photography |
| Minnesota Vikings | NFL football team |
| MTS Systems | materials testing hardware |
| NVE Corporation | magnetic RAM technology |
| ShopNBC | television shopping channel |
| Starkey Labs | world's largest hearing aid manufacturer |
| Stratasys | Manufacturer of FDM rapid prototyping machines |
| SurModics | surface modification and drug delivery technologies |
| Xiotech | enterprise data storage solutions |
| Companies With Major Facilities | |
| Company | Description |
| Bose ElectroForce Systems Group | materials test instruments |
| Eaton Corporation, Hydraulics Division | industrial hydraulics technologies |
| GE Capital Fleet Services | commercial car leasing |
| Jasc Software | developer of Paint Shop Pro, now a division of Corel |
| Rosemount Engineering | industrial measurement instrumentation, now a division of Emerson |
| Stellent | web content management software, recently acquired by Oracle |
| Former Company Headquarters | |
| Company | Description |
| Best Buy | home electronics retail chain, relocated to Richfield, Minnesota in 2004 |
| Famous Dave's of America | chain of BBQ restaurants |
[edit] Education
[edit] Public schools
The first school in Eden Prairie was Anderson School, a schoolhouse located near a farm. At the time of its construction, it was in the center of the city and thus an ideal spot. The old Eden Prairie Consolidated School, built in 1924, is now the school district Administration Building, and is located next to Central Kindergarten Center and Central Middle School.
Today the Eden Prairie Independent School District 272 currently operates nine schools. Unconventional to other school districts in the state, Eden Prairie has an intermediate school for grades five and six (normally integrated into elementary or junior high school). Eden Prairie High School has a student population of approximately 3,400 students, making it the largest high school in the state, and is located on the grounds of Round Lake Park.
Oak Point is the school in Eden Prairie that serves 5th and 6th grade students.
| Public Schools in Eden Prairie | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten and Elementary School (Grades 1-4) | Intermediate School (Grades 5-6) | Junior High School (Grades 7-8) | High School (Grades 9-12) |
| Central Kindergarten Center (CKC) | Oak Point | Central Middle School | Eden Prairie High School |
| Cedar Ridge | |||
| Forest Hills | |||
| Prairie View | |||
| Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion[1] | |||
[edit] Private Schools
Eden Prairie has one private school, The International School of Minnesota, which offers a private education for students in grades preschool through 12.
[edit] Colleges
There are four technical colleges in Eden Prairie:
- Hennepin Technical College has an enrollment of roughly 7,000 full and part time students.
- ITT Technical Institute[1] specializes in courses on information technology, electronics, and drafting and design. ITT Technical Institute has an enrollment of approximately 170 students.
- NTI School of Technology specializes in engineering and architectural drafting and design. NTI has an enrollment of approximately 80 students.
- Rasmussen College specializes in business management, health, and technology. This campus opened on July 3, 2006 and replaced its former location in Minnetonka.
[edit] Notable natives
- Laurie Coleman, actress and wife of United States Senator Norm Coleman
- Lúcia Moniz, Portuguese actress and singer (attended Eden Prairie High School)
- Nancy Nelson, ubiquitous infomercial host (current resident)
- Allison Pottinger, world champion curler (current resident)
[edit] Trivia
- The cult television comedy series, Mystery Science Theater 3000, was originated here by Joel Hodgson, and Eden Prairie is home to the show's production company Best Brains, Inc.
- The cult movie comedy Mallrats was filmed at the Eden Prairie Center mall (before remodeling).
- Scenes of the mockumentary comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous were filmed in the Eden Prairie Center mall parking lot, which is claimed to be the parking lot of the nearby Mall of America in the movie. The water tower with the clock is visible in the background.
- In the movie Fargo, the character Mike Yanagita lives in Eden Prairie and comments on the city's school district while dining with Marge at the Radisson<ref>Coen & Coen, Fargo, a screen play by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen (1996)</ref>.
- The movie D3: The Mighty Ducks features fictitious Eden Hall Academy, whose name crosses Eden Prairie with Cretin-Derham Hall.
- The Prince film, Graffiti Bridge, got its title from an actual railroad bridge in northern Eden Prairie that crossed over Valley View Road. It was legal to spray graffiti on the bridge, and when the movie came out, a large mural of Prince was featured on the bridge. The bridge was torn down in the early 1990's when Valley View Road needed to be widened (the road narrowed to one lane under the bridge, with each direction of traffic taking turns to pass under)<ref>New York Times, Lovers of Graffiti Rally To Save an Old Bridge, New York Times, February 25, 1990.</ref>. When the bridge was torn down, pieces of the bridge were sold as mementos along with a miniature newspaper article about the bridge.
- The Heaven's Gate Cult hosted their website, www.heavensgatetoo.com (mirror of the original web site), with an Eden Prairie-based Internet service provider, Spacestar Communications, for the year prior to the cult's mass suicide in 1997. The web site detailed the organization's religious beliefs and included a 72-chapter book. It is believed that Spacestar Communications was chosen as an ISP due to its name meshing with the cult's religious beliefs. No other connection to Minnesota is known.<ref>BizJournal, Spacestar aims high, ISP consultancy gets heaven's-sent P.R., Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, June 20, 1997.</ref>
- On March 4, 2002, President George W. Bush visited Eden Prairie High School, announcing his Quality Teacher Initiative <ref>Bush, G.W., President Launches Quality Teacher Initiative (White House Transcript), Eden Prairie High School, Eden Prairie, MN, March 4, 2002.</ref>.
- The Planes of Fame East air museum was located at Flying Cloud Airport until December 1997, at which time all of the museum's vintage airplanes were moved to Chino, California.<ref>WotN, Wings of the North Museum Project</ref>.
[edit] References
<references/>
[edit] External links
- The City of Eden Prairie
- Eden Prairie Independent School District #272
- Minnetonka Independent School District #276 (includes northwestern parts of Eden Prairie)
- Hopkins Independent School District #270 (includes extreme northeastern parts of Eden Prairie)
- Eden Prairie News
- Eden Prairie Sun-Current
- Eden Prairie Magazine
- Eden Prairie (Flying Cloud Airport) Weather
- Eden Prairie Center
- USGS Data
