- For an overview of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, see Minneapolis-Saint
Paul.
Saint Paul is the capital and the second most populous city of the
U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Ramsey County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 287,151. In 1820, it was an extreme outpost in the
American Old West, where Native Americans, European explorers, and American
soldiers (from neighboring Fort Snelling, just upstream on the Mississippi River) lived in close proximity. Saint Paul and the adjacent city of Minneapolis form the core of the Twin Cities
metropolitan area.
History
About 2000 years ago, the Hopewell culture Native Americans lived in the vicinity,
burying their dead in mounds, now located in Indian Mounds
Park. The Dakota Indians later used the same site to bury their dead.[1][2] From about 1600 to 1837 the Dakota Indians lived near the site of the Mounds.[1] In the early 1800s, a disparate group of
fur traders, explorers, and
missionaries came to the area for the protection that Fort Snelling offered. Many of these people had come south from Canada and were of French descent; others had come from the east after treaties with Native Americans officially opened the area.
In the early years, the settlers lived close to the fort along the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, but as a whiskey trade
started to flourish, the military officers in Fort Snelling banned them from the lands the fort controlled, with one retired fur
trader turned bootlegger, Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant
particularly irritating the officials. By the early 1820s the area had become important as a trading center, a destination for
settlers heading west, and was known as Pig's Eye Landing. In 1837, a treaty between Henry
Schoolcraft and about 200 Dakota Indians displaced the natives from the site.[1] In 1841 Father Galtier established the Saint Paul Catholic Church and the name of the settlement was formally changed to Saint Paul in honor of the
newly constructed church and Father Galtier's favorite saint. In 1847 Harriet Bishop came from New
York and opened the city's first school.[3] German-Jewish pioneers formed
Saint Paul's first synagogue in 1856.[3]
The Minnesota Territory was formalized in 1849 with Saint Paul named as its
capital. In 1850, the city narrowly survived a proposed law to move the capital to
Saint Peter when territorial legislator, Joe
Rolette disappeared with the approved bill.[4] In
1854, Saint Paul incorporated as a city and, in 1858, Minnesota was admitted to the union
with Saint Paul becoming the 32nd state capital.
The city seen from Indian Mounds Park in 2007.
Natural geography played a role in the settlement and development of Saint Paul as a trade and transportation center. The
Mississippi River valley in this area is defined by a series of stone bluffs that line
both sides of the river. Saint Paul grew up around Lambert's Landing, the last place to unload boats coming upriver at an easily
accessible point, some fourteen river miles downstream from Saint Anthony Falls, the
geographic feature that defined the location of Minneapolis and its prominence as
the Mill City. This made Saint Paul a gateway to the Upper Midwest for westbound settlers heading for the Minnesota frontier or
the Dakota Territory. In 1958 more than 1,000 steamboats unloaded cargo and passengers at
Saint Paul.[3] A cart and wagon road to the
Red River valley was the first manifestation, followed by the establishment of
numerous railroads that were headquartered in Saint Paul, such as the Great
Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railway, which are today part of
the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. For well over a hundred years, Saint Paul was a
frontier town and a railroad town. Today it is more influenced by commerce and its function as the state capital. It has been
called "The Last City of the East." [5]
Geography
Saint Paul is located in east-central Minnesota. According to the United States
Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 145.5 km²
(56.2 mi²). 136.7 km² (52.8 mi²) of it is land and 8.8 km²
(3.4 mi²) of it (6.07%) is water. The Mississippi River runs through the city, and forms a municipal boundary on the city's
west, southwest and southeast sides. Minneapolis, the state's larger city lies to the west; Falcon Heights, Lauderdale, Roseville, and Maplewood are north; Maplewood is also
to the east; the cities of West Saint Paul and South Saint Paul are to the south; and Lilydale, Mendota and Mendota Heights lie across the river
from the city to the south. The city's largest lakes are Pig's Eye Lake, in the river, Lake Phalen, and Lake Como.
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| Avg high °F (°C) |
23 (-5) |
30 (-1) |
42 (6) |
58 (14) |
71 (22) |
79 (26) |
83 (28) |
81 (27) |
72 (22) |
59 (15) |
41 (5) |
27 (-3) |
| Avg low temperature °F (°C) |
6 (-14) |
12 (-11) |
24 (-4) |
36 (2) |
48 (9) |
58 (14) |
63 (17) |
61 (16) |
52 (11) |
40 (4) |
26 (-3) |
12 (-11) |
Saint Paul from the Mississippi River
Demographics
| Year |
Population |
| 1860 |
10,401 |
| 1870 |
20,030 |
| 1880 |
41,473 |
| 1890 |
133,156 |
| 1900 |
163,065 |
| 1910 |
214,744 |
| 1920 |
234,698 |
| 1930 |
271,606 |
| 1940 |
287,736 |
| 1950 |
311,349 |
| 1960 |
313,411 |
| 1970 |
309,980 |
| 1980 |
270,230 |
| 1990 |
272,235 |
| 2000 |
287,151 |
As of the census² of 2000, there were
287,151 people, 112,109 households, and 60,987 families residing in the city. The population
density was 2,101.0/km² (5,441.7/mi²). There were 115,713 housing units at an average density of 846.6/km² (2,192.8/mi²).
The racial makeup of the city was 67.02% White, 11.71%
African American, 1.13% Native American, 12.36% Asian (mostly Hmong and
Vietnamese), 0.07% Pacific Islander, 3.84% from other races, and 3.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race (incl. white) were 7.91% of the population. 20.1% were
of German, 9.0% Irish and 7.0% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000. Saint
Paul has one of the world's largest contingents of urban Hmong populations.
There were 112,109 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.1% were
married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and
45.6% were individuals. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from
45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,774, and the median income for a family was $48,925. Males had a median
income of $35,111 versus $29,432 for females. The per capita income for the city was
$20,216. About 11.7% of families and 15.6% of the population were living below the poverty
line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Religion
The majority of residents claiming religious affiliation are Christian, split between the Roman Catholic Church and various Protestant denominations.
There are Jewish synagogues and relatively small populations of Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and
Pagans.[6]
Neighborhoods
-
Saint Paul is noted for its neighborhoods; the city has been called "fifteen small towns with one mayor", owing to the
neighborhood-based life of much of the city. But in fact Saint Paul is broken into not fifteen but seventeen City Districts. And
while some City District boundaries perfectly overlap the boundaries of well-recognized neighborhoods, especially in wealthier
areas, that's not the case throughout Saint Paul.
The city's seventeen City Districts include:
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- Downtown
- Greater East Side
- Macalester-Groveland
- North End
- Payne-Phalen
- Summit Hill
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The "West" Side neighborhood seems oddly located to the south, but is so named because it is on the west bank of the Mississippi
River. And the "East" Side conglomeration of neighborhoods actually includes the entire eastern third of the city and its
populace.
Saint Paul skyline from the West Side neighborhood
Government and politics
City
The Saint Paul City Hall boasts a striking interior
The city's current mayor is Chris Coleman, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL).
As of 2006: The Saint Paul City Council includes
- Debbie Montgomery, Ward 1
- Dave Thune, Ward 2
- Pat Harris, Ward 3
- Jay Benanav, Ward 4
- Lee Helgen, Ward 5
- Dan Bostrom, Ward 6
- Kathy Lantry, City Council President, Ward 7
The city has had three mayors who were natives of Ireland, William Dawson, Christopher D. O'Brien, and
Frank Doran. Other Irish-American
mayors of Saint Paul include: William Mahoney, William H. Fallon, John J. McDonough, Edward K. Delaney, John C. Daubney, Joseph E. Dillon, Thomas R. Byrne, Randy Kelly, and the current mayor, Chris Coleman.
State
Saint Paul is the capital of the state of Minnesota. The city hosts the capitol building, designed by Cass Gilbert, and the house and senate office buildings. The Minnesota Governor's Residence, which is used for some state functions, is on Summit
Avenue.
Federal
Saint Paul is located in Minnesota's 4th congressional
district, represented by Betty McCollum, a progressive Democrat, scoring 92% progressive by a
progressive group[7] and 4% conservative by a conservative group[8] on a range of issues.
Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center will be the host of the 2008 Republican National Convention.
Education
-
Saint Paul supports a robust network of publicly-funded primary and secondary schools. It is also home to three private
secondary prep-schools, three public and eight private colleges and universities, and five post-secondary institutions.
Well-known colleges and universities include: the College of Saint Catherine,
Concordia University, Hamline
University, Macalester College, and the University of St. Thomas. Metropolitan State University and Saint Paul
College, which focus on non-traditional students, are based in Saint Paul, as is William Mitchell College of Law.
The Saint Paul Public Schools district is the state's second largest school
district and serves approximately 42,000 students. The district is extremely diverse with students from families speaking 70
different languages, although only 4 languages are used for most school communication. Those languages are English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali. The district runs 67 different schools
including 48 elementary schools, 8 middle
schools, 7 high schools, 3 alternative
schools and one special education school. The district also employs over 6,500
teachers and staff.[9] The school district also oversees
community education programs for pre-K and adult learners, including Early Childhood Family Education, GED Diploma, language programs and various learning opportunities for community members
of all ages.
In 2006, the Saint Paul Public Schools celebrated its 150th anniversary. Notable graduates of Saint Paul Public Schools
include former U.S. Supreme Court justices Harry Blackmun and Warren Burger, civil rights leader Roy Wilkins, creator of the
Peanuts cartoon strip Charles Schultz, astronaut
Duane G. Carey, hockey coach Herb Brooks and many
others from various professions and notable achievements.
A variety of K-12 private, parochial and
public charter schools are also represented in the city. In 1993, Saint Paul became the
first city in the U.S. to sponsor and open a charter school, now found in most states
across the nation. Saint Paul is currently home to 21 charter schools as well as 38 private schools.[10]
Culture
Performing arts
Live music
- Artists' Quarter, a jazz club in downtown.
- Turf Club, a bar in the Midway.
- Station 4, a bar downtown that has live music every night, mostly metal, and sometimes all-ages shows.
- Shamrocks, an Irish pub on West 7th Street and Randolph Avenue occasionally has live music.
- O'Garas, an Irish pub on Selby and Snelling has live shows.
- Minnesota Music Cafe is a big venue with nightly live music.
City attractions
Additional attractions include the Mississippi River,
Lake Como, the Como Zoo and
Conservatory, Rice Park, Indian Mounds Park, Battle
Creek Regional Park, Harriet Island Regional Park, Highland Park, the
Saint Paul Winter Carnival, the Landmark Center, the Wabasha Street Caves, and
the Cathedral of Saint Paul. The historic Landmark Center is
located at the heart of Saint Paul; it is home to SteppingStone
Theatre, a youth theater company and the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, a high school located on the 5th
floor of the building which is sponsored by the Ordway.
Nearby attractions
Nearby attractions include the Minnesota State Fair. The fair is open during the
two weeks prior to and including Labor Day. It takes place in the suburb of
Falcon Heights, just north of the Midway neighborhood. Immediately west of the
state fairgrounds is the Saint Paul Campus of the University of
Minnesota. Historic Fort Snelling lies on the bluff above the confluence
of the Minnesota and Mississippi
rivers. Just below the bluff is Fort Snelling State
Park,[12] which incorporates Pike Island named for the explorer Zebulon Pike. The Henry Hastings Sibley home, in
Mendota is the oldest stone home in Minnesota. And Bloomington's Mall of America boasts 520 stores and an
indoor amusement park.
The city's famed creators
Saint Paul is the birthplace of renowned author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, as well as
the childhood home of cartoonist Charles M. Schulz
(Peanuts) who, while born in a Minneapolis hospital, lived from infancy until the early 1960s in the city. Because of the
association with Schulz, Saint Paul regularly has events centering around the Snoopy family, such
as distributing painted and decorated giant Peanuts sculptures around the city. Playwright August
Wilson lived in the city from 1978 until 1990, at the suggestion of his friend director Claude Purdy, who helped him
secure a job writing educational scripts for the Science Museum of
Minnesota. Renowned painter LeRoy Neiman is also a native of Saint Paul and was born
there in 1927. Born in Saint Paul, John Vachon photographed the United States for the
Farm Security Administration and later Look and Life magazines.[13]
Museums
- The Goldstein Museum of Design, (University of Minnesota)
- The Science Museum of Minnesota
- The Minnesota Children's Museum
- The Schubert Club Instrument Museum
- The Minnesota Museum of American Art
- The Traces Center for History and Culture[14]
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Shopping and eating
Grand Avenue is a much-frequented street for Saint Paul locals. The shopping includes boutiques and brand name stores and the
dining on Grand Avenue makes it a favorite destination for people in and around Saint Paul. The intersection of Grand and
Snelling features the premier bakery Breadsmith, Jamba Juice, and a Saint Paul original, Dunn Brothers Coffee. Other notable
restaurants on Grand Avenue include: Cafe Latte, Wuollet Bakery, The Lexington and The Grand Ole Creamery.
The Cathedral Hill area, centered on Selby and Western Avenues, is home to some of the best dining in the Twin Cities.
Establishments range from traditional bars and pubs (such as Costello's and the Muddy Pig) to the upscale fine dining of W.A.
Frost and Moscow on the Hill. In addition to fine dining, the area is also home to the College of Visual Arts and the Saint Paul Curling Club, the largest member-owned club of its kind
in the United States.
Economy
Major employers
The city skyline from the soutwest in the winter
Minnesota Swarm in Xcel Energy Center
Major corporations headquartered in Saint Paul include Travelers, a major insurance firm, St. Jude Medical, a manufacturer of medical devices, Ecolab, a chemical
and cleaning product company, Patterson Dental, Minnesota Life an insurance company, Lawson Software, a business
software and support company, 3M, an international
conglomerate, and Gander Mountain, a retailer of sporting goods.
Media
-
Residents of Saint Paul can receive 10 broadcast television stations, five of which broadcast from within Saint Paul. One
daily newspaper, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, one weekly neighborhood
newspaper, the East Side Review, and several monthly neighborhood papers serve
the city. Several media outlets based in neighboring Minneapolis also serve the Saint Paul community, including the
Star Tribune. And the magazine, Saint Paul
Illustrated is published in Bloomington.
Sports
The Minnesota Timberwolves, Twins,
and Vikings all play in Minneapolis
Transportation
Ground
Half of Minneapolis-Saint Paul residents work in the city where they live.[15] Most of the citizens of Saint Paul utilize a car to move
throughout the region, although the bus system, provided by Metro Transit, is also used by many. Metro Transit operates the Hiawatha Line, a light rail transit system, which connects downtown
Minneapolis with the Mall of America. It
serves Saint Paul via coordinated buses from the train stations. The Central
Corridor, which would connect downtown Minneapolis to downtown Saint Paul via University Avenue is expected to be completed in 2014.[16]
Five miles (8 km) of enclosed pedestrian bridges called skyways link over
twenty-five city blocks downtown. This allows pedestrians to walk from one building to another without going outside.[17] Another mode of transportation gaining popularity in Saint Paul is biking, especially with the advent of additional
bike lanes throughout the city and the metropolitan area. Bike trails interconnect with those of Minneapolis and other neighboring cities and
Metro Transit buses feature bike racks for combination commuters.[18]
The layout of streets around downtown Saint Paul has often drawn complaints. Jesse
Ventura famously brought up the city's roadways during an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman in his days as Governor of Minnesota.[19]
Ventura later apologized for his remark that the streets had been designed by "drunken Irishmen," although people had already
been complaining about the fractured grid system for more than a century by that point.[20] Some of the city road design is the result of the curve of the Mississippi
River, hilly topography, conflicts between developers of different neighborhoods in the early city, and grand plans only
half-realized. Outside of downtown, the roads are less confusing, but most roads are named, rather than numbered, increasing the
difficulty for non-natives to navigate.[21] Due to
neighborhood autonomy, some roads suddenly change names without warning. Minneapolitans, used to numbered cross streets, and
alphabetized north-south streets, are frequent complainers.
Saint Paul Downtown Airport
Interstate Highways that serve the city are Interstate 35E running N-S,
and Interstate 94 running E-W. Other freeways within the city limits include
U.S. Highway 52, Minnesota State Highway
280, and Minnesota State Highway 5.
Amtrak's Empire Builder between Chicago and Seattle
stops once daily in each direction at nearby Midway Station.[22]
- See also: Midway (Amtrak
station)
Air
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) sits
on 3,400 acres (13.7 km²) [23] southeast of the city between Minnesota State Highway
5, Interstate 494, Minnesota State
Highway 77, and Minnesota State Highway 62. The airport serves
three international, twelve domestic, seven charter and four regional carriers[24] and is a hub and home base for Northwest Airlines,
Mesaba Airlines, Sun Country Airlines and
Champion Air.[25]
Saint Paul is also served by the smaller St. Paul Downtown Airport located
just south across the Mississippi River from downtown.
Sister cities
Saint Paul has 11 sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:
 Nagasaki, Japan, since 1955 Hadera, Israel, since 1981 Culiacan, Mexico, since 1983 Changsha, China,
since 1987 Lawaaikamp, South Africa, since 1988 Modena, Italy, since 1989
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