Belle Plaine, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Belle Plaine
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| Motto(s):
"A City That Works"
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Location of the city of Belle Plaine
within Scott County, Minnesota |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Scott |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.18 sq mi (16.00 km2) |
| • Land | 5.95 sq mi (15.42 km2) |
| • Water | 0.22 sq mi (0.58 km2) |
| Elevation | 863 ft (263 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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|
| • Total | 7,395 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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7,396 |
| • Density | 1,242.02/sq mi (479.58/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
56011
|
| Area code(s) | 952 |
| FIPS code | 27-04834 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394113 |
Belle Plaine is a city in Scott County, Minnesota, United States. It's located about 40 minutes southwest of Minneapolis. In 2020, about 7,395 people lived here.
Contents
History of Belle Plaine
How Belle Plaine Got Its Name
The city of Belle Plaine was chosen in 1853 by Judge Andrew G. Chatfield. He was a judge for the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court. He picked this spot because it was halfway on his trip between Mendota and Traverse des Sioux. Judge Chatfield named the town Belle Plaine, which is a French phrase. It means "Beautiful Prairie."
From Borough to City
For a long time, from 1868 to 1974, Belle Plaine was called a "borough." It was the only borough in all of Minnesota. In 1974, it officially changed its status and became a city.
Salt Springs Development
In 1870, the Minnesota State Legislature passed a law to help develop salt springs in Belle Plaine. This law gave some state-owned land to a company. The goal was to drill a well in Belle Plaine to find salt. Another law was passed a year later to further help this company.
Geography of Belle Plaine
Land and Water Area
According to the United States Census Bureau, Belle Plaine covers about 6.11 square miles (15.82 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 5.91 square miles (15.31 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.20 square miles (0.52 square kilometers), is water.
Main Roads and River Access
U.S. Highway 169 and Minnesota State Highway 25 are the two main roads in Belle Plaine. U.S. Highway 169 is a major route that connects many cities. It goes through Belle Plaine, making it easy to travel to larger cities like Minneapolis and Mankato.
Belle Plaine is located along the Minnesota River. This river flows northeast right through the town. There is a bridge on the north side of town that crosses the river using Minnesota State Highway 25.
The Minnesota River Valley
Belle Plaine sits in the Minnesota River Valley. This valley is very wide because a huge river once flowed here. This happened after the glaciers melted, which also created many of Minnesota's lakes. You can still see the old river banks today. They look like slopes rising up on both sides of the town.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 497 | — | |
| 1880 | 629 | 26.6% | |
| 1890 | 814 | 29.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,121 | 37.7% | |
| 1910 | 1,204 | 7.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,251 | 3.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,236 | −1.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,407 | 13.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,708 | 21.4% | |
| 1960 | 1,931 | 13.1% | |
| 1970 | 2,328 | 20.6% | |
| 1980 | 2,754 | 18.3% | |
| 1990 | 3,149 | 14.3% | |
| 2000 | 3,789 | 20.3% | |
| 2010 | 6,661 | 75.8% | |
| 2020 | 7,395 | 11.0% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 7,396 | 11.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
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2010 Census Information
In 2010, about 6,661 people lived in Belle Plaine. There were 2,362 households, which are groups of people living together. About 43.6% of these households had children under 18 living with them. Most households, 56.9%, were married couples.
The average age of people in the city was 32.5 years old. About 30% of the residents were under 18. About 10.9% of the population was 65 years old or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.6%) and females (50.4%).
Education in Belle Plaine
Public Schools
The Belle Plaine Public Schools are part of the Belle Plaine Public School District. This district teaches almost 1,500 students. These students range from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade.
There are two elementary schools in the district. Chatfield Elementary teaches preschool through second grade. Oakcrest Elementary teaches third through sixth grade. Students in seventh through 12th grades attend Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School. Each graduating class from the high school usually has between 100 and 120 students.
Private Schools
Trinity Lutheran School is a private school in Belle Plaine. It is for students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. This school is part of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
Notable People from Belle Plaine
- Ryan Dungey, a famous motocross racer who won many championships.
- Arthur A. Hahn, a businessman and former state senator in Minnesota.
- Patrick J. Hessian, who was the 16th Chief of Chaplains for the United States Army.
- Beth Riesgraf, a television actress.
- Peter Roy, a farmer and former state and territorial legislator in Minnesota.
See also
In Spanish: Belle Plaine (Minnesota) para niños
