Columbia Heights, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Columbia Heights
City
The Heights Theater is a local landmark
Nickname(s):  CoHi, Heights
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Anoka
Formed as a village	March 14, 1898
Incorporated as a city	July 21, 1921
Area
• Total	3.52 sq mi (9.11 km2)
• Land	3.41 sq mi (8.83 km2)
• Water	0.11 sq mi (0.28 km2)  3.13%
Elevation	912 ft (278 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	21,973
• Estimate  (2022)	22,243
• Density	6,447.48/sq mi (2,489.55/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	55421
Area code(s)	763
FIPS code	27-12700
GNIS feature ID	2393607

Columbia Heights is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. About 22,000 people live there.

It's a northern suburb of Minneapolis, which is right next to it. The city's main area is around 40th Avenue NE and Central Avenue. Here you'll find the Heights Theater, the Public Library, and many shops.

Exploring Columbia Heights: Geography and Parks

Columbia Heights covers about 3.5 square miles (9.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The city is surrounded by other towns. To the north and west is Fridley. To the east are New Brighton and Saint Anthony. Minneapolis is to the south.

Did you know the city of Hilltop is completely inside Columbia Heights? It's like a small town within a bigger one!

Land and Water Features

Columbia Heights has a hilly landscape. One of the highest spots in the area is along Stinson Boulevard.

The city also has five lakes: Sullivan Lake, Highland Lake, Silver Lake, Hart Lake, and LaBelle Pond. These are great places to visit.

Fun in the Parks

The city's parks are often found in areas that used to be low-lying or swampy. These spots were perfect for creating green spaces.

Huset Park is the largest park in Columbia Heights. Other parks like Prestemon, Gauvitte, and McKenna Parks are named after the first city council members from 1921. Ava Ostrander, the first woman elected to the council, also has a park named after her.

Kordiak Park is a county park within the city. It's named after a former County Commissioner, Albert A. Kordiak. There are many other parks too, like Edgemoor, La Belle, Lomianki, Keyes, Sullivan, Ramsdell, and Hilltop.

A Look Back: History of Columbia Heights

Columbia Heights started as a village on March 14, 1898. It officially became a city on July 21, 1921.

Sister Cities and Special Connections

When you enter Columbia Heights on Central Avenue, you might see a sign with a Polish flag and a white eagle. This shows the city's early ties to Polish-American families.

In 1991, Columbia Heights became a "Sister City" with Łomianki, Poland. This connection is special because of a historical event. In 1944, during World War II, an Allied plane was shot down near Łomianki. The brother of a Columbia Heights resident was on that plane. Later, in 1987, the people of Łomianki built a monument to remember the American flyers. This personal story helped create the Sister City bond.

In 2023, Columbia Heights made another Sister City connection with Galdogob, Somalia. This celebrates the growing Somali American community in the city.

Interesting Facts from History

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln's funeral car was once stored in Columbia Heights? It was bought by Thomas Lowry, who showed it at different events. Sadly, it was destroyed in a fire on March 18, 1911.

In 2016, Columbia Heights received the All-American City Award from the National Civic League. This award recognizes communities that work together to solve problems and improve local life.

Learning and Growing: Education in Columbia Heights

Columbia Heights offers many choices for schools, including public, private, and charter schools.

Public Schools (Independent School District 13)

• Columbia Heights High School (CHHS): For students in grades 9–12.
• Columbia Academy (CA): For students in grades 6–8.
• Highland Elementary: For younger students in grades K–5.
• Valley View Elementary: Also for grades K–5.
• North Park Elementary: Another school for grades K–5.
• Early Childhood Programs: For children from birth to 5 years old.

Other Public Schools (NE Metro Intermediate District 916)

• ALC West Campus: For students in grades 7–12.

Private Schools

• Immaculate Conception Catholic School: For grades K–8.
• Little Voyageurs Montessori School: For Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten.

Charter Schools

• Academy of Bioscience: For grades 5–8.
• Prodeo Academy: For Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade.

Past Higher Education

NEI College of Technology used to be in Columbia Heights. It joined with Dunwoody College of Technology in 2003.

Famous Faces: Notable People from Columbia Heights

Many interesting people have connections to Columbia Heights!

• John Alt: A former professional football player for the Kansas City Chiefs. He played football at the University of Iowa.
• Earl Bakken: He invented the first battery-powered, wearable artificial pacemaker. He also founded Medtronic, a big medical technology company.
• Don Carlson: A professional basketball player.
• Jalue Dorje: Known as the eighth reincarnation of the Tibetan lama Terchen Taksham Rinpoche.
• James D. La Belle: A brave person who received the Medal of Honor.
• Pat Proft: A talented screenwriter and movie producer.
• Henry Scholberg: A librarian and expert in books.
• Edward J. Tomczyk: A former state representative in Minnesota.

Population and Community: Demographics

Columbia Heights City Hall

In 2020, the city had 21,973 people living there. The population has grown quite a bit over the years!

The city is a mix of different cultures and backgrounds. Many families live in Columbia Heights, and there are people of all ages.

See also

In Spanish: Columbia Heights (Minnesota) para niños