Dakota County, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dakota County
U.S. county
Dakota County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
Founded	October 27, 1849
Named for	Dakota people
Seat	Hastings
Largest city	Lakeville
Area
• Total	587 sq mi (1,520 km2)
• Land	562 sq mi (1,460 km2)
• Water	25 sq mi (60 km2)  4.2%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	439,882
• Estimate  (2023)	447,440
• Density	749.4/sq mi (289.33/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd

Dakota County is a large county in Minnesota. It is the third most populated county in the state. In 2020, about 439,882 people lived here. By 2023, the population grew to an estimated 447,440. The main city, or county seat, is Hastings.

The county gets its name from the Dakota Sioux people. They used to live in this area. Dakota County is part of the big Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington area. This is one of the largest city areas in the United States.

Lakeville is the biggest city in Dakota County. It is the ninth-largest city in Minnesota. The Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers form the northern border. Wisconsin is to the east.

History of Dakota County

Dakota County has a rich history. Many important events happened here. For example, materials for Fort Snelling came from this area. Also, the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux was signed here. This treaty gave land from the native Dakota nation to the Minnesota Territory.

The county's early history was linked to the meeting point of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. These rivers were important for travel and trade. They were also sacred places for the Dakota and Ojibwe nations. After World War II, more people moved here. Interstate 35 helped connect the western part of the county to Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Many new towns grew quickly.

Taoyateduta, also known as Little Crow, led the Mendota Mdewakanton. He and other Sioux leaders gave up much of the Twin Cities region.

In the 1600s, the Mdewakanton Dakota moved from northern Minnesota. They moved because the Ojibwe nation was expanding. The Dakota people say their ancestors pushed out the Iowa people. The Iowa lived near the Minnesota River's mouth.

In 1680, French explorer Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut met the Mdewakanton Dakota. Later, in the 1700s, Joseph Nicollet met the Mendota band. Taoyateduta, also called Little Crow, led the Mendota in northern Dakota County. Further southwest, Chief Black Dog started a village around 1750. It was near Black Dog Lake, which is named after him.

Saint Peter's Church in Mendota is the oldest church in Minnesota.

In 1805, Zebulon Pike made a deal for military land. This land included parts of Dakota County. In 1819, Colonel Henry Leavenworth built a fort called "St. Peter's Cantonment." This fort helped build Fort Snelling. Henry Hastings Sibley built the first stone house in Minnesota in 1836. It overlooked Fort Snelling. Sibley was part of the American Fur Company. A lot of fur trade happened in Mendota because of the rivers.

The United States bought land from the Dakota people. This happened through treaties like the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux in 1851. After Minnesota became a territory in 1849, Dakota County was very large. It stretched from the Mississippi River to the Missouri River. By 1858, when Minnesota became a state, important activities moved. They moved from Mendota to Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Hastings and South St. Paul's Growth

By 1900, Hastings was a busy center. It was the county seat. Hastings was important for transportation and trade. It had good water power from the Vermillion River. Lumber, milling, and railroads brought jobs.

Around this time, South St. Paul became famous. Its stockyards and meat-packing plants were the biggest in the world. Ranchers sent their animals here. Many immigrants from Eastern Europe worked in these plants.

Suburban Boom

After the 1950s, more people moved to western Dakota County. The building of Interstate 35W and 35E caused huge growth. Towns like Burnsville, Apple Valley, Eagan, and Lakeville grew very fast. Over 200,000 people moved into the county by the end of the century. Even though the county seat stayed in Hastings, government services spread out. New offices and courthouses were built in Burnsville and Lakeville.

Historic Places to Visit

Dakota County has many historic places. These include the old settlement of Mendota. You can also see homes of important people in Hastings. There are also places where different groups of immigrants gathered in South Saint Paul.

Geography of Dakota County

Dakota County has gentle rolling hills. These hills slope down to river valleys. The highest point is Buck Hill in Burnsville. It is 1,168 feet above sea level. The county covers 587 square miles. About 562 square miles are land, and 25 square miles are water.

Rivers in Dakota County

Vermillion Falls in Hastings is a beautiful waterfall.

The Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers form the northern and eastern borders. Many groups help manage these rivers. The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge protects much of the Minnesota River bank.

• Mississippi River: Flows next to Mendota Heights, South St. Paul, and Hastings.
• Minnesota River: Next to Burnsville, Eagan, and Mendota.
• Vermillion River: Flows from Farmington to Hastings.
• Cannon River: Next to Randolph.

Lakes in Dakota County

Main Roads in Dakota County

Neighboring Counties

Protected Natural Areas

Parks in Dakota County

Economy in Dakota County

Many people who live in Dakota County work outside the county. Over half of the residents (54%) commute to jobs in other areas. This is because the county grew as a place for people to live while working in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

People of Dakota County

Population in 2020

In 2020, Dakota County had 439,882 people.

This chart shows the age groups of people in Dakota County in 2022.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Dakota County had 398,552 people. About 49.1% were male and 50.9% were female. The average age was 36.8 years old. Most people (85.2%) were White. About 6.0% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Most households (69.5%) were family households. About 36.6% of homes had children under 18. The average household had 2.60 people. Most homes (76.5%) were owned by the people living in them.

Education in Dakota County

Dakota County has some of Minnesota's largest school districts.

• Independent School District 196 (Rosemount–Apple Valley–Eagan) is the fourth largest in the state. It serves about 28,000 students.
• Other districts include Independent School District 191 (Burnsville–Eagan–Savage School District), Independent School District 194 (Lakeville–Elko–New Market), Independent School District 197 (West St. Paul–Mendota Heights–Eagan), and Independent School District 200 (Hastings).

Schools in Dakota County

Libraries in Dakota County

Communities in Dakota County

A street in downtown Apple Valley. You can see the Western Service Center in the background.

Dakota County has many important places. The Treaty of Mendota was signed in Mendota. This opened up southern Minnesota for settlement. Many wealthy people from Saint Paul built their homes there.

The county's growth really took off after World War II. Two major highways, I-35W and I-35E, connected the county to Minneapolis and St. Paul. This led to a lot of building in the northern part of the county. Today, cities like Burnsville, Eagan, Apple Valley, and Lakeville are big parts of the Twin Cities area. Burnsville and Eagan have grown so much they are almost like independent cities.

Lakeville's old downtown area. It looks different from its newer suburban parts.

The southern part of Dakota County still feels more rural. It has small towns like Farmington, Coates, and Randolph. These towns have older buildings from the early 1900s.

Even though all of Dakota County is part of the big city area, the county government works to protect farmland. They also buy new natural lands in the southern townships. This creates a clear line between the busy cities and the quiet countryside. The northern part of the county has more people and a city feel. But culturally, Dakota County still has strong rural roots. The Dakota County Fair in Farmington is a big farming event each year.

The northern part of Dakota County is often called "South of the River." This is because it's located south of the Minnesota River.

Cities in Dakota County (2021 population estimate)

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller places not officially part of a city.

Ghost Towns

These are towns that no longer exist.

• Lewiston
• Nininger

Townships

These are smaller local government areas.

Famous People from Dakota County

• Pierce Butler, a Supreme Court justice.
• Ignatius Donnelly, a politician.
• Steven Engler, a politician.
• David Knutson, a Minnesota State Senator.
• William Gates LeDuc, a pioneer and politician.
• Henry Hastings Sibley, the first Governor of Minnesota.
• Harold Stassen, a former Governor of Minnesota. He also helped create the United Nations Charter.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Dakota (Minnesota) para niños