Excelsior, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Excelsior
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Water Street in Excelsior
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Location of Excelsior within Hennepin County and the U.S. state of Minnesota
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 Excelsior, Minnesota
Location in Minnesota
Excelsior, Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Hennepin |
| Founded | 1853 |
| Incorporated | 1878 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.88 sq mi (2.27 km2) |
| • Land | 0.63 sq mi (1.63 km2) |
| • Water | 0.25 sq mi (0.64 km2) |
| Elevation | 945 ft (288 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,355 |
| • Density | 3,738.10/sq mi (1,444.23/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
55331
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| Area code(s) | 952 |
| FIPS code | 27-20078 |
| GNIS feature ID | 643477 |
Excelsior is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. It's known for its historic downtown area along Water Street. This area is so special it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city also has many beautiful old Victorian-style houses.
Excelsior is located on the southern shore of Lake Minnetonka. It's a popular place for tourists. People come here to shop, go boating, and enjoy the many restaurants. It's considered a western suburb of the Twin Cities. Excelsior is about 15 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis. In 2020, about 2,414 people lived there. The main road through Excelsior is Minnesota State Highway 7.
Contents
History of Excelsior
The first Euro-Americans to visit Lake Minnetonka were two teenagers. Their names were Joe Brown and Will Snelling. In 1822, they canoed from Fort Saint Anthony up Minnehaha Creek.
In 1852, Minnesota's governor, Alexander Ramsey, officially named Lake Minnetonka. He learned that the Dakota people called the lake Mní iá Tháŋka. This means "the-water-they-speak-of-is-large." The next year, settlers from New York founded Excelsior. This was the first white settlement on the lake. The area was named after this new hamlet.
In the late 1800s, Excelsior and the Lake Minnetonka area were popular summer resorts. People came to enjoy the lake and its surroundings. Streetcars were used in Excelsior until 1932. They were part of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company system.
Excelsior in the 20th Century
A large ballroom called "Danceland" was a famous spot. It was later known as "Big Reggie's Danceland." It stood across from Excelsior Amusement Park from the mid-1920s to 1973. Many famous musicians played there. These included Lawrence Welk, Fred Waring, and the Andrews Sisters in the 1930s.
On May 3, 1963, The Beach Boys performed at Danceland. Mike Love, a singer for the Beach Boys, said it was a big moment for the band. He remembered people trying to break windows to get in because it was sold out. He thought it was like when Elvis was first starting out.
On June 12, 1964, The Rolling Stones also played at Danceland. Only 283 people were there to see them. Some people think that Excelsior resident Jimmy Hutmaker inspired a Rolling Stones song. They say he met Mick Jagger at a local drugstore. This story is about the 1969 song "You Can't Always Get What You Want." However, this idea has been debated for a long time.
In 1974, President Gerald Ford bought a golden retriever dog. Her name was Liberty. He bought her from Excelsior resident Avis Friberg.
Excelsior in the 21st Century
Excelsior's downtown historic area has always had many businesses. These include hotels, restaurants, and shops. Since 2010, restaurants and eateries have become very popular there.
Excelsior is known for keeping its historic look. Beyond downtown, many of its Victorian-era houses are still standing. The city has strict rules to help keep this historic identity.
The Excelsior Commons and Lake Minnetonka are important parts of the community. They also attract many tourists. The Minnesota Streetcar Museum is a local transportation museum. It has a special heritage streetcar line in Excelsior. The museum runs three restored streetcars on this line. These are Twin City Lines No. 1239, Winona Power & Light Co. #10, and Duluth Street Railway No. 78.
Geography of Excelsior
Excelsior is in Hennepin County, Minnesota. It is on the south shore of Lake Minnetonka. The city is about 15 miles southwest of Minneapolis. It is next to Shorewood and Greenwood.
The United States Census Bureau says Excelsior covers about 0.69 square miles. Of this, 0.63 square miles is land and 0.06 square miles is water. Minnesota State Highway 7 is the main road through the city. It goes east-northeast 11 miles to Highway 100 in Saint Louis Park. It also goes west 41 miles to Hutchinson.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 417 | — | |
| 1890 | 619 | 48.4% | |
| 1900 | 717 | 15.8% | |
| 1910 | 1,015 | 41.6% | |
| 1920 | 790 | −22.2% | |
| 1930 | 1,072 | 35.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,422 | 32.6% | |
| 1950 | 1,763 | 24.0% | |
| 1960 | 2,020 | 14.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,563 | 26.9% | |
| 1980 | 2,523 | −1.6% | |
| 1990 | 2,367 | −6.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,393 | 1.1% | |
| 2010 | 2,188 | −8.6% | |
| 2020 | 2,414 | 10.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Excelsior in 2010
In 2010, there were 2,188 people living in Excelsior. There were 1,115 households and 494 families. The city had about 3,473 people per square mile. Most residents, about 90.4%, were White. About 2.7% were African American, and 1.5% were Asian. About 5.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 21% of households had children under 18. About 31.7% were married couples. The average household had 1.92 people. The average family had 2.82 people. The median age in the city was 42 years old. About 19.1% of residents were under 18. About 15.4% were 65 or older.
Parks and Fun Activities
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The Commons and Port of Excelsior is a large park. It covers about 13 acres. This park was created in 1854. Other fun places include Excelsior Parkland and the Lake Minnetonka shoreline.
Since 1935, Excelsior has held the Apple Days festival every year. This festival celebrates the apple-picking season.
Schools in Excelsior
Excelsior is part of Independent School District 276. This is also known as the Minnetonka School District. Minnetonka High School is a highly-rated school. Newsweek ranked it among America's top high schools. Niche rated it as the best public high school in Minnesota.
The only school the Minnetonka Public Schools runs in Excelsior is Excelsior Elementary School. The old Excelsior Public School and Excelsior High School buildings are still there. However, they are not used as schools anymore.
Churches and Worship Places
Excelsior has many churches and places to worship. Most of them are Christian churches. The largest churches by how many people attend are Westwood Community Church and Mount Calvary Lutheran Church.
Here are some of the churches in Excelsior:
- Christ Community Church
- Congregational Church of Excelsior (UCC)
- Excelsior Covenant Church (ECC)
- Excelsior United Methodist Church
- Faith Church
- Mount Calvary Lutheran Church (ELCA)
- New Life Sanctuary (UPCI)
- Our Savior Lutheran Church (LCMS)
- St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish
- Trinity Episcopal Church
- Westview Seventh-Day Adventist Church
- Westwood Community Church
Famous People from Excelsior
- John Berkey, an artist known for science fiction and film poster art
- Jimmy Hutmaker, a local celebrity
- Haley Kalil, a model for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and Miss Minnesota USA
- Terry Katzman, a music producer and sound engineer
- Vinni Lettieri, a professional hockey player
- Liberty, a dog owned by a U.S. President
- Ryan McCartan, an actor and singer
- John Mark Nelson, a singer-songwriter
- Brent Sass, a dog musher
- Martha Sheldon, a medical missionary
- Don Shelby, a television personality
- Wesley So, a chess grandmaster
See also
In Spanish: Excelsior (Minnesota) para niños
