Minnetonka, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Minnetonka
City
Minnetonka Community Center
Location of Minnetonka within Hennepin County, Minnesota
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Hennepin
Founded	1852
Incorporated	1956
Area
• City	27.95 sq mi (72.39 km2)
• Land	26.91 sq mi (69.71 km2)
• Water	1.04 sq mi (2.69 km2)
Elevation	889 ft (271 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	53,781
• Estimate  (2022)	52,544
• Rank	US: 761st MN: 18th
• Density	1,998.33/sq mi (771.55/km2)
• Metro	3,693,729 (US: 16th)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	55305, 55343, 55345, 55391
Area code(s)	952
FIPS code	27-43252
GNIS feature ID	0647949

Minnetonka (/ˌmɪnəˈtɒŋkə/ MIN-ə-TONG-kə) is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. It's a western suburb of the Twin Cities. Minnetonka is located about 10 miles (16 km) west of Minneapolis. In 2020, about 53,781 people lived there.

Minnetonka is home to Cargill, which is the largest privately owned company in the U.S. It's also where UnitedHealth Group is located, the biggest publicly owned company in Minnesota. Major roads like I-494 run through the city.

History of Minnetonka

Minnetonka has changed a lot since the mid-1800s. It went from being a wild, wooded area to a farming community. Then it became an industrial area, and now it's mostly a residential suburb.

Before Europeans arrived, the Dakota and Ojibwe Native American tribes lived here. They thought Lake Minnetonka and the land around it were sacred. The name "Minnetonka" comes from their language. Mni means water, and tanka means big.

The first recorded exploration by Europeans was in 1822. A group from Fort Snelling traveled up Minnehaha Creek to the lake. In 1851, the Dakota sold this area to the United States. This happened with the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux.

The first official count of people in 1857 showed 41 families. Most of them were farmers. Others worked at the Minnetonka Mill or a nearby hotel.

Early Mills and Settlement

In 1852, a claim was made on Minnehaha Creek. A sawmill was built in the thick forests of maple, oak, and elm trees. This was the first privately run mill in Minnesota west of the Mississippi River. Strong oak timbers from this mill were used to build the first suspension bridge across the Mississippi River in 1853.

The settlement that grew around the mill was called Minnetonka Mills. It was the first lasting European-American settlement west of Minneapolis in Hennepin County. In 1855, a two-story sawmill was built. It had a furniture factory on the second floor. They mostly made chairs and beds.

The historic Charles H. Burwell House

The Cargill Lake Office, once a mansion, housed the company's top leaders.

The sawmill closed in 1860 after only eight years. Later, in 1869, a flour and grist mill were built. They operated until the late 1880s. In 1874, Charles H. Burwell came to manage the Minnetonka Mill Company. He built a beautiful Victorian home for his family. This house, the Charles H. Burwell House, is now a historic site owned by the city.

Minnetonka Mills was an important business and trading center. It had a post office and a port for Lake Minnetonka. This was true for a large area until the 1870s.

Growth and Development

Between 1883 and 1956, the original Minnetonka Township became smaller. Nearby cities like Wayzata, Hopkins, and Saint Louis Park took over parts of it.

Even in the 1960s, many parts of Minnetonka were still rural. There were horse pastures and farms. But these areas have now been developed. Minnetonka is now a fully developed suburban community.

The Minnetonka Town Hall, built in 1906, is also a historic building.

Geography of Minnetonka

Minnetonka covers about 28.22 square miles (73.09 km²) of land and water. A part of the city includes the eastern tip of Lake Minnetonka. This is one of the largest lakes in Minnesota. Water flows out of Lake Minnetonka into Minnehaha Creek. This creek goes through south Minneapolis and over Minnehaha Falls. Then it flows into the Mississippi River. Minnetonka is located about 8 miles (13 km) west of Minneapolis.

Economy and Businesses

Minnetonka is home to the headquarters of several large companies. Carlson has its main office here. Cargill also has its headquarters in Minnetonka. Cargill was founded in 1865. It is the largest privately owned company in the U.S. based on how much money it makes.

Other big companies based in Minnetonka include:

• UnitedHealth Group
• Digital River
• Radisson Hotel Group
• AmeriPride Services
• G&K Services

Top Employers in Minnetonka

Here are some of the biggest employers in Minnetonka:

Education in Minnetonka

The city of Minnetonka is served by three different public school districts. These are the Hopkins School District, the Minnetonka School District, and the Wayzata School District. Some students can also attend schools in other districts if their families choose. This is allowed under Minnesota's open enrollment law.

Public Schools in Minnetonka School District

The Minnetonka School District also includes four schools outside of Minnetonka. These are Deephaven Elementary, Excelsior Elementary, Minnewashta Elementary, and Minnetonka Middle School West.

Public Schools in Hopkins School District

The Hopkins School District covers about two-thirds of Minnetonka. It also includes all of Hopkins and parts of other cities.

Besides schools in Minnetonka, the Hopkins School District has four schools in Hopkins and Golden Valley.

Private Schools in Minnetonka

There are three private schools within Minnetonka:

• Accell Academy: A school that prepares students for college, serving grades K-12.
• Notre Dame Academy: A school for preschool through eighth grade.
• Minnetonka Christian Academy

Public Libraries

The Hennepin County Library has its main office in the Ridgedale Library in Minnetonka. The library system also runs the Minnetonka Library.

Population of Minnetonka

Minnetonka has grown a lot over the years. Here's how the population has changed:

In 2010, there were about 49,734 people living in Minnetonka. Most residents (90%) were White. About 3.7% were African American, and 3.1% were Asian. The average age in the city was 45 years old. About 20.8% of residents were under 18.

Sports in Minnetonka

Minnetonka has a bandy club called the Minnetonka Dynamo. They won the national championship in bandy in 1994, 1998, and 2000.

The Minnetonka Millers are a Class A baseball team. They won state championships in 2015, 2016, and 2017. The Millers play their games at Veterans Field. This field is located at Minnetonka High School.

Famous People from Minnetonka

Many notable people have connections to Minnetonka:

• Beau Allen – A defensive tackle in the NFL.
• Alan Bersten – A professional ballroom dancer.
• Jake Gardiner – A professional hockey player.
• Kris Humphries – A retired professional basketball player.
• Ryan McCartan – A Disney channel actor.
• Mike Ramsey – A member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Gold Medal hockey team, known as the "Miracle Team."
• Wesley So – A Chess Grandmaster.
• Jill Trenary – A professional figure skater.

See also

In Spanish: Minnetonka para niños