Scandia, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Scandia
City
Gammelgården Museum with Dala horse
Motto(s):  "Dedicated To Rural Community Values"
Location of the city of Scandia within Washington County, Minnesota
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Washington
Area
• Total	39.85 sq mi (103.22 km2)
• Land	34.85 sq mi (90.27 km2)
• Water	5.00 sq mi (12.95 km2)
Elevation	1,040 ft (320 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,984
• Estimate  (2021)	3,963
• Density	114.31/sq mi (44.14/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	55073
Area code(s)	651
FIPS code	27-58900
GNIS feature ID	2396548

Scandia is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, in the United States. In 2020, about 3,984 people lived there. Scandia is located about 25 miles northeast of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

History of Scandia

Scandia has a strong connection to its Scandinavian roots. It is thought to be the first place in Minnesota where Swedish immigrants settled. In 1850, the very first log cabin was built near Hay Lake. Later, in 1856, the first Elim Lutheran Church was built close to the lake.

For many years, Scandia was known as New Scandia Township. It officially became a city on January 1, 2007. This change happened to make sure the community would not be taken over by the nearby city of Forest Lake. The city has its own weekly newspaper called the Country Messenger.

Fun Places to Visit

Scandia offers several interesting places to explore its history and culture.

Gammelgården Museum

The Gammelgården Museum, showing its Swedish heritage.

The Gammelgården of Scandia has worked since 1972 to save and share Swedish immigrant history. They host fun events like Spelmansstämma, Midsommarafton, and Dalapalooza. Dalapalooza is named after the large Dalecarlian horse statues that welcome visitors to the city.

Hay Lake School

The Hay Lake School was built in 1896. This school was part of rural school district #2, which started in 1855. Before this brick building, students met in local homes. Later, they used the old Elim Lutheran Church building, which is now part of the Gammelgården complex. The Hay Lake School was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 1, 1970.

Erickson Log House Museum

The Erickson Log House Museum features a log house built in 1868. Johannes Erickson and his 13-year-old son, Alfred, built it. In 1904, Alfred built a new house. The old log house then became a granary, a garage, and even a playhouse. In 1974, the Washington County Historical Society bought the log house. They moved it about one and a half miles to where it stands today. The Erickson Log House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 17, 1976.

Washington County Barn Quilt Trail

The Washington County Barn Quilt Trail is a scenic route that is about 16.4 miles long. It goes through Scandia, Marine on St. Croix, and the Town of May. Along this trail, you can see 18 barn quilts. These large painted quilt patterns are based on designs from the book The Quiltmaker's Gift.

Scandia's Location

Scandia covers an area of about 39.82 square miles (103.22 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with about 5.02 square miles (12.95 square kilometers) being water. The city is located halfway between Stillwater and Taylors Falls. Both of these towns are along the St. Croix River. Scandia is also close to William O'Brien State Park. Two main roads that go through Scandia are Highway 95 and Highway 97.

People of Scandia

In 2010, there were 3,936 people living in Scandia. There were 1,499 households and 1,178 families. The city had about 113 people per square mile. Most of the people living in Scandia (97.2%) were White. About 1.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 30.1% of the households had children under 18 years old. Most households (69.9%) were married couples. The average household had 2.61 people, and the average family had 2.94 people. The median age in Scandia was 46.9 years old. About 22.7% of the residents were under 18.

See also

In Spanish: Scandia (Minnesota) para niños