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Edina is a first-ring suburb situated immediately southwest of Minneapolis in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. Edina began as a small farming and milling community in the 1860s, and 140 years later the only remnant of the farms can be seen in some of the names of streets, which were named after the families who operated them. Edina is also home to the first fully enclosed, climate controlled shopping mall in the United States, Southdale Mall. Within Edina are many different neighborhoods, including: Indian Hills, Viking Hills, Country Club District, and Cahill Village to name a few.

Geography

Many major highways run through or are close to Edina, making it readily accessible to all within the metropolitan area. Minnesota State Highways 62 and 100 divide the City into four sections. Minnesota Highway 169 and Minnesota Highway 100 extend north and south. Interstate Highway 494 and Minnesota Highway 62 extend east and west. Minnesota Highway 7 is within three miles of the City. Interstate Highway 394 is within five miles.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 41.5 km² (16.0 mi²). 40.8 km² (15.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (1.87%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 47,425 people, 20,996 households, and 12,870 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,162.6/km² (3,011.4/mi²). There were 21,669 housing units at an average density of 531.2/km² (1,376.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.28% White, 1.15% African American, 0.13% Native American, 2.99% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.

There were 20,996 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $66,019, and the median income for a family was $93,496. Males had a median income of $67,011 versus $41,742 for females. The per capita income for the city was $44,195. About 2.0% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

Population statistics

Population history
1980 1990 2000 2004
46,073 46,07547,425 46,081(est.)

History

Edina originally began as part of what is today the city of Richfield, Minnesota. At the time the territory mainly consisted of farms, with the exception of the Edina Mill, which was located on the Minnehaha Creek. Today, many of the street names in Edina are named after families whose farms occupied that area (ex. Code Ave, Gleason (Gleeson) Road, Cooper Ave, etc.) The Baird and Grimes and Country Club Districts (both which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places), located in the northeast part of Edina, were among the first areas to be established. This had mainly to do with the fact that these areas are closest to and bordering the largest city Minneapolis, which was growing and expanding at the time.

In 1888 the residents of the township held a meeting to consider the idea of incorporating a new village, thus annexing themselves from Richfield. After the idea was favorably accepted by those in the community, a committee was established to oversee this transition. After some argument about whether to name the new village Edina or Westfield the city officially became incorporated that same year.

Naming Edina

After the decision was made by the residents to form a new village from the western part of Richfield, a heated debate ensued about what this new village should be named. Here is how the new village, Edina, got its name as recorded in Paul Hesterman's History of EdinaFrom Settlement to Suburb: The History of Edina, Minnesota by Paul Hesterman, Published by the Edina Historical Society, 1988(Hesterman quotes directly from the census and demographic records of Richfield Township, from Sarah Baird's diary and from the minutes of the three meetings held at the Grange Hall to vote on becoming a village). A meeting was held in Grange Hall by the residents of the western end of Richfield Township to consider the propriety of incorporating a village of the west end of town. After speeches from residents and others a motion was made that a vote be taken to get a sense of the public opinion of incorporating a new village. When it seemed that many were in favor of the incorporation, another motion was made and passed that a committee of five be elected to carry out the work necessary to incorporate a village of all the territory in the township of western Richfield.

After the committee had been established, there were many motions about what to name the new village. Hennepin Park was the first name suggested, but didn’t last long before another motion was made that the village be called Westfield. The meeting was adjourned before this motion could be passed, thus still leaving the new village nameless.

Two days later, Sarah Baird reported in her diary that Henry Brown, who owned the farm adjacent to the mill and was heavily in favor of Edina, came to her house insisting that the name be changed to from Westfield to Edina. At the next town meeting, a letter was read from Brown about the name. Here is how the meeting went, according to minutes taken by Woods:

So there was strong disagreement about the name. The motion, which was made by James Bull, a New Yorker, and seconded by Thomas Kyte, an Irishman was designed to kill the name Edina. At the next meeting, it was finally settled. After discussing pros and cons, the name Edina was finally chosen with 47 for and 42 against.

Name Myth

For many years, there has been a prevailing myth about the early settlers of Edina and how they came to the decision to name the new territory Edina. The myth is that there were two opposing communities that made up this area of western Richfield Township -- the Irish Cahill community and the Scottish Mill community. It is also said that in 1888 when Edina became a village those two communities fought about whether to give the community an Irish Name, Killarney Lakes, or a Scottish name, Edina.

The truth is that there were no Scottish people in Edina for the 1860 census and only a couple of them in 1888. There were two communities, though, one of Irish immigrants and the other native-born from the East Coast. Irish Cahill was smaller, but more tightly bound together, but the Scottish settlement around the Mill was more economically prosperous.

Education

Edina is part of the Independent School District (ISD) 273, which serves children primarily from Edina. There are approximately 7500 students, K-12, served by 1139 teachers and support staff in six elementary schools (Grades K-5), two middle schools (Grades 6-9) and one senior high school (Grades 10-12). The district administrative offices are located at the Edina Community Center.

There are several private schools in Edina, one being: Our Lady of Grace (OLG), which is a Catholic school that serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Others are St. Peters and Calvin Christian.

History of Elementary and Junior High Education

For a history of Edina High School education see Edina High School History

In 1859, when Edina was still the western part of Richfield Township, residents of what would become northern Edina organized school district 17 and built the district's first school. It was a one-room, white frame building built at Code's Corner, which today is occupied by Normandale Lutheran Church at West 62nd Street and Minnesota State Highway 100. It was evident that Edina was still a farming town at the time, since school vacations coincided with spring planting and fall harvesting so the children could help in the fields.

In the mid-1860s, a number of Irish families had settled on the farms around the Edina Mill, and decided they all needed a school for their children. So, in 1864, Edina's second one-room school was built on the corner of today's West 70th Street and Cahill Road and named the Cahill School.

As the area's population began shifting toward the Edina Mills community near Minnehaha Creek and 50th Street, the Code's Corner School was becoming a long walk for those children living in the growing settlement around the Mill. So, in February 1872, the officers of school district 17 voted to move the one-room schoolhouse one mile north to the present site of Edina's City Hall. That winter, farmer Code loaded the building on skids and, with the help of oxen, hauled the building across the snow to the new location.

In 1887, due to the growth in district 17, a decision was made to build a larger elementary school. In that same year Edina's first multi-room school was built as the second site of the Code's Corner School. Although this multi-room school building had been enlarged and remodeled several times, the villages continuing development resulted in severe overcrowding by the early 1920s.

Even though another two-room portable school was erected in 1923 near Grimes and West 45th Street, this helped little. It was clear that a new school was needed.

After some controversy as to where to build the new school, two new schools were built as a compromise. In 1925 the Wooddale School was built at a cost of $200,000 at the corner of 50th Street and Wooddale Avenue South. The school had 12 classrooms for eight elementary grades, an auditorium that seated 1,110 people, a library, kitchen, cafeteria, and private offices for the teachers. The other school, a four-room Morningside school, was built on a five-acre tract at West 42nd Street and Grimes Avenue. Morningside children in the upper grades would attend the Wooddale school, as well as all the Edina students. In December 1926, the new Wooddale and Morningside schools were dedicated and opened.

In 1936, the Wooddale school was enlarged by a rear addition of ninth grade classes. The school now served as a junior high as well as an elementary school.

In 1979, most of the Morningside school was torn down and replaced by newer, more modern facilities.

In 1980, the Wooddale school was retired from active classroom use, and five years later in 1985 it was torn down.

Elementary Schools

There are six elementary schools in Edina that serve students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. In 1987 all the kindergarten classes were consolidated at the Edina Kindergarten Center, the former Edina East High School Building (Today the Edina Community Center). However, by 1993, the kindergarten classes had been moved back to the neighborhood elementary schools. The space occupied by the Edina Kindergarten Center became the Normandale Elementary French Immersion School.History of Edina Public Schools, History of Edina Public Schools

Since 1993, parents of Edina's grades K-5 students have been able to choose from three options for their children. Today, roughly 70 percent opt for the traditional neighborhood school program, 20 percent elect for the French immersion program at Normandale Elementary and the remaining 10 percent choose the districts continuous progress alternative offered at Highlands and Countryside elementary schools.

There are five traditional neighborhood elementary schools, and one French Immersion elementary school where children learn both English and French. Each school (excluding the French immersion school) split the city in five sections, and students attend the school that falls within their section (usually the school that is closest).

Junior high schools

Edina has two junior high schools, which serve students in grades six through nine. This is unconventional compared to many other districts in the state and even the United States, in which middle schools serve students in grades six through eight or seven through eight.

The city of Edina is very nearly split in half by Highway 100, and students who live east of the highway attend Southview and students who live west attend Valley View. However, Valley View is the only one of the junior high schools that continues the French immersion program, so students who attend Normandale Elementary usually attend Valley View regardless of where they live in Edina.

Edina High School

For a detailed article see Edina High School

Edina High School is a three-year public high school, with enrollment of about 1600 students. In the words of the school website (see below), EHS offers "a comprehensive curriculum of 140+ courses emphasis on preparation for college." Ninety-six percent of seniors go to college. Eighty-six percent finish in five years. A recent survey conducted 10 years after graduation showed that 45% of Edina graduates completed graduate school degrees or were pursuing graduate degrees.Graduation Percents, [http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/district/fastfacts.htm Graduation Percents

Students often score highly on the various standardized placement exams administered across the state and the country. This school district has been rated as one of the top in the country by Newsweek magazine and was rated in the May 16, 2005 issue of Sports Illustrated Magazine as the 8th most athletic school in the Country. SI Edina, Edina High School named as one of the Best High School Athletic Programs in the Nation by Sports Illustrated Edina's sports teams have won a record 120 state championships and are especially known for excellence in hockey and tennis. The school mascot is the Edina Hornet.

Economy

Business

Major employers in the City include:

Shopping

Edina has numerous retail shopping centers, including Southdale Center, which was the first climate-controlled, fully enclosed shopping mall in the United States.History of the Southdale Shopping Center, History of Southdale Other shopping centers include the Galleria, Yorktown and Centennial Lakes Plaza. The city shares another thriving commercial area at W 50th Street and France Avenue S with Minneapolis, known as "50th & France."

Edina only has municipal liquor stores; no other liquor stores are allowed. Edina maintains three liquor stores at 50th & France, Southdale (York Ave.), and Vernon & Interlachen Blvd.

Hotels

There is just one hotel in Edina, the Residence Inn by Marriott, which is adjacent to Edinborough Park. (One of Edina’s crown jewels, Edinborough is a multi-use development that includes both residental and commercial office space as well as an indoor park.) The lack of hotels in Edina dates back to the early 1930s when Edina was still officially a "dry" city. There are several hotels in a region several blocks north of I-494; this area was once part of Edina. After successful petitioning, the area was annexed to Bloomington, which allowed alcohol sales at the time.

Recreation

Parks

Edina’s parkland and open space totals more than 1,550 acres. The Edina Park and Recreation Department oversees 39 parks, which include amenities such as baseball, football and soccer fields; softball diamonds; basketball and tennis courts; outdoor skating rinks; playground equipment for young children; and picnic shelters. The Department also maintains eight miles of scenic pathways for bicycling, walking, jogging, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing

Besides overseeing the parks, the Edina Park and Recreation Department is also responsible for the operation of 10 facilities within the city:

Golf Courses

Public

Private

Edina Trivia

  • Southdale Center, Edina's main shopping structure, was the first fully enclosed, climate controlled shopping mall in the United States. It opened on October 8, 1956.

External links

References

Cities in Minnesota | Hennepin County, Minnesota

Edina, Minnesota

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Edina, Minnesota".

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