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Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota. As of 2005, the city had a total population of 94,950, making it Minnesota's third-largest city. It is perhaps best-known as the home of the Mayo Clinic.

Overview

The primary industries in Rochester are medical services, computer design and programming, light manufacturing (mostly computers and electronics), and a substantial hotel/resort and restaurant trade that serves visitors from around the world.

Actress Lea Thompson was born in Rochester, and Frank B. Kellogg, who eventually became U.S. Secretary of State, had a law office in the city in the 19th century. Many famous people from around the world, including former President Ronald Reagan and King Hussein of Jordan, have visited the city to take advantage of the Mayo Clinic's services.

Many of the tallest buildings in Rochester are owned by Mayo. The Gonda Building is the tallest owned by the clinic, and it is attached to the cross-shaped Mayo Building. Architecturally, Mayo's Plummer Building is considered to be among the most significant in the city. The Mood Disorders Clinic is housed in the Generose Builing, its three floors segrated by age group. Currently, the tallest building in Rochester is the newly constructed Broadway Plaza, a residential dwelling catering to the many Arab visitors who frequent Mayo. IBM Rochester is also a huge structure, spanning one mile across the northwest part of the city. It was initially designed by noted architect Eero Saarinen.

The city has long been a fixture on Money magazine's "Best Places to Live" index, most recently making the 2005 list. *

Rochester may also be home to the largest "ear of corn" in the world. Actually a water tower, it is next to the Seneca Foods plant in the city.

There is a large park system in Rochester, with more than 100 sites covering 5 square miles (13 km²). There are 60 miles of paved trails and a few municipal golf courses among many athletic facilities.

The city is home to University Center Rochester, or UCR. UCR is a grouping of Rochester Community and Technical College, Winona State University's Rochester Center, and the University of Minnesota's Rochester campus. The city is also home to Crossroads College.

The Sisters of Saint Francis of Rochester, Minnesota have their mother house in Rochester at Assisi Heights.

The U.S. Federal Medical Center, Rochester, a health care facility for federal prisoners, is on the campus of the former state hospital at the edge of the city.

A number of buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places, including the former Chateau Theatre, which now houses a Barnes & Noble Bookstore and Starbucks Cafe.

The city has three homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright: the A. H. Bulbulian Residence, the James McBean Residence, and the Thomas Keys Residence.

The largest enclosed shopping space in Rochester is Apache Mall.

History

Rochester was founded by George Head in 1854. Head, originally from Rochester, New York, had settled in Waukesha, Wisconsin before moving west to Minnesota. He named his new settlement after his hometown, and it began to grow shortly after its establshment. In 1857 Rochester was named the Olmsted County seat. Rochester was known as a stagecoach stop for travelers who journeyed between St. Paul, Minnesota and Dubuque, Iowa. When the railroad came to town in the 1870s, it brought with it a number of new residents and a wealth of business opportunities.

On August 21, 1883, a tornado demolished much of Rochester, leaving thirty-seven dead and several thousand wounded. There was no medical facility at the time, so Dr. William W. Mayo and his two sons worked together to care for the wounded. $60,000 in donations were collected the Sisters of St. Francis, assisted by the doctors Mayo, opened a new facility named St. Marys Hospital. The Mayo practice grew immensely and today is one of the largest and most well-respected medical facilities in the world.

Geography

Rochester lies along the South Fork of the Zumbro River. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 103.0 km² (39.8 mi²) - 102.6 km² (39.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.35%) is water.

Rochester is in Olmsted County, one of only two counties in Minnesota without a natural lake (the other is Mower County). Artificial lakes exist in the area, including Silver Lake, a dammed portion of the South Fork Zumbro River just below the convergence with Silver Creek near the city center. The lake was used as a cooling pond for the nearby electrical power plant for many years, although the amount of water used for this purpose has been significantly reduced. Heated water in the lake generally prevents it from freezing over even during Minnesota winters, attracting migrating giant Canada geese, which have become symbols of the city.

A major flood in 1978 led the city to embark on an expensive flood-control project that involved altering many nearby rivers and streams.

Minnesota is in the Central Standard Time (CST -6:00 GMT) zone and central daylight time.

Climate

Below is a list of average high and low temperatures throughout the year in Rochester.

  • January: 20°/4°
  • February: 26°/11°
  • March: 39°/23°
  • April: 55°/35°
  • May: 68°/46°
  • June: 77°/56°
  • July: 80°/60°
  • August: 78°/58°
  • September: 69°/49°
  • October: 57°/37°
  • November: 39°/24°
  • December: 24°/10°

Arts & Entertainment

Arts Rochester Art Center - Opened in May 2004, the Rochester Art Center is a small art center with no permanent collection but a variety of temporary travelling collections. The outdoor Zumbro Gardens is a terraced park and sculpture lawn stepping down to the edge of the Zumbro River.

SEMVA Art Gallery - The South East Minnesota Visual Artists Gallery is located in the Peace Plaza in downtown Rochester, offering a wide variety of works from southeastern Minnesota artists ranging from pottery, woods, clothing, fabrics and canvas.

Mayowood Galleries - Fine 18th and 19th Century English antiques and garden accents can be found at Mayowood Galleries’ two locations, downtown and at the Mayowood Mansion.

There is an abundance of great theater and music entertainment available to Rochester, Minn. residents and visitors, with something to satisfy every taste. Rochester provides a surprising number of arts and entertainment options for a city of its size, including free and seasonal entertainment.

Chorale Arts Ensemble - This 40-voice auditioned choir performs choral and orchestral masterworks, as well as vocal jazz. The Choral Arts Ensembleis dedicated to the creation and performance of new music, as well as the presentation of masterworks from the Renaissance to the 20th Century.

Masque Youth Theatre - With a mission to involve young people in the theater arts, the Masque Youth Theater presents a variety of children’s plays performed from October to June.

Rochester Civic Theatre - Offering nine performances a year, including dramas, comedies and musicals, the Rochester Civic Theatre has presented Fiddler on the Roof, It’s A Wonderful Life and The Adventures of Stuart Little.

Rochester Repertory Theatre - The Rochester Repertory Theatre offers classical and contemporary works by a variety of artists. Past performances have included, Three Tall Women, The Foreigner and FoxFire.

Rochester Orchestra & Chorale - The Rochester Orchestra & Chorale performs a variety of works under renowned music director and conductor Jere Lantz.

Southeast Minnesota Youth Orchestra - A non-profit organization, the Southeast Minnesota Youth Orchestra brings middle and high school students together to study music, learn to work together, and contribute to the cultural life of the community.

Rochester Civic Music, presented by the City of Rochester, features free live music in their “Down By the Riverside” outdoor summer concert series. This series has been known to highlight acts such as Joan Baez, Three Dog Night and The Marshall Tucker Band, as well as celebrated local acts. Concerts are held Sunday evenings at Mayo Park behind Mayo Civic Center along the Zumbro River. RiversideLive! and Cabaret Riverside are also presented by the City as a ticketed indoor concert series held from September to May. Additional publicly funded music entertainment includes the annual Youth Concert featuring the Southeastern Minnesota Youth Orchestra and Honors Choir of Southeastern Minnesota.

Each August, the Olmsted County Fair features a variety of musical entertainment, and the 1st Avenue Street Market & Concert Series highlights the finest local musicians throughout the summer season. Among other seasonal entertainment options, four gardens in the Hawthorn Hills Neighborhood host the Rochester Orchestra and Chorale’s Annual Musical Garden Tour presented by the Eden Garden Club, featuring local music ensembles.

A variety of Rochester nightspots, restaurants and other venues provide free music and entertainment. Dunn Bros Coffee, the Redwood Room historic lounge, Shar’s Country Palace & Bar, CJ’s Midtown Lounge, and Whistle Binkies Old World Pub regularly feature musicians and DJs with no cover charge. The Plummer Building in downtown Rochester, Leo’s Pizza Palace, the Calvary Episcopal Church, the Chateau Theatre, the Rochester Public Library, and the VFW hall are also venues for free concerts, including bands, carillon bells, movies, magicians, and other performances.

Sports

Rochester Rowing Club - The Rochester Rowing Club was founded in 1990 to promote the sport of rowing in the Rochester community. Consisting of approximately fifty junior members and fifteen adults, the club has exploded in the last few years thanks to the all-volunteer coaching staff and hard-working parents. Crews from Rochester have won national championships, traveled across the US, Canada and even to England and have been recruited to Iowa, U of M, Wisconsin and Princeton.

Minnesota Ice Hawks Hockey - The Ice Hawks made Rochester their home in 2002-2003, moving from nearby Mankato, Minn. The Ice Hawks recruit players locally and nationally. Considered a Junior B United States Hockey League team, Ice Hawks players have become a part of the Rochester community, raising families locally and working part-time.

Rochester Honkers Baseball Club - The Honkers Baseball Club is a summer collegiate baseball league. The top college players from the Midwest and across the country participate. Home games are played at Mayo Field.

Rochester A’s - The Rochester A’s are a part of the American Legion Division I Baseball. In 2003, the A's successfully became only the fourth team from Minnesota to ever win the National American League World Series in its 77-year history. Rochester is also home to two other Legion teams, the Rochester Patriots and the Rochester Red Hawks.

Rochester Royals - The Rochester Royals are an Amateur baseball team that has called Mayo Field home since 1924.

Rochester Giants Football - The Rochester Giants are a semi-professional football team located in Rochester. The team was formed in 2003 with the goal to have a hard-hitting organization with the ability to recruit some of the best players around. All games are played on Saturday nights.

Leisure

Biking/Hiking Trails - Opportunities to enjoy running, hiking, inline skating, biking or walking throughout the city of Rochester, Minn. are endless. The city offers more than 60 miles of city trails, and more than 85 miles in the immediate surrounding areas, with amazing city and country views and recently finished surfaces. Rochester provides easy and accessible ways for residents and visitors to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives.

Rochester’s 60 miles of recreational trails are bituminous or concrete surfaced, providing well-maintained options for physical activity throughout the city. Finished with attractive rails and complemented by gorgeous skyline and nature views, the Rochester City Trail System is one of the finest in the country and a perfect addition to visitors’ or residents’ experience.

The Root River and Douglas State Trails combine for nearly 55 miles in the near Rochester area. Developed on historic railroad passages, the trails provide outstanding rural scenery, with a combination of paved and unpaved surfaces for wheels, hooves and shoes. The Douglas Trail gently travels through a mix of forest and rolling fields, while the Root River Trail gives breathtaking views of soaring limestone bluffs of the Root River Valley. The latter was newly paved in 1999 and features a choice of less and more challenging areas. The Harmony-Preston Valley State Trail contributes 18 additional miles of trail, connecting with the Root River system. All state trails have convenient parking lots with rest facilities.

Opening eyes and minds through natural science discovery, Quarry Hill Nature Center offers more than five miles of trails covering 270 acres. Like the state trails, Quarry Hill’s system links with the City Trail System.

Transportation

Rochester offers a skyway system, subterranean walkways (called the “subway” system), bus, taxi, car rental, and airport shuttles to connect its many attractions for business and leisure travelers.

Subway/Skyway - It never dips below 68 degrees in Rochester thanks to its climate controlled skyway and underground walkways, otherwise known as subways. Businesses, hotels, shops and dining are all accessible without ever having to step outdoors in the winter. A variety of galleria shops and businesses are also located along the underground subway. The skyway and subway wheelchair accessibility is useful for patients of the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.

Bus Line - Rochester’s city-owned bus line connects many attractions, hotels, meeting facilities and major industries.

Taxi Service - There are two taxi companies in Rochester, Yellow Cab and RTS Airport Express Rochester. Taxis provide at-the-door pick-up and service from downtown to the airport.

Airport Service - Choose from five different airport shuttle services to take you from the international airport to your destination.

Parking - Park for free in city ramps weekdays 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Many downtown businesses validate parking in the seven city-operated ramps. Street meters are not enforced after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays or on Saturdays or Sundays. The city also offers your first hour free 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. weekdays in city ramps.

Airport - Rochester International Airport is located eight miles south of downtown Rochester and is accessible via Highway 63 or Interstate 90. Taxis ($24.00 to airport) and airport shuttle provide service between the airport and the city’s business centers. The airport features two runways and service terminals operated by American Airlines and Northwest Airlines. A large FedEx terminal, small DHL station and general aviation terminal are also on-site. The airport services flights from all over the world connected through American Eagle (American Airlines) and Northwest Airlines. The Rochester International Airport is an active member of the Rochester community and employs approximately 400 residents.

As in most American cities, the primary mode of transportation in Rochester and the surrounding area is the automobile. The city is served by three U.S. highways (U.S. 14, U.S. 52, and U.S. 63), and the southern edge of Rochester is skirted by Interstate 90. Freight railroad service to and through the city is provided by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad.

Media

The city newspaper is the Post-Bulletin an afternoon paper which publishes six days a week (no Sundays). Papers from the Twin Cities area are available as well. There are two television stations based in Rochester, KTTC channel 10 (NBC) and KXLT channel 47 (FOX). Both TV stations share studios as part of a special agreement between Quincy Newspapers and Shockley Broadcasting. KAAL channel 6 (ABC) in Austin, Minnesota and KIMT [http://www.kimt.com/ channel 3 (CBS) in Mason City, Iowa are among the stations that serve the market.

Rochester is on the fringe of the broadcast area of many Twin Cities radio and television stations, and signals from Iowa and Wisconsin reach the area as well. Radio broadcasters in the local market include:

Radio

FM radio

AM radio

TV Stations

Demographics

According to 2005 census² estimates, there were 94,950 people, 34,116 households, and 21,493 families residing in the city. The population density was 836.4/km² (2,166.3/mi²). There were 35,346 housing units at an average density of 344.5/km² (892.4/mi²).

Racial Makeup

82.51% White

10.57% African American

0.30% Native American

4.63% Asian

0.04% Pacific Islander

1.16% from other races

1.79% from two or more races.

1.99% Hispanic of the population.

There were 34,116 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.06.

Population is spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $49,090, and the median income for a family was $60,754. Males had a median income of $40,380 versus $30,136 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,811. About 4.7% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

See also

References

External links

Cities in Minnesota | Olmsted County, Minnesota | Rochester, Minnesota | Zumbro River

Rochester (Minnesota) | Rochester, Minnesota | Rochester, Minnesota | Rochester (Minnesota)

 

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

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