Cottage Grove, Minnesota

Cottage Grove is a city located 8 miles (12.5 km) south of Saint Paul in Washington County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the north bank of the Mississippi River, north of a backwash from the confluence with the Saint Croix River. Cottage Grove and nearby suburbs form the southeast portion of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States, with about 3.5 million residents. The population of Cottage Grove was 34,589 at the 2010 census.

The city is a bedroom community of Saint Paul and to a lesser extent Minneapolis linked by U.S. Routes 10 and 61 (co-signed). Once a rural township known for the state's first creameries and wheat production, the area was served by rail lines, river shipping, and grist mills. The primary settlers were from New England and left their architectural influence, which is preserved today.

Formerly containing the railway station village of Langdon, the entire township incorporated into Cottage Grove in 1963. New Englander James Sullivan Norris, an early farmer, called his homestead Cottage Grove which was adopted by the town.

History
The area was settled in the 1840s with the creation of two villages, Langdon and "Old Cottage Grove." When the early settlers arrived, the land was thick with oaks and prairie grasses. This savannah-like landscape was developed into farmland, with many settlers founding dairy farms.

Historic places include: Historic Cedarhurst Mansion, Schilling Archeological District, Atkinson Cemetery, Cottage Grove Town Hall, Old People's Home of the Northwest Cemetery, Grey Cloud Lime Kiln, Historic John P. Furber House, Historic Dr. Arthur H. Steen House, Historic First Congregational Church (Accacia Lodge No. 51), Historic William W. Furber House, Cottage Grove Cemetery, Historic Harry Roberts House, Lamar Avenue Larch Trees, and Hope Glen Farm. The "founding father" of Cottage Grove was James Sullivan Norris. Norris was a New Englander who settled in Afton in 1839.

Geography
Cottage Grove is approximately eight miles southeast of Minnesota's Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, accessed by U.S. Route 61.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.9 square miles (98.2 km²), of which, 34.0 square miles (88.0 km²) of it is land and 3.9 square miles (10.2 km²) of it (10.39%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,582 people, 9,932 households, and 8,462 families residing in the city. The population density was 899.9 people per square mile (347.5/km²). There were 10,024 housing units at an average density of 295.0 per square mile (113.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.54% White, 2.35% African American, 0.41% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.91% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.53% of the population.

There were 9,932 households out of which 49.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.9% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.8% were non-families. 11.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the city the population was spread out with 32.7% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $65,825, and the median income for a family was $68,935 (these figures had risen to $79,342 and $84,185 respectively as of a 2007 estimate ). Males had a median income of $45,567 versus $31,232 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,348. About 1.8% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Cottage Grove is located in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, represented by John Kline, a Republican, scoring 2.8% progressive on a range of issues and 88% conservative based on 2006 House votes.

Cottage Grove's public buildings include the Library, City Hall, Ice Arena, Fire Station, and Public Works building.

Education
Cottage Grove is in South Washington County School District (833). It is served by four high schools (Park High, Woodbury High, East Ridge High, and Alternative Learning Center), four middle schools (Cottage Grove MS, Oltman MS, Lake MS, Woodbury MS), and 16 elementary feeder schools. The district also has preschool programs for children three to five years old. A fourth high school, East Ridge High, opened in the fall of 2009 serving students in grades nine through eleven. East Ridge will be open to twelfth graders for the 2010 - 2011 academic year.

The Park mascot was once the Indians; it is currently the Wolfpack. Cottage Grove Junior High was constructed in 1995 and renamed Cottage Grove Middle School in the summer of 2009; its mascot is the cougar.

Culture
Cottage Grove includes one of the two remaining drive-in theaters in operation in the Twin Cities area, the Cottage View Drive-In. It is located near the Innovation Road exit of Highway 61.

Cottage Grove's annual Stawberryfest draws thousands of residents together to celebrate.

Notable residents

 * Sam Jacobson, former NBA player
 * Seann William Scott, actor
 * Alex Neuberger, actor