Blaine, Minnesota

Blaine, Minnesota is a city in Anoka and Ramsey counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 57,186 at the 2010 census. The city is located mainly in Anoka County, and is part of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul urban area.

Interstate Highway 35W, U.S. Highway 10, and Minnesota State Trunk Highway 65 are three of the main arterial routes in the city.

History and culture
Until 1877 Blaine was part of the city of Anoka, Minnesota. Phillip Laddy, a native of Ireland, is recognized as the first settler in Blaine and settled near a lake that now bears his name, Laddie Lake, in 1862. Laddy died shortly after his arrival and his survivors moved on to Minneapolis. Another early settler was the Englishman George Townsend, who lived for a short time near what would today be Lever St. and 103rd Ave.

It was not until 1865 that Blaine’s first permanent resident, Green Chambers, settled on the old Townsend claim. Chambers was a former slave who moved north from Barren County, Kentucky, following the Civil War. In 1870 George Wall, Joseph Gagner, and soon others settled in the area and it began to grow.

In 1877 Blaine separated from Anoka and organized as a township of its own. That year the first election was held and Moses Ripley was elected as the first Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Ripley, who had come to Minnesota from Maine, persuaded his fellow board members to name the new Township in honor of James G. Blaine, a Republican senator, Speaker of the House and three-time presidential candidate from Maine. By 1880 Blaine’s population had reached 128.

In 2008, a youth TV show, Local Edition with Devry Foss and Austin Gamst, from North Metro TV, started as a local edge-opinion show that covered Blaine like a newscast. Since 1998, Blaine has had North Metro TV News as well, which served Blaine and parts of the North Metro.

While many of the other communities in Anoka County experienced growth due to farming, Blaine’s sandy soil and abundant wetlands discouraged would-be farmers and it remained a prime hunting area. Blaine’s growth remained slow until after World War II when starter home developments began to spring up in the southern part of town and the community changed from a small rural town to a more suburban one. Blaine’s population has grown from 1,694 in 1950 to 20,573 in 1970 to over 57,000 in 2010. For several years Blaine led the Twin Cities metro region in new home construction.

Blaine's growth could be attributed to the development of Interstate Highway 35W, U.S. Highway 10, and Minnesota Highway 65 which increased its accessibility to the Twin Cities making it an attractive location for business and residential development as many people call it home today. Corporate residents include the Aveda Corporation, MagnetStreet and Dayton Rogers Manufacturing.

Blaine is also home to the 600 acre National Sports Center featuring 50 soccer fields, a golf course, a velodrome, and the Schwan Super Rink, containing 4 Olympic and 4 regulation ice rinks in one building.

Education
There are 2 high schools within the city: Blaine High School home to the Bengals in the Anoka-Hennepin School District, and Centennial High School home to the Cougars in the Centennial School District.

The Blaine campus of Globe University/Minnesota School of Business, a for-profit private career college, offers master's, bachelor's and associate degree programs in business, information technology, health sciences and legal sciences. Rasmussen College, a private, for-profit school offering Bachelor's and Associate's degrees, has a location in Blaine.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.0 square miles (88.1 km²), of which, 33.8 square miles (87.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.50% water. Blaine is 13 miles (21 km) from Minneapolis and 20 miles (30 km) from St. Paul.

Blaine can be accessed from nearly every major roadway in the Twin Cities, including Minnesota State Highway 65, Interstate 35W, University Avenue, Lexington Ave, US Highway 10, and Hamlin Avenue.

Top employers
According to Blaine's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:

Notable citizens

 * Brandon Bochenski, NHL Player, born in the city of Blaine on April 4, 1982.
 * Bryan Cupito, former starting quarterback for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, now residing in Blaine.
 * Matt Hendricks, NHL Player, born in Blaine.
 * Kenny Williams, current general manager of the Chicago White Sox.
 * David Backes, NHL Player.
 * Nick Bjugstad, 19th overall pick in 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
 * Patrick O'Bryant, professional basketball player who attended Blaine High School

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,942 people, 15,898 households, and 12,177 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,330 people per square mile (512/km²). There are 16,169 housing units at an average density of 477.6 per square mile (184.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 93.46% White, 0.86% African American, 0.63% Native American, 2.54% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.75% from two or more races. 1.72% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. By 2003 the US census estimated that the population had grown to 50,425.

There are 15,898 households out of which 41.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% are married couples living together, 11.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% are non-families. 17.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 3.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.82 and the average family size is 3.19.

In the city the population is spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 34.8% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 98.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $59,219, and the median income for a family is $63,831. Males have a median income of $40,620 versus $30,452 for females. The per capita income for the city is $22,777. 3.0% of the population and 2.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.0% of those under the age of 18 and 3.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Politics
Blaine, the city, is located in Minnesota's 6th congressional district, represented by Michele Bachmann, who is a Republican.

Republican Party candidates for U.S. President and Vice President and U.S. Senator from Minnesota in 2008 held a rally in Blaine that year.