Lakeville, Minnesota

Lakeville is a suburb 23 mi south of downtown Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Dakota County. On the south metro fringe, Lakeville is one of the fastest growing cities in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The U.S. Census Bureau recorded the population of the city of Lakeville at 55,954 people in 2010.

Lakeville is located on Interstate Highway 35. With an interstate highway link to the Twin Cities and undeveloped land, Lakeville has grown at rapid pace in the region's exurbia. The city became notable in 1910 when Marion Savage built the Dan Patch Railroad Line to service his Antlers Amusement Park. Subsequently, Lakeville became a flourishing milling center from this line and today, the agriculture industry still is in operation. While a significant percentage of Lakeville's workers commute northward to the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and closer-in suburbs like Bloomington, Lakeville has had major industry since the 1960s—including the Airlake Industrial Park, which is served by Airlake Airport, a regional reliever airport.

History
The Sioux people ceded most of southern Minnesota in the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux in 1851. A military road was constructed between Fort Snelling and the southern forts. In 1855, J.J. Brackett, a Saint Paul lumber baron and mail carrier using the road, decided to plat a site halfway between St. Paul and St. Peter on a lake he named Prairie Lake. The village was established as Lakeville Township in 1858. Notoriety came when Colonel Marion Savage expanded his entertainment business into constructing Antlers Amusement Park in 1910. Riding on fame from his success with the Dan Patch racing horse and the popularity of the park, the lake was renamed Lake Marion, and the rail line servicing the park named the Dan Patch Railroad Line.

With the mostly rural landscape, early settlers were farmers and this owed to a high percentage of Scandinavians. The other group included Irish, Scots, and English who had spread out from Hamilton Landing and Burnsville. In Karen Miller's diary from 1840–1895, Danes reportedly outnumbered Norwegians and travel to Minneapolis was not uncommon for the rural township. Enggren's Grocery was a downtown staple since 1900 until it closed in 2006.

The later 20th century followed typically for the outer-ring suburban Twin Cities with official incorporation as the City of Lakeville in 1967. The agriculture industry continued to sustain itself as postwar development did not immediately absorb Lakeville (as well as I-35's later completion date). In the early 21st century, housing and population increases were due to rising land costs in the metropolitan area, causing Lakeville to become a boomtown.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.5 square miles (97.2 km²), of which, 36.2 square miles (93.7 km²) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.5 km²) of it (3.65%) is water. Lakeville includes the Argonne Farms post-World War I settlement project which failed in the early 20th century and was redeveloped in the 21st century into typical suburban retail. Since it was a semi-autonomous village within Lakeville Township before the city's incorporation, it continues to appear today on maps as Argonne.

As its name implies, Lakeville contains several lakes as well as smaller ponds and wetlands within its borders. The two largest lakes include Lake Marion and Orchard Lake which are heavily used recreational waters used for fishing, boating, and swimming. Smaller named natural lakes include Kingsley Lake and Lee Lake. Valley Lake is a small man-made lake in the northern part of the city.

A branch of the Vermillion River flows through Lakeville. Its headwaters are just west of the city limits in Credit River Township, and it flows eastward across Dakota County until it empties into the Mississippi River at the Wisconsin border. Much of Lakeville drains into the Vermillion River watershed. North Creek, a major tributary of the Vermillion, begins its flow in northern Lakeville and flows eastward to meet the Vermillion near downtown Farmington just east of Lakeville. The Vermillion River has been designated as a trout stream by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,128 people, 13,609 households, and 11,526 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,192.4 people per square mile (460.4/km²). There were 13,799 housing units at an average density of 381.5 per square mile (147.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.26% White, 1.28% African American, 0.38% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.76% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.94% of the population.

There were 13,609 households out of which 56.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.6% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.3% were non-families. 10.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.17 and the average family size was 3.43.

In the city the population was spread out with 36.1% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 37.8% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 2.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 102.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $72,404, and the median income for a family was $76,542 (these figures had risen to $90,014 and $96,662 respectively as of a 2007 estimate ). Males had a median income of $51,405 versus $33,071 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,492. About 1.5% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Lakeville is served by the Airlake Airport, which has a single runway with an ILS approach. The airport is managed by the Metropolitan Airports Commission as a reliever facility to draw general aviation traffic. The FAA operates the Minneapolis ARTCC (air route traffic control center) in Farmington, several miles away from the airport. This center provides traffic control services for Minnesota and surrounding states.

Large farms are still in operation producing leading-revenues in corn, soybeans, and dairy cattle.

Government and Politics
The City of Lakeville is governed by a five member City Council and Mayor, although a City Administrator runs day to day municipal operations. A professional police force and volunteer fire department protect the city's residents. The city operates a large parks department which includes a senior center, an arts and entertainment center, dozens of various neighborhood and community parks, and many miles of multipurpose trails.

Lakeville 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. Lakeville is represented in the Minnesota Senate by District 36 Senator Dave Thompson, and in the Minnesota House primarily by District 36A Representative Mary Liz Holberg and, in the eastern part, by District 36B Representative Pat Garofalo.

Education
The city is served by three different school districts whose boundaries were determined while the community was largely agricultural. Today Independent School District 196 ("Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan") and the Farmington School District #192 service portions of northern and eastern Lakeville. The majority of Lakeville households are served by the Lakeville Area School District #194. In the fall of 2005 the Lakeville School District opened its second high school, Lakeville South. Some students attend public schools in other school districts chosen by their families under Minnesota's open enrollment statute. Lakeville North in 2009 was a Blue Ribbon school of excellence.

Recreation
The city of Lakeville has many recreational opportunities for its residents.

Lakeville's Parks & Recreation Department maintains a total of 62 public properties. These include neighborhood and community parks, athletic fields, playgrounds, greenways, trails, tennis courts, skating rinks, picnic areas, conservation areas, nature areas, several public fishing areas, swimming beaches, and the City's Central Maintenance Facility, Senior Center, and the Lakeville Area Arts Center. Notable parks include: Ritter Farm Park, North Park, Antlers Park, King Park, Valley Lake Park, Aronson Park. Aronson park features a Veterans Memorial

Antlers Beach features a large swimming beach with volleyball courts, baseball diamonds, playground area, water equipment, picnic area, fishing pier, and horseshoe pits. Orchard Lake Beach has a picnic area, shore fishing, playground equipment, and volleyball courts. Valley Lake Beach includes playground equipment, picnic area, walking trail around the lake, fishing pier and seasonal restrooms.

Media

 * Lakeville Thisweek
 * Lakeville Sun Current
 * The Farm Show newspaper has been published from Lakeville since 1976.

Notable natives

 * Todd Bachman, late CEO of Bachman's, killed in Beijing 2008-08-09
 * Elisabeth Bachman, Olympic volleyball player
 * Andy Belmont and Joey Miller, NASCAR drivers
 * Kevin Kaesviharn, pro football player
 * John Kline, U.S. Representative
 * Paul Krause, Pro Football Hall of Fame