Dakota County is the third-most populous

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, located in the east central portion of the state. As of the 2020 census, the population was 439,882. The population of Dakota County was estimated to be 442,038 in 2021. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

. Dakota County is named for the

Dakota Sioux The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided into ...

tribal bands who inhabited the area. The name is recorded as "Dahkotah" in the United States Census records until 1851. Dakota County is included in the

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

–

St. Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

– Bloomington, MN– WI

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

, the sixteenth largest

metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...

in the United States with about 3.64 million residents. The largest city in Dakota County is the city of Lakeville, the eleventh-largest city in Minnesota and sixth-largest Twin Cities suburb. The county is bordered by the

and Mississippi Rivers on the north, and the state of

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

on the east.

History

The county was the site of historical events at Mendota that defined the state's future, including providing materials for the construction of

Fort Snelling Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint Anth ...

across the river and the signing of the

Treaty of Traverse des Sioux The Treaty of Traverse des Sioux () was signed on July 23, 1851, at Traverse des Sioux in Minnesota Territory between the United States government and the Upper Dakota Sioux bands. In this land cession treaty, the Sisseton and Wahpeton Dakota ban ...

which ceded land from the native

Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota, a ...

nation for the Minnesota Territory. The county's history was initially tied to the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, both strategically important for United States expansion and as the convergence of the

and

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

nations who regarded the site as sacred. Influence shifted westward during the post-World War II settlement boom when

Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...

connected the western half of the county to

and

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

and bedroom communities grew. Most work outside the county but like many metro counties, Dakota continues to absorb industry and jobs from the core cities. Little Crow-cropped image

In the 1600s,

Mdewakanton Dakota The Mdewakanton or Mdewakantonwan (also spelled ''Mdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ'' and currently pronounced ''Bdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ'') are one of the sub-tribes of the Isanti (Santee) Dakota (Sioux). Their historic home is Mille Lacs Lake (Dakota: ''Mde Wá ...

fled their ancestral home of

Mille Lacs Lake Mille Lacs Lake (also called Lake Mille Lacs or Mille Lacs) is a large but shallow lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in the counties of Mille Lacs, Aitkin, and Crow Wing, roughly 75 miles north of the Minneapolis-St. Paul m ...

in northern Minnesota in response to westward expansion of the

nation. According to Dakota tradition, their ancestors pushed out the

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

who were found settled at the mouth of the Minnesota River. In 1680, the Mdewakanton Dakota were contacted by French

explorer Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...

Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut ( 1639 – 25 February 1710) was a French soldier and explorer who is the first European known to have visited the area where the city of Duluth, Minnesota, United States, is now located and the head of Lake Superi ...

, and the Mendota (''mdo-TE'') band of the Mdewakanton south of the Minnesota River were contacted by

Joseph Nicollet Joseph Nicolas Nicollet (July 24, 1786 – September 11, 1843), also known as Jean-Nicolas Nicollet, was a French geographer, astronomer, and mathematician known for mapping the Upper Mississippi River basin during the 1830s. Nicollet led three ...

in the 18th century. While

Taoyateduta Little Crow III (Dakota language, Dakota: ''Thaóyate Dúta''; 1810 – July 3, 1863) was a Mdewakanton, Mdewakanton Dakota chief who led a faction of the Dakota people, Dakota in a Dakota War of 1862, five-week war against the United States in ...

(a.k.a. Little Crow) led the Mendota in northern Dakota County, upstream to the southwest, Chief Black Dog established his village of 600 people around 1750 at the isthmus between

Black Dog Lake Black Dog Lake is a lake in Dakota County, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The lake was named for Black Dog, a Sioux Indian. See also *List of lakes in Minnesota This is a list of lakes of Minnesota. Although promoted as the "Land of 10,000 ...

(which is named after him) and the Minnesota River, near the present site of the Black Dog Power Plant.

Following the published expeditions of explorers, in 1805,

Zebulon Pike Zebulon Montgomery Pike (January 5, 1779 – April 27, 1813) was an American brigadier general and explorer for whom Pikes Peak in Colorado was named. As a U.S. Army officer he led two expeditions under authority of President Thomas Jefferson th ...

negotiated for military territory with the Mendota band which included land in Dakota County at the Mississippi River confluences with the Minnesota and St. Croix Rivers. In 1819, on what is now Picnic Island on the south bank of the

Minnesota River The Minnesota River ( dak, Mnísota Wakpá) is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa. It ris ...

, Colonel Henry Leavenworth built a stockade fort called "St. Peter's Cantonment" or "New Hope," where materials were assembled for the construction of

to be built on the bluff on the north bank. Permanent settlement on the island was impossible due to annual flooding. Alexis Bailey built some log buildings nearby to trade in furs in 1826.

Henry Hastings Sibley Henry Hastings Sibley (February 20, 1811 – February 18, 1891) was a fur trader with the American Fur Company, the first U.S. Congressional representative for Minnesota Territory, the first governor of the state of Minnesota, and a U.S. mil ...

later built the first stone house in Minnesota in 1836, overlooking Fort Snelling. Sibley was a partner in the

American Fur Company The American Fur Company (AFC) was founded in 1808, by John Jacob Astor, a German immigrant to the United States. During the 18th century, furs had become a major commodity in Europe, and North America became a major supplier. Several British co ...

, and considerable fur trade occurred at Mendota due to the accessibility of the confluence. Ongoing

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

expansion into the then "Northwest Territory" led to government purchase of land from the Dakota people (the Mdewakanton, Wahpekute, Wahpeton, and

Sisseton Sisseton is a city in Roberts County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,479 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Roberts County. Sisseton is the home to a number of tourist attractions, including the Nicollet Tower, and ...

bands) via the

Treaty of St. Peters Treaty of St. Peters may be one of two treaties conducted between the United States and Native American peoples, conducted at the confluence of the Minnesota River (then called "St. Peters River") with the Mississippi River, in what today is Me ...

, the

, and the

Treaty of Mendota The Treaty of Mendota was signed in Mendota, Minnesota on August 5, 1851 between the United States federal government and the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute Dakota people of Minnesota. The agreement was signed near Pilot Knob on the south bank of the ...

in 1851. After the

Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Minnesota and wester ...

was established in 1849, Dakotah County (later Dakota County) spanned from the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

to the Missouri River. By the time

achieved statehood in 1858, power and influence had shifted from Mendota, across the rivers to

and

Hastings and South St. Paul

By 1900, the hub of activity in the county was in

, the county seat, and a focal point of transportation, communication, and commerce. St. Peter's, now Mendota, had lost out to Fort Snelling. Hastings is located on the

at the confluence of the St. Croix River and on the Vermillion River, which provided ample water power. Lumber, milling, and railroads provided good incomes. During this time, the stockyards and

meat-packing The meat-packing industry (also spelled meatpacking industry or meat packing industry) handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of meat from animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock. Poultry is generally ...

plants in South St. Paul, Minnesota became the world's largest stockyards. Ranchers in the west shipped their livestock to

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

, and

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

. These plants were worked by immigrants from

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...

, and other

Eastern European Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whi ...

countries. The rest of the county remained agricultural during the boom of milling activity north of the Minnesota River due to lack of bridge connections. Rail access came in 1866 via the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Omaha Railroad which shipped grain to millers. The Minneapolis St. Paul Rochester and Dubuque Electric Traction Company line in 1905 (now the

Dan Patch Corridor The Dan Patch Corridor is a proposed commuter rail line that would serve a region which runs from Minneapolis to Northfield, Minnesota. The corridor consists of the tracks on the former Minneapolis St. Paul Rochester and Dubuque Electric Traction ...

), was primary for passengers going to resorts in Burnsville and Lakeville.

Suburban growth

By the 1950s, population growth shifted to western Dakota county, which had been predominantly Irish and Scottish extending southward toward the Scandinavians of Southern Minnesota. As population pressures expanded south from Minneapolis and Bloomington, the completion of Interstate 35W and 35E brought about major construction in the post-World War II period, turning villages into cities within 20 years. Burnsville, Apple Valley,

Eagan Eagan may refer to: People * Daisy Eagan (born 1979), American actress * Dennis Eagan (1926–2012), British field hockey player * Eddie Eagan (1897–1967), American sportsman * James Eagan (1926-2000), American politician from Missouri * John J. ...

, and Lakeville brought over 200,000 people into the county by the end of the century. The Western and Northern Service Centers were constructed in the early 1990s each with an additional courthouse location. License centers were subsequently set up in Burnsville and Lakeville. Though pressure remained since the postwar boom to move the county seat to a larger community, the Dakota County Board maintained the seat in Hastings, while providing government services across the county.

Historic sites

The history of the county is well-illustrated by the

Registered Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in the county, including the settlement at Mendota, the homes of well-heeled residents of Hastings, the ethnic gathering places in South Saint Paul, and other sites related to life on the prairie, including religion, education, transportation, commerce, and farm life.

Law and government

Dakota County is governed by the Board of Commissioners. The members of the Board as of March 1, 2017 are: * Mike Slavik, District 1 * Kathleen Gaylord, District 2 * Thomas Egan, District 3 *

Joe Atkins Joseph Atkins (born October 6, 1965) is a Minnesota attorney and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 52B, which included portions of ...

, District 4 * Liz Workman, District 5 *

Mary Liz Holberg Mary Liz Holberg (born November 13, 1959) is a Minnesota politician, member of the Dakota County, Minnesota Board of Commissioners, and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, she re ...

, District 6 *

Chris Gerlach Chris Gerlach (born November 17, 1964) is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota Senate representing District 37, which included portions of the cities of Apple Valley, Burnsville and Rosemount in Dakota County, which is l ...

, District 7 Dakota County has an elected

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

(Tim Leslie) and an elected

County Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a loc ...

(James Backstrom). There are appointed boards for the library system, community development agency, and several advisory boards. Dakota County is served by an elected board of the

Soil and Water Conservation District Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

Politics

Dakota County voters tend to vote Democratic. Since 1960, the county has selected the Democratic Party candidate in 71% of national elections (as of 2020).

Geography

The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, sloping to the river valleys. Its highest point is at Buck Hill in Burnsville, at 1,168 feet. ASL."Find an Altitude/Dakota County MN" Google Maps (accessed March 7, 2019)
/ref> The county has a total area of , of which is land and (4.2%) is water.

Rivers

The northern and eastern boundaries of Dakota County are marked by the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. Management and jurisdiction of the rivers falls into multiple local, State and Federal agencies. Most of the Minnesota River bank is under the

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge in eastern and central Minnesota. Located just south of the city of Minneapolis, it is one of fourteen Regional Priority Urban Wildlife Refuges in the nation. Many par ...

with fish, wildlife, and parkland managed collectively by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District assists the county's six watershed management organizations (WMO) which include the Black Dog WMO, Gun Club Lake WMO, Lower Minnesota River Watershed District, Lower Mississippi WMO, North Cannon River WMO, and the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization. *

: Adjacent to

Mendota Heights Mendota Heights is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It is a first ring southern suburb of the Twin Cities. The population was 11,744 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Geography According to ...

, Lilydale,

South St. Paul South St. Paul is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County, Minnesota, United States, located immediately south and southeast of Saint Paul, Minnesota, St. Paul. It is also east of West St. Paul, Minnesota, West St. Paul. The population ...

Inver Grove Heights Inver Grove Heights is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 35,801 at the 2020 census. The city was formed on March 9, 1965, with the merger of the village of Inver Grove and Inver Grove Township. It is one of 1 ...

, Rosemount, and Hastings. *

: Adjacent to Burnsville,

, Mendota Heights, and Mendota. * Vermillion River: From

Farmington Farmington may refer to: Places Canada *Farmington, British Columbia * Farmington, Nova Scotia (disambiguation) United States *Farmington, Arkansas *Farmington, California *Farmington, Connecticut *Farmington, Delaware * Farmington, Georgia * ...

through Empire Township to Hastings. * Cannon River: Adjacent to

Randolph Randolph may refer to: Places In the United States * Randolph, Alabama, an unincorporated community * Randolph, Arizona, a populated place * Randolph, California, a village merged into the city of Brea * Randolph, Illinois, an unincorporated commun ...

and through Randolph Township.

Lakes

Major highways

Interstate 35E * I-35W

Interstate 35W * I-494

Interstate 494 Interstate 494 (I-494) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway making up part of a beltway of I-94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota. The road is coupled with I- ...

US Highway 52 * US 61

US Highway 61 U.S. Route 61 or U.S. Highway 61 (U.S. 61) is a major United States highway that extends between New Orleans, Louisiana and the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River and is designated ...

Minnesota State Highway 3 Minnesota State Highway 3 (MN 3) is a state highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with MN 21 in Faribault and continues north to its northern terminus at an intersection with MN 5 in downtown Saint Paul. Until ...

Minnesota State Highway 13 Minnesota State Highway 13 (MN 13) is a highway in Minnesota that runs from its intersection with U.S. Highway 65 in Albert Lea to its northern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 149 at the West St. Paul / Saint Paul city boundar ...

Minnesota State Highway 19 Minnesota State Highway 19 (MN 19) is a highway in southwest and southeast Minnesota, which runs from South Dakota Highway 30 at the South Dakota state line near Ivanhoe and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S. High ...

Minnesota State Highway 20 Minnesota State Highway 20 (MN 20) is a short highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its Intersection (road), intersection with Minnesota State Highway 19, State Highway 19 in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, Cannon Falls (near U.S. Route 52 in M ...

Minnesota State Highway 50 Minnesota State Highway 50 (MN 50) is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 3 and Dakota County Road 74 in Farmington and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S. 61 and State H ...

Minnesota State Highway 55 Minnesota State Highway 55 (MN 55) is a highway in west-central, central, and east-central Minnesota, which runs from the North Dakota state line near Tenney and continues east and southeast to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S. Hi ...

Minnesota State Highway 56 Minnesota State Highway 56 (MN 56) is a highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with U.S. Highway 63 near the Iowa state line and Chester, Iowa, and continues north to its northern terminus at its junction with U.S. ...

Minnesota State Highway 62 Minnesota State Highway 62 can refer to two distinct state highways in Minnesota. *Minnesota State Highway 62 (Murray–Cottonwood counties), the original Highway 62 in southwest Minnesota, an east-west route between the cities of Fulda and Windom ...

Minnesota State Highway 77 Minnesota State Highway 77 (MN 77) is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with 138th Street (north of Dakota County Road 42) in Apple Valley and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with Stat ...

Minnesota State Highway 149 Minnesota State Highway 149 (MN 149) is a highway in Minnesota that runs from its intersection with State Highway 3 in Inver Grove Heights to its northern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 5 (W. 7th Street) in Saint Paul. Out ...

Minnesota State Highway 156 Minnesota State Highway 156 (MN 156) is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from the Dakota–Ramsey county line to an interchange with U.S. Highway 52 (the Lafayette Freeway) near downtown Saint Paul. It had previously began at an interchang ...

Minnesota State Highway 316 State Highway 316 (MN 316) is a highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its first intersection with U.S. Highway 61 in Welch Township, near Miesville; and continues north to its second intersection with U.S. Highway 61 in the city ...

County Road 42 * County 23 (MN)

County Road 23 * '' Other County Roads''

Adjacent counties

* Ramsey County - north * Washington County - northeast *

Pierce County, Wisconsin Pierce County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,212. Its county seat is Ellsworth. Pierce County is part of the Minneapolis–St. Paul– Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area ...

- east * Goodhue County - southeast * Rice County - southwest * Scott County - west *

Hennepin County Hennepin County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its county seat is Minneapolis, the state's most populous city. The county is named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. The county extends from Minneapol ...

- northwest

Protected areas

The following protected areas are within or partially within Dakota County: * Chub Lake Wildlife Management Area *

Fort Snelling State Park Fort Snelling State Park is a state park of the U.S. state of Minnesota, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. For many centuries, the area of the modern park has been of importance to the Mdewakanton Dakota people who consi ...

(part) * Hastings Sand Coulee Scientific and Natural Area *

Miesville Ravine Park Reserve Miesville Ravine Park Reserve is a Dakota County park near the town of Miesville, Minnesota, United States. It preserves over of biologically diverse land in the Cannon River valley. Most of the park is wooded with mature oak, maple, cottonwood ...

(part) *

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is a and protected corridor along the Mississippi River through the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro in the U.S. state of Minnesota, from the cities of Dayton and Ramsey, to just downstream of Ha ...

(part) * Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve (part) * National Wildlife Refuge, Bloomington (part) *

Spring Lake Regional Park Spring Lake Regional Park is a public park in southeastern Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, United States. Centered on the Santa Rosa Creek Reservoir, the park is administered by the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department. Its coordinates ...

& Park Reserve * Vermillion Highlands * Whitetail Woods Regional Park

Parks

The following parks are located within Dakota County: *

Big Rivers Regional Trail Big Rivers Regional Trail is a paved rail trail that overlooks the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers along the northern edge of Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It runs between the cities of Eagan and Lilydale. The trai ...

* Dakota County Bikeway System * Dakota Woods Dog Park * Lake Byllesby Regional Park *

Lebanon Hills Regional Park Lebanon Hills Regional Park is a park in Eagan and Apple Valley, Minnesota. The park, the largest in Dakota County, contains forests, grasslands, marshes, and wetlands. Winter activities include skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, ice fishing, h ...

* Thompson County Park

Economy

Since the county grew as a bedroom community of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, over half of the residents (54%) work outside the county.

Demographics

2020 census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2010 census

According to the 2010 census, Dakota County had a population of 398,552, of which 195,661 (49.1%) were male and 202,891 (50.9%) were female. In terms of age, 76.7% of the population were 16 years and over, 73.6% were 18 years and over, 70.5% were 21 years and over, 12.8% were 62 years and over, and 10.0% were 65 years and over. The median age was 36.8 years. The median age for males was 35.7; the median age for females was 37.9. In terms of race and ethnicity, the county was 85.2% White (82.3% Non-Hispanic White), 4.7% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 2.4% from some other race, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 6.0% of the population. In terms of households, 69.5% were family households and 30.5% were non-family households. Approximately 55.2% were husband-wife family households; 26% had children under 18 years of age. Approximately 36.6% of households had children under 18 years of age living in them; 18.6% had people over the age of 65 living in them. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.12. In terms of housing occupancy, 95.3% of households were occupied and 4.7% were vacant. Of the vacant housing units, 2.0% were for rent, 0.1% were rented but not occupied, 1.2% were for sale only, 0.2% were sold but not occupied, 0.5% were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use, and 0.8% were all other vacants. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.1%. Of all occupied housing units, 76.5% were owner-occupied and 23.5% were renter-occupied. The population in owner-occupied units was 314,833; the average household size was 2.71. The population in renter-occupied units was 80,866; the average household size was 2.26.

Education

Dakota County is home to the state's largest school districts and some of the highest paid Superintendents. Nationally recognized Independent School District 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan) houses 28,000 and is the fourth largest school district in the state. Other districts include Independent School District 191 ( Burnsville–Eagan–Savage School District),

Independent School District 194 Independent School District 194 is a state and nationally recognized K-12 public school district located in Lakeville, Minnesota. Also known as the Lakeville School District, District 194 serves approximately 11,084 students in grades Early Chi ...

(Lakeville–Elko–New Market), Independent School District 197 (West St. Paul–Mendota Heights–Eagan) and Independent School District 200 (Hastings).

Schools

High school

Apple Valley High School Apple Valley High School is the name of two high schools in the United States: *Apple Valley High School (California) *Apple Valley High School (Minnesota) Apple Valley High School (AVHS) is a public four-year high school in the U.S. city of Ap ...

(ISD 196) *

Burnsville Senior High School Burnsville High School (BHS) is a four-year public high school in Burnsville, Minnesota, United States. Burnsville is a southern suburb about 15 miles south of Minneapolis. The school is part of Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191, which ...

(ISD 191) *

Burnsville Alternative High School Burnsville Alternative High School (BAHS) is a public alternative high school in Eagan, Minnesota, United States. It is part of the Burnsville–Eagan–Savage School District 191. Students do not have to be residents of the school district to ...

(ISD 191) *

Eagan High School Eagan High School (EHS) is a public high school in east-central Eagan, Minnesota, United States. The school opened in fall 1989 for ninth-grade students and for grades ten through twelve the following year. It is particularly noted for its fine a ...

(ISD 196) *

Eastview High School Eastview High School is a comprehensive and college preparatory public high school in Apple Valley, Minnesota, United States. Established in 1997, Eastview is the newest of the four high schools serving Independent School District 196. ''Newsweek ...

(ISD 196) * Farmington Senior High School (ISD 192) * Hastings Area Alternative School & Learning Center (ISD 200) * Hastings High School (ISD 200) * Two Rivers High School (ISD 197) *

Lakeville North High School Lakeville North High School (LNHS) is a public high school in northern Lakeville, Minnesota, United States. Formerly Lakeville High School, LNHS received its current name when a second high school, Lakeville South High School, was built. Grades ...

(ISD 194) *

Lakeville South High School Lakeville South High School (LSHS) is a high school located Lakeville, Minnesota, United States. To meet the needs of a growing population, in the early 2000s the district began construction of LSHS. LSHS enrolled students for the first time in ...

(ISD 194) *

Rosemount High School Rosemount High School is a public four-year high school in Rosemount, Minnesota, United States, founded in 1918. The school is one of four four-year high schools in Independent School District 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District). ...

(ISD 196) * School of Environmental Studies (ISD 196) *

Simley High School Simley High School is a public high school in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, United States. The school opened in 1960 with a graduating class of 19 students. The school, in 2022, has approximately 1,200 students enrolled in grades 912. As of the ...

(ISD 199) * South Saint Paul High School (SSD 6)

Junior high school

* Black Hawk Middle School (ISD 196) * Boeckman Middle School (ISD 192) * Century Middle School (ISD 194) * Dakota Hills Middle (ISD 196) * Dodge Middle School (ISD 192) * Friendly Hills Middle School (ISD 197) * Gateway Academy (ISD 192) * Hastings Middle School (ISD 200) * Heritage E-STEM Magnet School (ISD 197) * John Metcalf Junior High School (ISD 191) * Joseph Nicollet Junior High School (ISD 191) * Kenwood Trail Middle School (ISD 194) * Levi P. Dodge Middle School (ISD 192) * McGuire Middle School (ISD 194) * Robert Boeckman Middle School (ISD 192) *

Rosemount Middle School Independent School District 196 is a K-12 public school district located in the south suburban Twin Cities, near both Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota. Also known as the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District, District 196 serves appr ...

(ISD 196) *

Scott Highlands Middle School Independent School District 196 is a K-12 public school district located in the south suburban Twin Cities, near both Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota. Also known as the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District, District 196 serves appr ...

(ISD 196) * South Saint Paul Secondary (SSD 6) * Valley Middle School (ISD 196)

Elementary school

* Akin Road Elementary (ISD 192) * Cedar Park Elementary School (ISD 196) * Cherry View Elementary School (ISD 194) * Christa McAuliffe Elementary (ISD 200) * Christina Huddleston Elementary School (ISD 194) * Cooper Elementary (ISD 200) * Deerwood Elementary (ISD 196) * Diamond Path Elementary (ISD 196) * East Lake Elementary (ISD 196) * Eastview Elementary School (ISD 194) * Echo Park Elementary (ISD 196) * Edward D. Neill Elementary (ISD 191) * Farmington Elementary (ISD 192) * Garlough Environmental Magnet School (ISD 197) * Gideon Pond Elementary (ISD 191) * Glacier Hills Elementary (ISD 196) * Greenleaf Elementary (ISD 196) * Highland Elementary (ISD 196) * John F. Kennedy Elementary (ISD 194) * Kaposia Education Center (SSD 6) * Lake Marion Elementary School (ISD 194) * Lakeview Elementary School (ISD 194) * Lincoln Center Elementary (SSD 6) * Meadowview Elementary (ISD 192) * Mendota Elementary School (ISD 197) * Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School (ISD 197) * North Trail Elementary (ISD 192) * Northview Elementary (ISD 196) * Oak Hills Elementary School (ISD 194) * Oak Ridge Elementary (ISD 196) * Orchard Lake Elementary (ISD 194) * Parkview Elementary (ISD 196) * Pilot Knob STEM Magnet School (ISD 197) * Pinecrest Elementary (ISD 200) * Pinewood Elementary (ISD 196) * Rahn Elementary (ISD 191) * Red Pine Elementary (ISD 196) * Riverview Elementary (ISD 192) * Rosemount Elementary (ISD 196) * Shannon Park (ISD 196) * Sioux Trail Elementary (ISD 191) * Sky Oaks Elementary (ISD 191) * Somerset Elementary School (ISD 197) * Southview Elementary (ISD 196) * Thomas Lake Elementary (ISD 196) * Tilden Elementary (ISD 200) * Vista View Elementary (ISD 191) * William Byrne Elementary (ISD 191) * Westview Elementary (ISD 196) * Woodland Elementary (ISD 196)

Other schools

* Saint Joseph Catholic School (pre-kindergarten–8th grade) * St. Croix Lutheran High School and Middle School * Holy Trinity Catholic School (pre-kindergarten–8th grade) * Faithful Shepherd Catholic School (pre-kindergarten-8th grade)

Colleges and universities

Dakota County Technical College Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) is a public, two-year technical college in Rosemount, Minnesota, United States. It is located in Dakota County inside the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. DCTC belongs to the Minnesota State Colle ...

* Inver Hills Community College

Libraries

* Burnhaven Library in Burnsville * Farmington Library in

* Galaxie Library in Apple Valley * Heritage Library in Lakeville * Inver Glen Library in

* Pleasant Hill Library in

* Robert Trail Library in Rosemount * City of South St. Paul Library in

* Wentworth Library in West St. Paul * Wescott Library in

Communities

Dakota County is home to sites significant in the state's early history. At Mendota, the

was signed, opening Southern Minnesota to settlement, and prominent Saint Paul businessmen built their mansions there. Though linked with the state's capital for much of history via rail, Dakota County owes much of its current growth to the expansion of Minneapolis' population which accelerated during the post-World War II boom era of the 1960s. This demand for housing along with two major interstate highways linking Minneapolis (I-35W) and St. Paul (I-35E) to the county, concentrated major growth and demand along the northern end. Today, the cities of Burnsville, Eagan, Apple Valley, Lakeville, Rosemount, Hastings, Inver Grove Heights, Mendota Heights, West St. Paul, and South St. Paul are synonymous with the Twin Cities, as being part of "the Cities." Both Burnsville and Eagan are nearly developed and have become more like independent cities attracting major development than mere residential bedroom suburbs. Lakevillestores

In contrast, the southern part of Dakota County reflects the rural past with small towns such as Farmington, Coates, Vermillion, Hampton, Randolph, and Miesville where street grids and housing dating from the early 20th century can be found. Much of the county is self-contained except for two examples. The City of Hastings, the county seat, lies on both banks of the Mississippi River and was linked historically and physically by rail to the growing influence of the state's capital, Saint Paul. On the south border, the City of Northfield, technically in Rice County, has expanded north into Dakota however the city itself is allowed into the municipal sewer boundary. Though all of Dakota County is considered part of the metropolitan area and open to major development, the county government has steadily preserved farmland and continues to acquire new permanent natural lands in the southern townships. This has further defined the boundaries between urbanized and rural which is starkly visible in the outskirts of the developed cities. While the center of population still lies north with more cosmopolitan residents, culturally Dakota County is a rural community and the

Dakota County Fair The Horticulture Building was a building at the Dakota County Fairgrounds in Farmington, Minnesota, United States. It was built in 1918 and demolished in 1988. Dakota County Fair The Dakota County Fair began in 1858 when the Dakota County Agricu ...

is still a largely agricultural event, held annually in Farmington. Most of northern Dakota County is referred to as "South of the River" for its location being south of the Minnesota River.

Cities (2020 population estimate)

* Apple Valley 55,059 * Burnsville 61,461 * Coates 161 *

67,097 *

23,901 *

Hampton Hampton may refer to: Places Australia *Hampton bioregion, an IBRA biogeographic region in Western Australia *Hampton, New South Wales *Hampton, Queensland, a town in the Toowoomba Region *Hampton, Victoria Canada *Hampton, New Brunswick *Hamp ...

689 *

(partly in Washington County) 22,849 *

36,025 * Lakeville 69,295 * Lilydale 623 * Mendota 198 *

11,492 * Miesville 125 * New Trier 112 *

Northfield Northfield may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Northfield, Aberdeen, Scotland * Northfield, Edinburgh, Scotland * Northfield, Birmingham, England * Northfield (Kettering BC Ward), Northamptonshire, England United States * Northfield, Connec ...

(mostly in Rice County) 20,774 *

436 * Rosemount 25,441 *

20,165 * Sunfish Lake 521 *

Vermillion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color, color family, and pigment most often made, since antiquity until the 19th century, from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide, which is toxic) and its corresponding color. It is ...

419 * West St. Paul 19,738

Unincorporated communities

* Castle Rock *

Etter Etter is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Albert Etter (born 1872), American horticulturist *Bill Etter (born 1950), American football quarterback *Bob Etter (born 1945), American football placekicker, bridge player, and profess ...

* Eureka Center *

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

* Rosemount

Ghost towns

* Lewiston *

Nininger Nininger can refer to: ;People * Alexander R. Nininger, recipient of the Medal of Honor * Harvey H. Nininger, meteorite collector ;Place names In the United States: * Nininger, Minnesota Nininger is a ghost town in section 18 of Nininger Tow ...

Townships

* Castle Rock Township * Douglas Township * Empire Township * Eureka Township * Greenvale Township * Hampton Township * Marshan Township * Nininger Township * Randolph Township * Ravenna Township * Sciota Township * Vermillion Township * Waterford Township

Notable people

Pierce Butler Pierce or Piers Butler may refer to: *Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond (c. 1467 – 26 August 1539), Anglo-Irish nobleman in the Peerage of Ireland *Piers Butler, 3rd Viscount Galmoye (1652–1740), Anglo-Irish nobleman in the Peerage of Ireland *Pi ...

, United States Supreme Court justice *

Ignatius Donnelly Ignatius Loyola Donnelly (November 3, 1831 – January 1, 1901) was an American Congressman, populist writer, and fringe scientist. He is known primarily now for his fringe theories concerning Atlantis, Catastrophism (especially the idea of an a ...

, politician *

Steven Engler Steven Joseph Engler (born 1962) is a Canadian scholar of religion, Professor at Mount Royal University, '' Professor Colaborador'' in the Graduate Program in '' Ciêncas da Religião'' at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (Brazil), ...

, politician *

David Knutson David L. Knutson (born November 24, 1959) is an American politician and judge in the state of Minnesota. Knutson graduated from Burnsville High School in Burnsville, Minnesota. Knutson graduated from St. Olaf College and from William Mitchell Co ...

, Minnesota State Senator of District 37, 2003-2004 *

, first Governor of Minnesota *

Harold Stassen Harold Edward Stassen (April 13, 1907 – March 4, 2001) was an American politician who was the 25th Governor of Minnesota. He was a leading candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 1948, considered for a ti ...

(R) The registered trademark symbol, , is a typographic symbol that provides notice that the preceding word or symbol is a trademark or service mark that has been registered with a national trademark office. A trademark is a symbol, word, or word ...

, Former Governor of Minnesota, Aide to Adm.

Bull Halsey William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. (October 30, 1882 – August 16, 1959) was an American Navy admiral during World War II. He is one of four officers to have attained the rank of five-star fleet admiral of the United States Navy, the other ...

, Aide to President

Dwight Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

, Participant/Drafter of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

Charter

References

External links

Dakota County Historical Society

Dakota County government's website

Dakota County Parks

Dakota County Community Development Agency

{{authority control Minneapolis–Saint Paul Minnesota counties Minnesota counties on the Mississippi River Minnesota placenames of Native American origin 1849 establishments in Minnesota Territory Populated places established in 1849