Cottage Grove is a city south of

Saint Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

in Washington County in the

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

. It lies on the north bank of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

, north of the confluence with the St. Croix River. Cottage Grove and nearby suburbs form the southeast portion of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the 16th-largest

metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...

in the United States, with about 3.69 million residents. Its population was 38,839 at the 2020 census. The city is linked by U.S. Highways 10 and 61 and has a comfortable commute to both downtowns and the I-494 Strip in Bloomington. 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. 3M has operated a production facility in Cottage Grove since 1947.

History

Cottage Grove was

plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...

ted in 1871. The Precolumbian

Schilling Archeological District The Schilling Archeological District (Smithsonian trinomial 21WA1) is a prehistoric Native American archaeological site on private property on Lower Grey Cloud Island in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, United States. It consists of a habitation site ...

, 1850

Grey Cloud Lime Kiln Grey (more frequent in British English) or gray (more frequent in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning that it has no chroma. It is the color of a cloud-covered sk ...

, 1871 John P. Furber House, and 1917 Cordenio Severance House are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

Geography

Cottage Grove is 11 miles southeast of

St. Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

. It is accessed by

U.S. 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 designat ...

and

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 ...

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has an area of ; is land and is water. The city has more land adjacent to the

than any other city in Minnesota. It is bordered by Woodbury to the north,

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

to the south, St. Paul Park to the west, Newport to the northwest, and Denmark Township to the east. The city is approximately half an hour at posted speeds from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Southeastern Cottage Grove is five miles from the

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

border.

Demographics

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 Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $23,348. About 1.8% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.

2010 Census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 34,589 people, 11,719 households, and 9,437 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 12,102 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 86.5%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 3.9%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.5% Native American, 5.3% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 1.4% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 4.8% of the population. There were 11,719 households, of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 19.5% were non-families. 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.27. The median age in the city was 35 years. 29% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 8.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.

2000 Census

As of the

of 2000, there were 30,582 people, 9,932 households, and 8,462 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 10,024 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.54%

, 2.35%

, 0.41% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.06%

, 0.91% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races.

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

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.

Economy

3M has operated a production facility in Cottage Grove since 1947 to manufacture adhesive products, industrial polymers, and reflective road sign materials, and for research and development. PFC production began as a pilot around 1947; full-scale commercial

PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA; conjugate base perfluorooctanoate; also known colloquially as C8, from its chemical formula C8HF15O2) is a perfluorinated carboxylic acid produced and used worldwide as an industrial surfactant in chemical process ...

production began in 1976 and was phased out in 2002. The site is part of the

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is a Minnesota state agency that monitors environmental quality, offers technical and financial assistance, and enforces environmental regulations for the State of Minnesota. The MPCA finds and clean ...

Superfund program for perfluorochemical contamination.

Arts and culture

Annual cultural events

Cottage Grove's annual Strawberry Fest draws thousands of residents together to celebrate. This event is held at Kingston Park, usually in the second week of June. A parade occurs the Saturday of the festival, in which organizations or businesses can have a float, throw out candy, and advertise. On the Saturday of the festival, usually after the parade, organizations and businesses advertise in booths at the soccer fields at Kingston Park. They hand out free things and talk to the residents of Cottage Grove about their businesses. There are fireworks on the Saturday of the festival around 10 pm. There are many carnival games, rides, and food. Every night of the festival except Sunday, bands play in the Kingston parking lot. Alcohol is allowed but only in a designated area.

Museums and other points of interest

Historic places include Cedarhurst Mansion, Schilling Archeological District, Atkinson Cemetery, Cottage Grove Town Hall, Old People's Home of the Northwest Cemetery, Grey Cloud Lime Kiln, John P. Furber House, Dr. Arthur H. Steen House, First Congregational Church (Accacia Lodge No. 51), William W. Furber House, Cottage Grove Cemetery, Harry Roberts House, Lamar Avenue Larch Trees, and Hope Glen Farm. Cottage Grove is home to Ravine Regional Park, with the entrance off of Keats Ave S. It is open daily from 6 A.M. to 10 P.M. The park has 515 acres of woods, hills, and prairie fields, creating a unique habitat for an assortment of species. A vehicle permit is required to enter the park grounds. In 2013, Cottage Grove opened a splash pad at Highland Park off of 70th street. This is a smaller water attraction intended for small children. It has many sprinklers that shoot water. Several other splash pads in the Cottage Grove area are expected to open at other parks. Cottage Grove has an 18-hole disc golf course in Oak Wood park, near its retail area. The course has a variety of different length holes and women's tees. Cottage Grove had one of the two remaining

drive-in theater A drive-in theater/theatre or drive-in cinema is a form of movie theater, cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor movie screen, a projection booth, a concession stand, and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, c ...

s in operation in the Twin Cities area, the Cottage View Drive-In. It was near the Innovation Road exit of Highway 61. It closed after the 2012 season and was torn down. The land is now occupied by a Wal-Mart that opened in 2014.

Government

Cottage Grove is in

Minnesota's 2nd congressional district Minnesota's 2nd congressional district covers the south Twin Cities metro area and contains all of Scott, Dakota, and Le Sueur counties. It also contains part of northern and eastern Rice County including the city of Northfield, as well as ...

, represented by

Angie Craig Angela Dawn Craig (born February 14, 1972) is an American politician, retired journalist, and former businesswoman. A member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), she has served as the U.S. representative from since 2019. The distri ...

. Its public buildings include City Hall, a three-sheet ice arena, four fire stations, a public works building and an 18-hole championship golf course, River Oaks. Washington County also has two buildings in town, the library and the South Washington County Service Center.

Education

Cottage Grove is part of the South Washington County School District. High School students living in Cottage Grove usually attend either Park High School or East Ridge High School. Cottage Grove also has the school district's Alternative Learning Center (ALC). Middle School students living in Cottage Grove usually attend either Cottage Grove Middle School or Oltman Middle School. Elementary School students usually attend one of the six elementary schools in the city: Armstrong Elementary, Cottage Grove Elementary, Crestview Elementary, Grey Cloud Elementary, Hillside Elementary, and Pine Hill Elementary.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Mainlines to Chicago of both the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...

and

BNSF BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that provide ...

pass through Cottage Grove between US 61 and the Mississippi River.

Notable people

* Seth Appert, National Hockey League Coach *

Michael Birawer Michael Birawer (born April 17, 1971) is an American artist. Born and based in St. Paul, Minnesota, he is known for his surrealist paintings of urban settings and their inhabitants. Artwork Birawer, a graduate of St. Paul's College of Visual Ar ...

, artist * Mark Doten, novelist and librettist * Aurilla Furber, poet * Joseph W. Furber, Minnesota legislator *

Walter R. Hanson Walter "Wally" R. Hanson (March 26, 1931 – August 7, 2014) was an American politician. Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Hanson served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He went to University of Minnesota. Hanson worked for ...

, Minnesota state legislator * Sam Jacobson, former NBA player; born in Cottage Grove *

Kerry Ligtenberg Kerry Dale Ligtenberg (born May 11, 1971) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and coach. Early life Ligtenberg was born in Rapid City, South Dakota. He graduated from Park High School in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Playing career ...

, former MLB pitcher; attended high school in Cottage Grove *

Manila Luzon Karl Philip Michael Westerberg (born August 10, 1981), known professionally as Manila Luzon, is a Filipino-American drag queen, reality television personality, recording artist, and comedian. Luzon came to international attention as a contestant ...

, entertainer and runner-up on the third season of ''

RuPaul's Drag Race ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the Drag Race (franchise), ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder (company), World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, ...

'' *

Sean O'Connell Sean O'Connell (1930s – July 2003) was a Gaelic football manager and player who featured for the Derry county team in the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and was on the Derry side that finished runners-up to Dublin in the 1958 All-Ireland Champ ...

, retired professional

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

Seann William Scott Seann William Scott (born October 3, 1976) is an American actor. In film, Scott is best known for his breakout role as Steve Stifler in the ''American Pie'' film series (1999–2012). He also starred in a lead role as Doug Glatt in '' Goon'' (2 ...

, actor

References

External links

*
History of Cottage Grove, MN—by Nancy Eike—from Washington County Historical Society
{{Authority control Cities in Minnesota Cities in Washington County, Minnesota Minnesota populated places on the Mississippi River Populated places established in 1963 1963 establishments in Minnesota