Dakota County is the third-most populous

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

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 so ...

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 ...

, 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 453,156 in 2024. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

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 ...

. Dakota County is named for the

Dakota Sioux The Dakota (pronounced , or ) 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 the Eastern Dakota and the Wester ...

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 a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

–

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 ...

– Bloomington, MN– WI Metropolitan Statistical Area, the sixteenth 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 3.71 million residents. The largest city in Dakota County is the city of Lakeville, the ninth-largest city in Minnesota and fifth-largest Twin Cities suburb. The county is bordered by the

and Mississippi Rivers on the north, and the state of

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 ...

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 An ...

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 Dakota people, Upper Dakota Sioux bands. In this land cession treaty, the Sisseton and Wahpe ...

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 ...

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 (; Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics, syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains, n ...

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 bo ...

connected the western half of the county to

and

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 ...

and bedroom communities grew. Most work outside the county but like many metro counties, Dakota County 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, shallow lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in the counties of Mille Lacs, Aitkin, and Crow Wing, roughly north of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropol ...

in northern Minnesota in response to westward expansion of the

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

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

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

explorer Exploration is the process of exploring, an activity which has some Expectation (epistemic), expectation of Discovery (observation), discovery. Organised exploration is largely a human activity, but exploratory activity is common to most organis ...

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 thre ...

in the 18th century. While

Taoyateduta Little Crow III ( Dakota: ''Thaóyate Dúta''; 1810 – July 3, 1863) was a Wahpekute Dakota chief who led a faction of the Dakota in a five-week war against the United States in 1862. In 1846, after surviving a violent leadership contest w ...

(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 (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 is named. As a U.S. Army officer he led two expeditions through the Louisiana Purchase territory, first ...

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 () 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 rises in southwestern ...

, 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. mi ...

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 a prominent American company that sold furs, skins, and buffalo robes. It was founded in 1808 by John Jacob Astor, a German Americans, German immigrant to the United States. During its heyday in the early 19th c ...

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

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

expansion into the then "Northwest Territory" led to government purchase of land from the Dakota people (the Mdewakanton, Wahpekute, Wahpeton, and Sisseton bands) via the Treaty of St. Peters, 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 ...

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 the w ...

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

to the

Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...

. 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 n ...

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

St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...

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 * Mem ...

, and

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

. These plants were worked by immigrants from

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

, 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. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountains, and ...

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, Northfield and Southern Railway, Minneapolis S ...

), 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 * Charles Eagan (1921-2010), Canadian scientist * Daisy Eagan (born 1979), American actress * Dennis Eagan (1926–2012), British field hockey player * Eddie Eagan (1897–1967), American sportsman * Edmund Eagan, Canadia ...

, 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

Registered 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 ...

in the county include 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.

Politics and government

Local government

Dakota County is governed by the Board of Commissioners. The members of the Board as of May 7, 2023, are: * Mike Slavik, District 1 *

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 2 * Laurie Halverson, District 3 * William Droste, District 4 * Liz Workman, District 5 * Mary Liz Holberg, District 6 * Mary Hamann-Roland, District 7 Dakota County has an elected Sheriff (Joe Leko) and an elected County Attorney (Kathryn M. Keena). 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.

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 above sea level."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 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, Minnesota, Mendota Heights, Lilydale, Minnesota, Lilydale, South St. Paul, Minnesota, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, Inver Grove Heights, Rosemount, Minnesota, Rosemount, and Hastings. *

: Adjacent to Burnsville,

, Mendota Heights, and Mendota. * Vermillion River: From Farmington, Minnesota, Farmington through Empire, Minnesota, Empire to Hastings. * Cannon River (Minnesota), Cannon River: Adjacent to Randolph, Minnesota, Randolph and through Randolph Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Randolph Township.

Lakes

Major highways

Interstate 35E (Minnesota), Interstate 35E * I-35W

Interstate 35W (Minnesota), Interstate 35W * I-494

Interstate 494 * US 52

U.S. Route 52 in Minnesota, US Highway 52 * US 61

U.S. Route 61 in Minnesota, US Highway 61 * MN-3

Minnesota State Highway 3 * MN-13

Minnesota State Highway 13 * MN-19

Minnesota State Highway 19 * MN-20

Minnesota State Highway 20 * MN-50

Minnesota State Highway 50 * MN-55

Minnesota State Highway 55 * MN-56

Minnesota State Highway 56 * MN-62

Minnesota State Highway 62 * MN-77

Minnesota State Highway 77 * MN-149

Minnesota State Highway 149 * MN-156

Minnesota State Highway 156 * MN-316

Minnesota State Highway 316 * County Road 42 (Minnesota), County Road 42 * Cedar Avenue, County Road 23 * ''County roads in Dakota County, Minnesota, Other County Roads''

Adjacent counties

* Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County - north * Washington County, Minnesota, Washington County - northeast * Pierce County, Wisconsin - east * Goodhue County, Minnesota, Goodhue County - southeast * Rice County, Minnesota, Rice County - southwest * Scott County, Minnesota, Scott County - west * Hennepin County, Minnesota, Hennepin County - northwest

Protected areas

The following protected areas are within or partially within Dakota County: * Chub Lake Wildlife Management Area * Fort Snelling State Park (part) * Hastings Sand Coulee Scientific and Natural Area * Miesville Ravine Park Reserve (part) * Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (part) * Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (part) * Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve (part) * National Wildlife Refuge, Bloomington (part) * Spring Lake Regional Park & Park Reserve * Vermillion Highlands * Whitetail Woods Regional Park

Parks

The following parks are located within Dakota County: * Big Rivers Regional Trail * Dakota County Bikeway System * Dakota Woods Dog Park * Lake Byllesby (Cannon River), Lake Byllesby Regional Park * Lebanon Hills Regional Park * 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

As of the census of 2010, 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 (Lakeville–Elko–New Market), Independent School District 197 (West St. Paul–Mendota Heights–Eagan), Independent School District 200 (Hastings), Special School District 6 (South St. Paul).

Schools

High school

* Apple Valley High School (Minnesota), Apple Valley High School (ISD 196) * Burnsville Senior High School (ISD 191) * Burnsville Alternative High School (ISD 191) * Eagan High School (ISD 196) * Eastview High School (ISD 196) * Farmington Senior High School (Minnesota), Farmington Senior High School (ISD 192) * Hastings Area Alternative School & Learning Center (ISD 200) * Hastings High School (Minnesota), Hastings High School (ISD 200) * Two Rivers High School (Minnesota), Two Rivers High School (ISD 197) * Lakeville North High School (ISD 194) * Lakeville South High School (ISD 194) * Rosemount High School (ISD 196) * School of Environmental Studies, Minnesota, School of Environmental Studies (ISD 196) * Simley High School (ISD 199) * South Saint Paul High School (SSD 6)

Middle 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) * Falcon Ridge Middle School (ISD 196) * 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 (ISD 196) * Scott Highlands Middle School (ISD 196) * South Saint Paul Middle School (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 * Inver Hills Community College

Libraries

* Burnhaven Library in Burnsville * Farmington Library in Farmington, Minnesota, Farmington * Galaxie Library in Apple Valley * Heritage Library in Lakeville * Inver Glen Library in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, Inver Grove Heights * Pleasant Hill Library in

* Robert Trail Library in Rosemount, Minnesota, Rosemount * Kaposia Library in South St. Paul, Minnesota, South St. Paul * Wentworth Library in West St. Paul, Minnesota, 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 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 (2021 population estimate)

* Apple Valley 55,638 * Burnsville 63,943 * Coates, Minnesota, Coates 142 *

68,642 * Empire, Minnesota, Empire 2,444 * Farmington, Minnesota, Farmington 23,534 * Hampton, Minnesota, Hampton 736 *

(partly in Washington County, Minnesota, Washington County) 21,925 * Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, Inver Grove Heights 35,541 * Lakeville 72,812 * Lilydale, Minnesota, Lilydale 800 * Mendota 183 * Mendota Heights, Minnesota, Mendota Heights 11,665 * Miesville, Minnesota, Miesville 134 * New Trier, Minnesota, New Trier 83 * Northfield, Minnesota, Northfield (mostly in Rice County, Minnesota, Rice County) 20,709 * Randolph, Minnesota, Randolph 464 * Rosemount, Minnesota, Rosemount 26,642 * South St. Paul, Minnesota, South St. Paul 20,536 * Sunfish Lake, Minnesota, Sunfish Lake 523 * Vermillion, Minnesota, Vermillion 439 * West St. Paul, Minnesota, West St. Paul 20,822

Unincorporated communities

* Castle Rock, Minnesota, Castle Rock * Etter, Minnesota, Etter * Eureka Center, Minnesota, Eureka Center * Waterford, Minnesota, Waterford

Ghost towns

* Lewiston, Dakota County, Minnesota, Lewiston * Nininger, Minnesota, Nininger

Townships

* Castle Rock Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Castle Rock Township * Douglas Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Douglas Township * Eureka Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Eureka Township * Greenvale Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Greenvale Township * Hampton Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Hampton Township * Marshan Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Marshan Township * Nininger Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Nininger Township * Randolph Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Randolph Township * Ravenna Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Ravenna Township * Sciota Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Sciota Township * Vermillion Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Vermillion Township * Waterford Township, Dakota County, Minnesota, Waterford Township

Notable people

* Pierce Butler (justice), Pierce Butler, United States Supreme Court justice * Ignatius Donnelly, politician * Steven Engler (Minnesota politician), Steven Engler, politician * David Knutson, Minnesota State Senator of District 37, 2003-2004 * William Gates LeDuc, pioneer, politician, brevet brigadier general *

, first Governor of Minnesota * Harold Stassen Republican Party (United States), (R), Former Governor of Minnesota, Aide to Adm. Bull Halsey, Aide to President Dwight Eisenhower, Participant/Drafter of the United Nations Charter

References

External links

Dakota County Historical Society

Dakota County government's website

Dakota County Parks

Dakota County Community Development Agency

{{coord, 44.68, -93.06, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990 Dakota County, Minnesota, 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