As the streetcar system expanded further south, the opportunity for residential development became inevitable. This is the main reason that the southwest corner of Minneapolis was developed, and became known as the Southwest community. Parts of the community were originally part of Richfield but annexed to Minneapolis in the mid-1920s. Homes in the area began to rise up in the 1940s, and by 1960 most of the community was established.

Prior to annexation by the City of Minneapolis, the much of the area was was farm country. Throughout most of the nineteenth century, the area was a rural and full of rolling fields and pastures south and east of Lake Harriet. Declining economic conditions slowed development in the early 1900s, but with the extension of the streetcar line, the areas north and east of Minnehaha Creek were mostly developed by 1925, and the areas south and west of the creek developed during the 1930s and 40s.

In 1886, William Washburn (former US Senator from Minnesota) and other investors bought 200 acres of farmland near Minnehaha Creek for a wealthy residential development. It was purchased like this that allowed residential development to be dedicated to the city, along with parkland. Today, the community is one of the most coveted residential havens in Minneapolis.

If you have any questions regarding the city of Minneapolis, the Southwest Community, or if you would like to sell or buy a house in the area, please feel free to visit Twin Cities Property Finder or call 1-800-909-1953