Post by ● Oct 10, 2015

City of Maplewood: A Brief History

Tagged: Community Profiles, Maplewood Minnesota, Minnesota History, , , , , , ,

The origin and establishment of the city of Maplewood, Minnesota goes back nearly 150 years. Before the settlers appeared, the Dakota Indians mainly occupied the land in Maplewood. The topography was a combination of small forest and open prairie, with several pockets of wetlands and lakes scattered about.

In 1850, a small group of families traveled away from St. Paul to find a new place to live. The names of these families were the Bells, Caseys, Conlins, and Vincents. They eventually found an area they liked and settled, building log houses to live in. Eventually, the local Indians, who weren’t all too pleased, discovered them. The Dakota gave them the chance to leave and the families hurriedly retreated back home. The settlers made many efforts to return to the area. They had even legally purchased it from the government for 2 dollars an acre. But time after time they were told to leave. Finally, three years later, they learned that the Ojibway had driven the Dakota out of the area. The Ojibway only wanted to hunt, and they did not care if the settlers came. Not only did the original families discover this, but several other families did as well. As the next few decades went by, the settlers formed a small community and lived in peace with the Ojibway.

The first means of transportation in this community was a stagecoach line that traveled along present day Edgerton Street. Today it is one of the main streets in Maplewood. The stagecoach started in 1856, and it cost 10 dollars for a one-way trip from St. Paul to Duluth. The line continued its service until 1870.

Today, Maplewood is one of the larger cities in the county, and it is a main employment and entertainment location.

If you have any questions regarding the city of Maplewood, Minnesota, or if you would like to sell or buy a house in the area, please feel free to visit TwinCitiesPropertyFinder.com or call 1-800-909-1953.