History of the Minnesota Valley - Minneapolis History / Hennepin History / Dakota History

New 73 Page Booklet. Early days in Minnesota's Hennepin and Dakota Counties are recalled in this spiral bound booklet reprinted from two rare books: History of the Minnesota Valley, by the Rev. Edward D. Neill, and Minnesota, a State Guide, a WPA publication. The booklet is printed one-sided on 60# paper with the print enlarged for easier reading. A vinyl sheet has been added to protect the front cover. The 1882 Neill history covers the early development of this area, while excerpts from the WPA book, give a nostalgic glympse from a 1938 vantage point, including interesting historical notes, especially as they relate to sightseeing possibilities. The city of Minneapolis, grew from nothing in 1855, to 50,000 in 1882, to nearly half a million in 1938. Past and/or present communities (all of which may not be mentioned in the booklet) include: HENNEPIN COUNTY: Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Chanhassen (part), Corcoran, Crown College, Crystal, Crystal Bay, Crystal Lake, Dayton (part), Deephaven, Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Fort Snelling, Golden Valley, Greenfield, Greenwood, Hamel, Hanover (part), Hassan, Hopkins, Howard Lake, Independence, Long Lake, Loretto, Maple Grove, Maple Plain, Medicine Lake, Medina, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, Minnetonka Mills, Minnetrista, Mound, Navarre, New Hope, Orono, Osseo, Plymouth, Richfield, Robbinsdale, Rockford (part),Rogers, Saint Anthony (part), Saint Bonifacius, Saint Louis Park, Saint Paul, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay,Twin Cities AMF, Wayzata, Woodland ,Young America. DAKOTA COUNTY: Apple Valley, Burnsville, Coates, Eagan, Farmington, Hampton, Hastings (part), Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville, Lilydale, Mendota, Mendota Heights, Miesville, New Trier, Northfield (part), Randolph, Rosemount, Saint Paul, Savage, South St. Paul, Sunfish Lake, Vermillion, West St. Paul. Among the many subjects discussed are: How Hennepin county was formed from part of Dakota; Boundaries and Boundary Disputes; Early public officials; Land speculators; Zebulon Pike's visit in 1805; Colonel Leavenworth's arrival in 1819; Fort Snelling; Many firsts, such as the first steamboat to pass the rapids at Rock Island, the first saw mill in MN, the first farm, first marriage, etc.; Trading in Whisky and Trouble; Emigrants, half-breeds and voyageurs; Franklin Steele's saw-mill at St. Anthony; Pierre Bottineau, a successful half-breed; Charles Wilson, John H. Stevens, Jean Baptiste Faribault and other pioneers; Indian treaties; Rapid growth of Hastings; Hard times when "Land Poor" folks were charged high interest rates; a special section on the life of Father Hennepin, an adventurous missionary; and excerpts from his writings ("in all probability Japan is on the same continent as America"); and other bits of history and trivia. There are several small maps of the Minneapolis area, including one of the University of Minnesota, from the WPA book, and a list of Points of Interest. Mini biographies of some early residents are also included. . Limited Edition Reprint. Spiral/Comb . New/No Jacket. 8.5" x 11". Private Press.