Burnsville, Minnesota

Burnsville (pronounced /ˈbɜrnzvɪl/) is a suburb 15 miles (25 km) south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River. Commonly referred to in the metro area as South of the River, Burnsville and nearby suburbs comprise the southern portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States. The Metropolitan Council estimate for the population of the City of Burnsville in 2006 was 61,048.^[2]

Rich in water and parkland, the city has nine lakes, over fifty ponds, the Minnesota riverfront, as well as a section of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, section of Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, and about twenty developed parks. Originally a rural Irish farming community, Burnsville became the tenth largest city in the 2000 Census and currently is the sixth largest suburb in the metro area. Known in the metro for its regional mall, Burnsville Center, the bedroom community of both Minneapolis and Saint Paul was fully built by the late 2000s and has begun redeveloping itself by building a new downtown area called Heart of the City with urban-style retail and condominiums.^[6] The Burnsville Transit Station serves as the hub of the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority headquartered in the city, providing regional bus service to five other south suburbs. Though now diverse in offerings and housing choices, the population majority was still 87.5% white in the 2000 Census, most of which are middle-class families.

The name Burnsville is attributed to an early settler and land owner, William Byrne, whose name was recorded as Burns and later never corrected.^[7] "South of the River" is considered a distinct region of Minneapolis-St. Paul.^[8] Local organizations take on this nickname.^[9]^[10]^[11]

1 History
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 Economy
- 4.1 Heart of the City
5 Arts, culture and media
6 Parks and recreation
7 Government and politics
8 Education
9 Infrastructure
10 Transportation
11 Utilities and healthcare
12 Notable natives and residents
13 References
14 External links

[edit] History

Mdewakanton Dakota were the earliest residents who came by river access for water fowl, game animals, and many lakes offering leisure and fish. As part of the greater migration of the Mdewakanton from their ancestral Mille Lacs Lake, Chief Black Dog around 1750 established his band at a village at the isthmus between Black Dog Lake (from which is named after him) and the Minnesota River, near the present site of the Black Dog Power Plant.^[12] The permanent camp were reported by early settlers as containing over 250 Dakota. At the south end of Burnsville, Crystal Lake, then called "Minne Elk" (possibly "Minne Hokuwa" Fish Lake) was utilized for abundant fish, leisure and burial.^[13] It was also a gathering spot where Dakota watched deer (or bucks) drink at the lake from the top of Buck Hill, in which was named by early settlers who witnessed this activity. Three large burial mounds were discovered after European settlement.^[14]^[15]

The Dakota nation ceded land in 1851 and relocated to Chief Shakopee's village--the current Shakopee-Mdewakanton Indian Reservation in nearby Prior Lake. The first European settlers were mostly Irish who originated in Saint Paul and came down river to seek farmland. Land south of the river was relatively cheap due to few crossing points in the river to access markets in Minneapolis. One of these Irish was William Byrne who had immigrated in 1840 from County Kilkenny, Ireland to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. In 1855, he settled at the present day junction of County Road 34 and Judicial Road near the Scott County line, just southeast of old downtown Savage, and is two miles (3 km) west of I-35W. He subsequently donated land there for a church, school, and a cemetery as well as serving Town Chairman. In 1858, the Dakota County Board authorized Byrnsville Township on the north by the Minnesota River, east by Eagan and Lebanon, south by Lakeville, and west by Scott County. From records known, at the establishment of the village, it was immediately named in honor of William Byrne. The Town Clerk had recorded variations of his name and by the mid-20th century incorporation, the Burnsville spelling prevailed. The school district was organized during this time as well. The Irish and Scottish settlers of this time left their names on many area roads and parks and their religion in Presbyterian, Protestant, and Catholic churches.^[16]

In the 19th century, Burnsville was considered a long distance from downtown Minneapolis. Rail access finally came in 1864 and like many other outer ring suburbs of the era, Burnsville soon became a resort town for those in the city, building cottages along Crystal Lake as well as Orchard Lake and Marion Lake in nearby Lakeville.^[14] For the area, the Bloomington Ferry previously was the most direct means of crossing the Minnesota River to exchange commerce and visit relatives. In 1889 the Bloomington Ferry Bridge was built but was still in the far northwest quadrant of the village and heavily used. By 1920 the Lyndale Avenue Drawbridge opened next to Black Dog Lake, extending Minneapolis' first north south highway to the rural communities of southern Minnesota. Later the bridge, upgraded several times, would be replaced by the I-35W Minnesota River bridge. In 1950, just before the World War II postwar housing boom, Burnsville was still a quiet township with a population of 583 people. School was taught in a one-room schoolhouse containing eight grades.^[17]

After the arrival of Interstate 35W in 1960, the next two decades saw the largest boom in population when post-war pressures forced the community to develop at rapid pace. Byrnesville Township village officially incorporated in 1964 after defeating an annexation attempt by the city of Bloomington. While mass housing development was unavoidable, a former mayor, Connie Morrison said city managers had foresight in producing the many shopping nodes in walking distance of most homes.^[14] The city became a regional pull when Burnsville Center opened in 1977 and produced the heavily traveled retail strip on County Road 42. The next decades leading to the 21st century dealt with managing Burnsville's increasing population and growth which led to providing alternative transportation options, diverse housing and ultimately the Heart of the City project. The city approached build-out in the late 1990s and changed focus from new development to redevelopment and rehabilitation of existing structures.^[18]

Descendants of the Byrne family still remain in the metro area and greater Minnesota with the original spelling in their surname. A relative interviewed by the Burnsville Heritage Committee, considered returning and petitioning to correct the spelling but most of the family had moved away for several decades.^[7]

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.7 square miles (69.3 km²), of which, 24.9 square miles (64.4 km²) of it is land and 1.9 square miles (4.8 km²) of it (6.96%) is water.

Interstate Highway 35 splits into Interstate Highways 35W and 35E within the city. Other routes in the city include Minnesota Highway 13 and County Road 42.

[edit] Demographics

The earliest settlers were roughly 250 Mdewankaton Dakota who lived permanently at Black Dog camp.^[12] Starting in the 1850s, European settlement included mostly settlers from Ireland, Scotland, and Great Britain. By the 1900s there were a few Scandinavians from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark but this ethnic group mostly concentrated towards Lakeville. Those from Germany and Eastern Europe would gradually join the minority. Irish descendants maintained the majority through the early 1950s owing to the town's origin, overall land ownership and the practice of marrying within ethnic clans.^[19] The early 20th century's permanent population remained very low as the Minnesota River's lack of bridges and streetcar connection isolated the area from development, preventing more ethnic groups moving south from downtown. The lake-side houses around Crystal Lake and Orchard Lake however attracted several various immigrant and first-generation wealthier individuals to temporarily settle or own land in the town limits.

In 1960, the U.S. Census Bureau recorded the population of Burnsville township at 2,716 people and soon after, the postwar growth was instantaneous, filling the city with second to third generation European descendants from Minneapolis, more American than ethnic. From 1960 to 1970, in ten years the total population accelerated to nearly 20,000 and by the year 2000 arrived at roughly 60,000 people. While still 87% white at the 2000 Census, all ethnic groups and ancestries by the 21st century shared a small percentage in the city limits, the highest reported single ancestry was German, Norwegian, and followed by Irish.^[20]^[21]

As of the census^[4] of 2000 (US census for 2000), there were 60,220 people, 23,687 households, and 15,633 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,421.0 people per square mile (935.1/km²). There were 24,261 housing units at an average density of 975.4/sq mi (376.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.54% White, 4.07% African American, 0.46% Native American, 4.08% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.42% from other races, and 2.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.86% of the population.

There were 23,687 households out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $57,965, and the median income for a family was $67,979. Males had a median income of $45,312 versus $31,848 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,093. About 3.7% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

U.S. Census Population Estimates
Year	1860	1870	1880	1890	1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950	1960	1970	1980	1990	2000	2006
Population	2								495	583	2,716	19,940	35,674	51,288	60,220	61,048

[edit] Economy

Burnsville's biggest employer is its own school district, ISD 191, followed by Fairview Ridges Hospital, Goodrich Sensor Systems, Northern Hydraulics Inc, Pepsi-Cola Bottling, Yellow Freight System Inc, CUB Foods, Frontier Communications, Genz-Ryan, Asset Marketing Services Inc. and the City of Burnsville. Manufacturing is the second largest industry. Most of the employers are in the industrial areas in the southwest and the north with corporate headquarters and modern warehouses in services and manufacturing. Service firms such as internet utilities, news, and real estate are mostly located throughout the north along Highway 13. Almost every brand of car dealership can be found along I-35W on the north and south ends of the city.

Retail shopping is located along County Road 42 and Highway 13 in the west and east sections of the city with local shopping nodes positioned throughout. The largest strip, County Road 42, is lined with suburban strip malls, restaurants, goods and grocery stores. Burnsville Center as the anchor of the strip is a 1,275,703-square-foot (118,516.7 m²) regional mall.

Burnsville has a 15-30 minute commute vicinity to many regional attractions and services such as the Mall of America, Valleyfair Amusement Park, Buck Hill Ski Area, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, downtown Saint Paul and downtown Minneapolis. Adjacent cities of Apple Valley, Lakeville, and Savage provide even more nearby shopping hubs, lakes and parks.

[edit] Heart of the City

Burnsville leads the Twin Cities region in smart growth policies. Smart growth defies traditional suburban sprawl bedroom communities and instead moves towards defining community identity with sustainable design. Burnsville's Heart of the City project goals include creating an attractive, vibrant, pedestrian friendly neighborhood setting with economically viable local businesses. The redevelopment encompasses 54 acres (219,000 m²) centrally located in Burnsville, a few miles from the Minnesota River. This has already replaced traditional suburban elements such as former gas stations and drive-through services with four-story mixed-use condominium buildings reminiscent of Minneapolis neighborhoods and recalling Main Street architecture. Centerpiece to the project is Nicollet Commons Park located on Nicollet Avenue which has drawn thousands of residents to enjoy the first phases of the project already completed. A lifestyle center, the next generation shopping mall, will be added nearby mixing car focused access with pedestrian up-to-sidewalk stores. The approval of a performing arts center on the Heart of the City Campus in 2007 was among the most controversial issues of the year.^[22]

[edit] Arts, culture and media

While the city has no museums, it does operate the sole major arts institution, the Lake Alimagnet Center for the Arts in eastern Burnsville next to Lake Alimagnet, which provides community space for arts and non-profit groups.^[23] Burnsville is a regional leader in youth and teen activities. THE GARAGE Youth Center located near City Hall is a non-profit music club and teen center which has attracted music acts nationally and internationally.^[24]

Annually every August or September, the community holds the Burnsville Fire Muster. Established in 1980, the event originated in the 1970s as a showcase and short parade for a local fire equipment collector. Taking on the New England fire muster tradition, the event now includes a large parade, music concerts, and fireworks. ^[25]

Burnsville homes and businesses receive the same television, news, and cable stations as most metro area cities, provided by Comcast and Time Warner Cable. Burnsville/Eagan Community Television (BECT) provides public access programs and information. The Burnsville Sun Current and Thisweek Newspapers supply local news and the Minneapolis Star Tribune recently created a South section dedicated to South of the River news.

[edit] Parks and recreation

The city contains 1,800 acres (7.3 km²) of parkland spread throughout 79 parks and is managed by the Burnsville Parks Department which follows a Parks & Trails Master Plan. Only a third is developed and for recreation with the remainder preserved as natural habitat. Burnsville north border with the Minnesota River is within the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Crystal Lake is the city's major recreation lake allowing boating, fishing, jet-skiing, and swimming. The Burnsville Skate Park is a free facility during summer hours. The Burnsville Ice Center has two large professional ice rinks.

The Burnsville Athletic Club is an all-volunteer youth sports league. It has an annual participation of nearly 1,300 players annually in the baseball leagues for grades K-12, and 80-90 boys basketball teams in grades 3-12, its two "in-house" sports (sports in which the teams play only other teams within the Burnsville Athletic Club). There are also traveling teams for boys' and girls' basketball and girls' fast pitch softball, which play against similar teams from around the state at a higher competitive level. Other adult sports are provided through the city's Recreation department, other recreational organizations and minor league groups.

[edit] Government and politics

Burnsville operates as a Statutory Plan B city under the Minnesota Legislature. Government consists of an elected City Council of one mayor and four council members. All four council members are elected at large to serve four year terms. Administrative duties of the city are in charge of the City Manager. The City prepares annual budgets and is required to submit a Comprehensive Plan detailing infrastructure and development progress to the Metropolitan Council.

The city is situated mostly in Minnesota's 40th Senate District, parts of the city lie in district 37, and has traditionally been a Republican stronghold. The 2006 election cycle upset nearly every Republican held seat in the State House and Senate. Currently, the state Senators are John P. Doll (DFL) District 40, a residential tile and stone contractor focusing on health care, children's issues, education, environment, renewable energy, and transportation and Chris Gerlach (R) District 37. The state House Representatives are Will Morgan (DFL) 40A, a chemistry teacher at Burnsville High School focusing on government finance reform and education, and Shelley Madore (DFL) 37A. Burnsville is also located in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, represented by John Kline, a Republican, who is strong on National Defense and conservative on a variety of social issues, scoring 2.8% progressive on a range of issues^[26] and 88% conservative based on 2006 House votes.^[27] Announced challengers for the house seat occupied by Morgan include former District 191 school board member Deborah Moran and board member Todd Johnson.^[28]

[edit] Education

Burnsville Independent School District 191, which includes Burnsville as well as parts of neighboring cities Savage and Eagan, currently has:
One 10-12 high school

Burnsville High School

Three 7-9 junior highs

Eagle Ridge Junior High School (located in Savage)
John Metcalf Junior High School
Nicollet Junior High

Ten K-6 elementary schools

Harriet Bishop (located in Savage)
Edward D. Neill
Gideon Pond
Hidden Valley (located in Savage)
Marion W. Savage (located in Savage)

Rahn
Sioux Trail
Sky Oaks
Vista View
William Byrne

About 20% of Burnsville residents attend Independent School District 196 schools; they include: Apple Valley High School, and Valley Jr. High School, in Apple Valley; and Echo Park Elementary School in Burnsville.

About 10% of Burnsville residents attend Independent School District 194 schools; they include: Lakeville North High School, Kenwood Trail Middle School, and Orchard Lake Elementary all of which are in Lakeville.

[edit] Infrastructure

Burnsville is a fully-developed suburban bedroom community. Large pockets of ramblers and split-level houses were due to Interstate 35W's completion in the 1960s which came earlier than most of the metro highways. Burnsville through the 1990s filled in the last of its available land with upscale housing stock and apartment complexes. In the 2000s Burnsville went under redevelopment activity, producing many four-story residential buildings. The Heart of the City, a new downtown area, contains mixed-use residential and retail buildings. This has produced a diverse range of housing types from single-family homes to high-density condominiums. Since the city was developed in a sprawl fashion, new and old buildings sit between each other. The original industrial area along the Minnesota River is mostly abandoned, and also contains a sealed land-fill site. The new industrial area in the west side of the city contains many manufacturing and corporate headquarters as well as large modern warehouses. West of the new downtown area are new office buildings, where one tower reaches above ten stories.

[edit] Transportation

Minnesota Valley Transit Authority provides regional bus service between many transit hubs within the city, south of the river, and to destinations such as the Mall of America, downtown Minneapolis, and Southdale Mall.^[29] Most residents commute and move around by car. Burnsville contains the Interstate Highway 35 split with Interstate Highway 35W leading to downtown Minneapolis and Interstate Highway 35E to downtown St. Paul. The major on and off-ramps for I-35W are located at Burnsville Parkway, County Road 42, and State Highway 13. County Road 42 and State Highway 13 both provide east-west access to the western suburb of Savage and the eastern suburb of Apple Valley. Major interior arteries include Nicollet Avenue, McAndrews Road (East 138th Street), County Road 5 (Kenwood Trail), County Road 11, Portland Avenue, Southcross Drive, and Lac Lavon Drive.

[edit] Utilities and healthcare

Burnsville Public Works draws water from wells and not the Minnesota River, supplying all homes and businesses. Electricity is provided by Dakota Electric Association, Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative and Xcel Energy. Natural gas is provided by Centerpoint Minnegasco. Telephone and internet services are provided by Frontier Communications and Qwest.^[30]

Fairview Ridges Hospital located south of City Hall along Nicollet Avenue is a 24-hour facility, touting the most advanced emergency, surgery, orthopedic and children's care south of the river. The hospital is within The Ridges campus which includes various medical clinics, services, centers and institutes.^[31] Nearby is a Park Nicollet Medical Center.

[edit] Notable natives and residents

Dropping Daylight, music band
Sara Groves, contemporary Christian music artist
Gao Hong, Chinese pipa player
Kirsten Olson, ice skater & actress
Cedric Yarbrough, actor

[edit] References

^ Bill Roehl (February 12th, 2008). No Burnsville Performing Arts Center? Run for City Council!. Lazy Lightning.
^ ^a ^b Twin Cities Region Population and Household Estimates, 2006 (PDF). Metropolitan Council (2006-04-01). Retrieved on 2007-07-24.
^ Table 2: Population Estimates for the 100 Most Populous Metropolitan Statistical Areas Based on July 1, 2006 Population Estimates: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau (2007-04-05). Retrieved on 2007-04-16.
^ ^a ^b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ KEVIN MALER. "Suburbs Want Downtowns of Their Own", New York Times, April 30, 2006.
^ ^a ^b BURNSVILLE 76; A COMMUNITY HISTORY. Burnsville Heritage Committee (1976). Retrieved on September 8, 2007.
^ Dirk Deyoung (April 24, 1998). South of the river draws big players. Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. Retrieved on 2008-06-05.
^ South of the River Music
^ South of the River 7 on 7 Passing League
^ South of the River Band
^ ^a ^b Dakota County Historical Society (2005). Historic Sites: Burnsville. Retrieved on September 8, 2007.
^ [http://gis.co.dakota.mn.us/plats/viewplat.aspx?bookpg=36-14 Recorded Plats and Surveys FIRST ADDITION TO MINNE ELK PARK]. Dakota County.
^ ^a ^b ^c John Gessner (January 7, 2001). Burnsville looks back at a rich history. Thisweek Newspapers. Retrieved on September 8, 2007.
^ [http://gis.co.dakota.mn.us/plats/viewplat.aspx?bookpg=36-14 Recorded Plats and Surveys FIRST ADDITION TO MINNE ELK PARK]. Dakota County Surveyor's Office (1999). Retrieved on September 8, 2007.
^ E. D. Neill (1881). History of Dakota County, 1881. Retrieved on September 8, 2007.
^ Bloomington Briefing. City of Bloomington (December 2004). Retrieved on September 8, 2007.
^ City Council (March 13, 2007). WORKSESSION MINUTES. City of Burnsville. Retrieved on September 8, 2007.
^ Betty Sodomka (1976). What Life Was Like... Back Then. Burnsville '76, A History.
^ Land Management Information Center. Minnesota Office of the State Demographer (2007). Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
^ Census 2000 Profiles. City of Burnsville (2006).
^ Gessner, John. Year in review: Art Center Raised Ruckus, won approval in 2007. Thisweek Newspapers. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
^ Lake Alimagnet Center for the Arts.
^ THE GARAGE.
^ Burnsville Fire Muster History.
^ Grossman, Joshua. ProgressivePunch Leading with the Left. All Issues. ProgressivePunch. Retrieved on 2006-10-27.
^ ACU Ratings of Congress, 2006. American Conservative Union (2006). Retrieved on 2007-09-08.
^ Gessner, John. Year in review: Art Center Raised Ruckus, won approval in 2007. Thisweek Newspapers. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
^ Minnesota Valley Transit Authority
^ MNPro. MN Dept of Employment and Economic Development (2006). Retrieved on 2007.
^ Fairview Ridges Hospital

[edit] External links

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Dakota County, Minnesota

County seat: Hastings

Cities	Apple Valley \| Burnsville \| Coates \| Eagan \| Farmington \| Hampton \| Hastings† \| Inver Grove Heights \| Lakeville \| Lilydale \| Mendota \| Mendota Heights \| Miesville \| New Trier \| Northfield‡ \| Randolph \| Rosemount \| South St. Paul \| Sunfish Lake \| Vermillion \| West St. Paul

Townships	Castle Rock \| Douglas \| Empire \| Eureka \| Greenvale \| Hampton \| Marshan \| Nininger \| Randolph \| Ravenna \| Sciota \| Vermillion \| Waterford

Ghost town	Nininger

Footnotes	‡This city also has portions in an adjacent county