Bloomington history

(From Bloomington on the Minnesota, edited by Judith A. Hendricks, 1976)

1800s

1843

• Gideon Pond established Oak Grove Mission. Peter and Louisa Quinn - first European settlers - built cabin near 10th Avenue Circle. Quinns taught farming methods to Dakota Indians. Learn more about the Dakota Indians and Missionaries.

1851

• ​Territory west of Mississippi, including Bloomington, opened to settlers.

1855

• First public school organized. Met in Harrison home.

1856

• ​Gideon Pond House built on Minnesota River bluffs.

1858

• Town of Bloomington organizational meeting on May 11. The 25 organizers approved a $100 budget. 
• Minnesota became a state.

1859 

• First schoolhouse built near France Avenue and Old Shakopee Road.

1860

• 39 votes cast in favor of levying $50 for town expenses and purchase of a road scraper.

1861 

• Residents vote to let horse and cattle run at-large during the summer.

1864 

• Ground set aside for town cemetery.

1900 - 1939 

1900

• ​ Six rural schools with over 200 students in grades 1 - 8.
• Population - 1,085.
• Per capital vehicle travel - 500 miles/year.

1903

• First telephone service installed.

1913

• ​ Elmer Scott obtained a Ford automobile franchise and automobiles began to appear around town.

1915

• ​ Dan Patch rail line extended to downtown Minneapolis for passenger and freight service.

1917

• ​ Voters approved school consolidation.

1918

• ​Seven one-room rural schools – Gibson (later renamed Palmer), Bush Lake, Bloomington Ferry, Poplar Bridge, Kell, Kimball and Cates – consolidated into School District 142.
• Bloomington Consolidated School was built to receive students, grades 1 - 12, from these seven schools.
• Beginning of secondary education and school bus transportation.

1920

• Population - 1,330.

1930

• ​ Population - 2,645.

1940s

1940

• Population - 3,647.

1945

• School enrollment was 700.

1947

• Bloomington Volunteer Fire Department established with 25 members. Fire Station #1 and equipment cost $24,000.

1949

• School enrollment grew so fast that split schedule adopted for grades 1 and 2. 

1950s

1950

• Population - 9,902.
• First elementary school built - Cedarcrest.

1952

• Toro Manufacturing Company moved to Bloomington.
• Chamber of Commerce organized as a booster club.

1953

• Changed from township to village form of government.
• Police Department formed at cost of $2 per taxpayer.
• First traffic signal installed at "very dangerous" intersection of 98th Street and Lyndale Avenue.

1954

• First park land acquired - Bush Lake Beach and Moir Park. Each village parcel assessed $1 for acquisition.
• First edition of the Bloomington Sun; first letter to the editor about drive-in theater.

1955

• Population - 28,934.
• 85 businesses.

1956

• First City Land Use Plan.
• $8.5 million Metropolitan Stadium built. Opened in April to a record crowd of 18,366 for a Triple-A Minneapolis vs. Wichita baseball game.
• Bush Lake Beach constructed.

1957

• Lincoln High School built.

1958

• Village government changed to council-manager form.
• Septic system contaminated wells - central sewer and water system needed costing over $20,000,000.
• Ordinance passed requiring residential subdivisions to make 10 percent park dedication.
• Council adopted policy of encouraging commercial/ industrial development, low-cost housing and shopping centers.
• The Police and Fire Departments began using 24-hour dispatching system.

1959

• Voters approved $8,800,000 waterworks and distribution system bond. City debt jumped to 25 percent of assessed value.
• A dedication ceremony for I-35W was held on April 17 at the intersection of 86th Street and I-35W. It was attended by the mayors of Bloomington, Richfield and Minneapolis.
• The Fire Department had 46 members. A garage was converted into Fire Station #2.

1960s

1960

• Population - 50,498.
• Overall real estate market value - $270 million.
• Typical Bloomington home's market value - $19,000.
• 95 full-time City employees.
• City received All-American City Award.
• Ward's Southtown built.
• I-494 completed from CSAH 18 to airport.
• I-35W completed through city and over the Minnesota River, stopping at MN-13. Local residents called the massive new I-35W bridge "the bridge to nowhere."
• November 8: Voters approved home rule charter on third attempt.
• December 8: The home rule charter, approved by voters a month earlier, went into effect, turning the Village of Bloomington into the City of Bloomington.

1961

• Control Data Corporation, Donaldson, Inc. and Archer Daniels Midland Company moved to Bloomington.
• Chamber hosted breakfast for 160 new teachers and hired first full-time staff member.
• City attempted to annex NSP power plant and Burnsville.
• First Twins game on April 21 (Twins 3, Washington 5).
• First regular season Vikings game on September 17 (Vikings 37, Chicago Bears 13).

1962

• Voters approved "on-sale" liquor licenses.

1964

• First half of City Hall constructed.

1965

• Kennedy High School built.
• 200 full-time City employees.

1967

• Met Sports Center built.
• New Fire Station #2 and Fire Station #3 built.

1968

• Normandale Junior College opened with 1,358 students.
• Last elementary school built - Normandale Hills.

1970s

1970

• Population - 81,971.
• 43,000 people employed in city.
• Jefferson High School built.
• Fire Station #4 built.
• Bloomington Ice Garden Rink One built.

1971

• City Council endorsed idea of a Convention Bureau and approved $35,000 funding.
• School enrollment peak of 26,000 students.
• Bloomington Fire Department has 105 men, 4 stations and 13 pieces of equipment.

1972

• Control Data Tower built.
• Reynolds Park water tower built.

1973

• Norwest Financial Center built.
• 2,470 acres of parkland in City.
• Per capita auto travel - 8,000 miles/year.

1974

• Overall real estate market value - $900 million.
• Water treatment plant completed.
• Voters approved $6,300,000 bonds for buildings and parks.
• City Hall expanded.
• Normandale Community College renamed to reflect expanded courses of study.
• Creekside converted from elementary school to senior center.
• After six-hour meeting, Council approved women as firefighters.

1975

• Typical Bloomington home's market value - $43,700.
• 385 full-time City employees.
• Fire Station #5 built.
• Bloomington Ice Garden's Rink #2 built.

1979

• Fire Station #6 built at a cost of $210,000.

1980s

1980

• Population - 81,831.
• 54,000 people employed in city.

1981

• Last baseball game at Met Stadium (Twins 2, Kansas City 5).

1982

• Lincoln High School closed.
• Normandale Office Park constructed -- first of four office buildings.

1983

• Overall real estate market value rises to $2.8 billion.
• HRA and Council approved Oxboro Redevelopment plan.
• Normandale College expanded community services and continuing education.
• Neighborhood Watch Program begins.

1984

• Trammel Crow built 8500 Tower.
• City's first female firefighter, Ann Majerus.

1985

• Port Authority purchased 86-acre Met Stadium site.
• 460 full-time City employees.
• Elementary enrollment started to grow again.
• BFD has 132 active members and a class 3 fire insurance rating.

1987

• Port Authority approved first site plans for Mall of America.
• 1,800 residential permits (worth $9 million) for additions and remodeling issued.
• First issue of City newsletter, Bloomington News, published in July.

1989

• Overall real estate market value - $4.3 billion.
• 7,850 acres of parkland in city.
• Mall of America groundbreaking.
• 9,300 enrolled at Normandale College.

1990s

1990

• Population - 86,355.
• Median age - 33 years.
• Typical Bloomington home's market value - $100,400.
• 70,000 people employed in Bloomington.
• 11,376 students enrolled in Bloomington schools.
• Referendum to improve Municipal Building fails.

1991

• Ordinance prohibiting sale of tobacco products by vending machines passed.
• TH77 (Cedar Avenue) improvements completed.
• BE-Line neighborhood circulator bus service began.
• With over 100 deer per square mile (recommended 25 per square mile), Deer Management Program launched.
• Average home value in Bloomington is $90,000.

1992

• Mall of America opened.
• Bloomington and Izumi City, Japan, started Sister City Partnership.

1993

• Computerized Pavement Management Program for sealcoating, overlaying and reconstructing streets began.
• South Hennepin Household Hazardous Waste Center opened.
• Police Bicycle Patrol Unit formed.
• Bloomington Ice Garden built Olympic-size rink (#3).
• New Fire Station #1 at 95th Street and Nicollet Avenue.
• Door-to-door Smoke Detector Inspection program started.

1994

• Met Sports Center demolished December 13.
• Recreational Vehicle Ordinance regulating storage and parking of RVs begins.
• Community Enhancement Program began with home improvement activities in two neighborhoods of 1,000 homes.
• Smoke-free Restaurant Recognition Program began.
• 79th/80th Street Ring Route Project started.
• City's Web site went online in March with under 200 files.

1995

• Overall real estate market value - $5.1 billion.
• Time-of-Sale Inspections began.
• First River Rendezvous held at Pond-Dakota Mission Park.
• One third of city's eateries smoke-free.
• County Road 18 over Minnesota River completed.
• City's bond rating upgraded with Moody's from Aa to Aa1, with Standard and Poors from AA to AA+.
• Real estate market value reached $5.18 billion.

1996

• Extension to existing airport runway 4-22 completed.
• Bush Lake Beach facilities rebuilt.
• Underwater World aquarium at Mall of America opened.
• Sign ordinance enacted.
• City of Bloomington Internet site went on-line.

1997

• Gideon Pond House renovation completed.
• Volunteer, 145-person Bloomington Fire Department turned 50 years old.
• Bloomington Ice Garden rinks renovated.

1998

• Population - 88,375.
• 98,300 people employed in Bloomington. Largest employer was Mall of America (13,000 people).
• Galaxy Youth Center opened.
• Eight neighborhoods participated in the Community Enhancement Program.
• Systematic Inspection Program for nuisance complaints expanded to cover entire city.
• Major May 30 storm cost $1.2 million for cleanup with 10,000 truck loads of debris.
• Permits reached record 26,600 for total value of $240 million.
• Citywide Curbside Cleanup Program began, collecting 2,427 tons of trash, 572 yards of brush and 3,643 appliances in the first year.
• Neighborhood Watch Program involved 306 Bloomington neighborhoods.
• Light Rail Transit from Downtown Minneapolis proposed to end at Mall of America.
• City awarded top Aaa bond rating from Moody's.

1999

• 500 full-time City employees, 300-400 seasonal workers.
• Reconstruction of South Parallel Runway at airport completed.
• First Bloomington Clean Water Festival celebrated.

2000s

2000

• Population - 85,172.
• Median age - 40.1 years.
• 106,993 people employed in Bloomington.
• Special $7.2 million bond for a center for the arts approved.
• City received highest bond ratings - AAA from Standard & Poor's; Aaa from Moody's.
• The City's Communications Division became one of the first in the nation to provide online webcasts of City Council and other meetings.

2001

• Overall real estate market value - $7.8 billion.
• Normandale Bandshell opened at Summer Fete on July 3.
• Mall of America Police Station opened.
• Groundbreaking held for new Police/City Hall/Art Center in October.

2002

• Metropolitan Airports Commission and Mall of American swap land to make way for Phase II of Mall development.
• Ring Route streets, an alternate route to I-494, renamed American Boulevard.
• New $8.5 million Public Works facility added 88,340 square feet of vehicle equipment storage, repair garage and office space.
• New $3.6 million Bloomington Family Aquatics Center opened.
• Water Treatment Plant's $14.9 million renovation completed.
• Smith Park renovation completed.
• Mall of America celebrated 10th year with annual sales of $900 million, producing $900,000 in revenue for City.
• After 35 years of white vehicles, Police cars went retro with black-and-white models.

2003

• The 44,000 square-foot Bloomington Civic Plaza completed within its $38 million budget.
• Southwest Metropolitan Joint Public Safety Training Center opened.
• Sister City Organization celebrated 10 years.
• Penn Avenue and I-494 bridge completed.
• City's website tops 2.5 million page views per year, up from 1.9 million the year before.
• Interactive GIS maps added to the website.

2004

• City started String of Pearls redevelopment projects.
• Oxboro Library renovation completed.
• IKEA retailer opened first part of Mall of America Phase II.
• Construction of American Boulevard bridge over I-35W began.
• Hiawatha Light Rail line service opened, offering transportation between Mall of America and downtown Minneapolis.
• 313 neighborhoods participated in National Night Out; Bloomington was 8th best in nation among cities with populations from 50,000 to 99,999.
• Bloomington received triple-A bond rating from Fitch, one of only 20 cities out of 87,000 local governments in the U.S. to achieve triple-A ratings from all three bond rating agencies.
• In the General Election, Bloomington experienced a record turnout of 85.3 percent of the city's registered voters.

2005

• Population - 84,347.
• Overall real estate market value - $10.3 billion. Values doubled in 10 years.
• Typical Bloomington home's market value - $231,200.
• New north/south runway opened in October.
• I-35W and I-494 interchange had highest rate of crashes on I-494/I-694 beltway. (432 crashes since 2002.)
• Lyle Berg Bridge over I-35W, last link in American Boulevard beltway, completed. Costing $12.5 million, the bridge is 387 feet long.

2006

• First phase of McGough's Bloomington Central Station -- Reflections -- completed. Transit-oriented development project encompassed 43 acres.
• New housing built at a rate comparable to fast-growing suburbs with more than 1,000 housing units on drawing board.
• Bloomington's number one industry -- hospitality -- picked up after 9/11 slump. Employed more than 20,000 with 10,000 visitors each day.
• Bush Lake, rated one of the 10 best metro area lakes in a field of 186, earned an A for water quality from the Metropolitan Council.

2007

• Bloomington Farmers Market debuted at the Civic Plaza's east parking lot.
• A redesigned Bloomington website was unveiled in April.
• 1.6-acre urban park at the center of Bloomington Central Station opened in June.
• 2,500 Square-foot mural by Erik Pearson completed on Bloomington Civic Plaza's exterior flyloft.
• 115-Year old Old Town Hall exterior renovation completed.
• Bloomington Ice Garden's 37-year-old original rink number one, which seats 1,800, was reconstructed.
• Severe August 11 storm had Public Works crews picking up and recycling more than 7,000 truckloads of storm-damaged trees and brush.
• Online Program Services was launched, enabling online registration for Parks and Recreation programs.

2008

• Bloomington celebrated its Sesquicentennial with a yearlong series of events.
• Ask the City, online question and request management service, launched in January.
• Public school enrollment - 10,368, with four colleges, 10 elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools and seven parochial schools.
• City boasted 97 parks, 93 ballfields and 55 playgrounds.
• First annual Global Celebration took place at the Farmers Market, Bloomington Civic Plaza.

2009

• Alternative Transportation Plan implemented, encouraging walking, biking and other alternative modes of transportation.
• Medallion celebrating Bloomington's sesquicentennial included in a Minnesota time capsule to be opened during the state's 200th birthday in 2058.
• E-Subscribe launched, offering residents the opportunity to subscribe to alerts and program updates via email and text messaging.
• Lyndale Avenue bridge reopened to provide additional traffic capacity and safety improvements along Lyndale Avenue and I-494.
• Entrance signs, pedestrian information kiosks and transit stop signs installed in Normandale Lake District.

2010s

2010

• Population - 84,057.
• Median age - 42.7 years.
• 91,500 people employed in Bloomington.
• American Boulevard LRT station opened at 34th Avenue, becoming the 19th station on the Hiawatha LRT line.
• South Loop District (formerly Airport South) planning efforts began. District renamed to help brand the district's confluence of airport, Mall of America, highways and wildlife refuge.
• Bloomington Public Health became lead agency for the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) in Bloomington, Edina and Richfield, to enhance health and wellness.
• Rain gardens installed in public areas, and pervious pavement parking lots added at Harrison Park and the Public Works building, in support of sustainability.
• City added four miles of bike lanes and installed 19 bike racks.
• Website added volunteer management and online job application services. (The latter service was limited at the time to Parks and Recreation jobs.)
• Website received over 12 million page views during the year.

2011

• Bloomington's Facebook page and Twitter account were launched at the start of the year.
• TH 169/I-494 interchange construction began, to improve safety and traffic flow and reduce congestion.
• Developers broke ground at Genesee, a mixed-use retail and residential development on the southeast corner of Penn Avenue and American Boulevard.
• 500-room Radisson Blu construction began. The hotel was the first to be connected to the Mall via skyway.
• do.town initiative began promoting healthy living - a collaborative effort along with Edina, Richfield and Blue Cross Blue Shield MN.
• Bike lanes were added to 86th Street.
• A trail connecting East and West Bush Lake parks along the lake's southeast shore was completed. Nearly three miles of additional trails were reconstructed or paved.

2012

• Bloomington Family Aquatic Center underwent extensive updates, including a new bathhouse and two new water slides.
• Mall of America celebrated its 20th anniversary.
• Online job application service expanded to include all of the City's job announcements.