Columbia Heights

Sister cities

• Łomianki

History

Columbia Heights was formed as a village on March 14, 1898, when it separated from the former Fridley Township. On July 21, 1921, the Charter of the City of Columbia Heights was adopted and the city was formed. A Polish flag and white eagle are on the sign marking the border between Columbia Heights and Minneapolis, visible when entering Columbia Heights on Central Avenue, in celebration of the suburb's early roots as a Polish–American community. In 1991, Columbia Heights joined Sister Cities International and selected Łomianki, Poland as its Sister City. In 1944, a plane of Allied flyers was shot down during the Warsaw uprising, near Łomianki. The brother of a longtime Columbia Heights resident was on that mission. In 1987, the people of Łomianki erected a monument in memory of the American flyers who lost their lives. Because of this personal connection Łomianki was selected as the Sister City. Abraham Lincoln's funeral car was bought by Thomas Lowry who restored it and featured it at a number of exhibitions throughout the country. When not in use, it was stored in Columbia Heights but was destroyed by a fire on March 18, 1911. In 2016, Columbia Heights was honored with the All-American City Award according to the National Civic League. In 2023, Columbia Heights formed a second Sister City with Galdogob, Somalia for its growing and significant Somali American population.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Columbia Heights is bordered by the city of Fridley to the north and west; New Brighton and Saint Anthony to the east; and Minneapolis to the south. The city of Hilltop is entirely enclosed within the city. Columbia Heights has a hilly terrain and features one of the highest points in Hennepin, Ramsey, and Anoka Counties along Stinson Boulevard between Fairway Drive and 45th Avenue NE/County Road E. There are five lakes in the city, which include Sullivan Lake, Highland Lake, Silver Lake, Hart Lake, and LaBelle Pond. The city park system resides in mostly low lying and former swampland areas that was unsuitable for building. Huset Park is the main park in the city. Prestemon, Gauvitte and McKenna Parks were all named for members of the first city council in 1921. Ava Ostrander, first woman elected to the council in 1924, also has a park named for her. Kordiak Park is an Anoka County park in the city named after former County Commissioner Albert A. Kordiak. Other parks include Edgemoor, La Belle, Lomianki, Keyes, Sullivan, Ramsdell, and Hilltop.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  90,190
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  89,749
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  77,851
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  71,464
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  68,695
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  66,806
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  66,128
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  65,470

Largest nearby schools

• Coon Rapids High School
  High · COON RAPIDS · 2,167 students · 17.9:1 ratio
• CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL
  High · CIRCLE PINES · 1,982 students · 31.5:1 ratio
• SPRING LAKE PARK SENIOR HIGH
  High · SPRING LAKE PARK · 1,947 students · 20.9:1 ratio
• Westwood Intermediate & Middle Sch
  Middle · BLAINE · 1,691 students · 17.8:1 ratio
• COON RAPIDS MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · COON RAPIDS · 1,408 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• NORTHDALE MIDDLE
  Middle · COON RAPIDS · 1,274 students · 17.2:1 ratio
• COLUMBIA HEIGHTS SENIOR HIGH
  High · COLUMBIA HEIGHTS · 1,092 students · 19.2:1 ratio
• FRIDLEY SENIOR HIGH
  High · FRIDLEY · 854 students · 23.7:1 ratio