Robbinsdale

History

Shortly after the Minnesota Territorial Legislature created Hennepin County in 1852, John C. Bohanon filed the first claim in the Township of Crystal Lake. Railroads reached the area in 1880. A flag station was established near the farm of Alfred Parker, and six years later he donated land for a depot. The community that grew around it came to be known as Parker's Station. In 1887 Minneapolis made an effort to secure more taxable property by annexing neighboring townships. In response, Crystal Lake farmers incorporated the Village of Crystal. Later that year, entrepreneur, civil war veteran, and real estate developer Andrew Bonney Robbins came to Parker's Station on behalf of an Illinois business interest. Robbins was a former state senator and the brother-in-law of lumber baron Thomas Barlow Walker. Robbins purchased 90 acres (360,000 m2) to the west of Lower Twin Lake to incorporate into the Robbinsdale Park subdivision. From 1888, new industries moved in and a large Lutheran seminary was built. In 1890, Robbins built a 16-room Queen Anne-style mansion on Lower Twin Lake. After he moved his family in, Robbins found investors to build the Hubbard Specialty Manufacturing Company. This firm made chairs and wheelbarrows. Despite his connections, Robbins could not persuade the Minneapolis Street Railway Company to extend a streetcar line up West Broadway. In 1891 he organized the North Side Street Railway Company and built his own line from the Minneapolis city limits to Robbinsdale Park. The streetcars were pulled by horses until the line was converted to electricity. Robbins's development efforts led to tension between farm families and residents near the village center. A special election was held and a vote to dissolve the Village of Crystal carried unanimously.…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water. Minnesota State Highway 100 and County Road 81 are two of the main routes in the city.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• WAYZATA HIGH
  High · PLYMOUTH · 3,523 students · 22.9:1 ratio
• Champlin Park High School
  High · CHAMPLIN · 2,983 students · 20.7:1 ratio
• MAPLE GROVE SENIOR HIGH
  High · MAPLE GROVE · 2,324 students · 23.5:1 ratio
• OSSEO SENIOR HIGH
  High · OSSEO · 2,280 students · 21.9:1 ratio
• JACKSON MIDDLE
  Middle · CHAMPLIN · 1,981 students · 17.5:1 ratio
• PARK CENTER IB WORLD SCHOOL
  High · BROOKLYN PARK · 1,908 students · 17.2:1 ratio
• ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG SENIOR HIGH
  High · PLYMOUTH · 1,832 students · 30.5:1 ratio
• ROBBINSDALE COOPER SENIOR HIGH
  High · NEW HOPE · 1,630 students · 28.1:1 ratio