Victoria

History

Michael Diethelm is believed to be the first settler in Victoria after setting up a shelter for his wife and two children in 1851 near the present-day St. Victoria Church. The city is named after the church, built on of land just north of Lake Bavaria in 1857. A year later, steamboats from St. Paul began bringing additional supplies for early settlers. The settlement continued to grow as the rich soil attracted farmers. Also in 1858, the Laketown Moravian Brethren's Church was established and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Eventually the steamboats to Chaska and the St. Paul railroad helped transform the area into a thriving community.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water. State Highways 5 and 7 are two of Victoria's main routes. Victoria has been nicknamed "The City of Lakes and Parks" because it has over of reserved land, 25 parks, and thirteen lakes within its borders. Victoria is also home to the Carver Park Reserve. In the 1850s, Victoria's rich soil attracted many farmers from Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Race & ethnicity