Excelsior, Minnesota

Excelsior, Minnesota
City

Location of Excelsior
within Hennepin County, Minnesota
Country United States
State Minnesota
County Hennepin
Government
 • Type City
 • Mayor Mark Gaylord[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 0.69 sq mi (1.79 km2)
 • Land 0.63 sq mi (1.63 km2)
 • Water 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2)
Population (2010)[3]
 • Total 2,188
 • Estimate (2012[4]) 2,230
 • Density 3,473.0/sq mi (1,340.9/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
Zip Code 55331
Area code(s) 952
Website City Page

Excelsior is a city on Lake Minnetonka in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population is 2,397. The suburb is located 12 miles west of South Minneapolis.[5]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.69 square miles (1.79 km2), of which 0.63 square miles (1.63 km2) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km2) is water.[2] Minnesota State Highway 7 serves as a main route. Excelsior is located 20 miles west–southwest of downtown Minneapolis.

History

Excelsior was founded in 1853 by George Bertram and the Excelsior Pioneer Association. It was the first community established on Lake Minnetonka. Many of the original settlers in Excelsior came from the New England area, particularly upstate New York and Massachusetts. Some eastern-like features can be found in the layout of the town, which is organized as a grid with a public Commons along the lake shore.

Throughout the years, Excelsior's Water Street has been the home to many businesses including hotels, restaurants, and merchants. Excelsior works hard to maintain its historical identity while renewing various elements of the downtown area; the community is known for its abundance of Victorian housing stock and masonry-clad commercial district.

The Cyclone, Excelsior Amusement Park, 1925-1973
The Wyer House, residence of Excelsior Amusement Park managers

Excelsior was also home to the Excelsior Amusement Park, which operated from 1925 to 1973. Today the site is occupied by a condominium complex and two restaurants.

Ray Colihan owned a ballroom called '"Big Reggie's Danceland" in Excelsior during the 1950s and 1960s. Colihan is speculated as the only man to lose money on both The Beatles, who he booked at Met Stadium in 1965, and The Rolling Stones, who played Danceland in 1964 for an audience of approximately 300.[6] Legend has it, since debunked online,[6] that an Excelsior resident named Jimmy Hutmaker was the inspiration behind the Rolling Stones song You Can't Always Get What You Want after an encounter with singer Mick Jagger at the local drug store prior to the 1964 concert.[7] "Mr. Jimmy", as he was known, died on October 3, 2007.[8]

President Gerald Ford's golden retriever, Liberty, was purchased in 1974 from Avis Friberg, a resident of Excelsior.[9]

The streetcar boat Minnehaha, a steamboat used for passenger travel on Lake Minnetonka during the turn of the Twentieth Century, was raised from the bottom of Lake Minnetonka in 1980, restored, and put back into passenger service in 1996. Now operated by the Museum of Lake Minnetonka, it again carries passengers between the communities of Excelsior and Wayzata as it did over a century ago.

Twin City Lines No. 1239, Excelsior Streetcar Line

The Minnesota Streetcar Museum, a local transportation museum, also operates two heritage streetcar lines in Minneapolis and Excelsior. Two streetcars are currently operated on the Excelsior line: Twin City Lines No. 1239 and Duluth Street Railway No. 78.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880417—
189061948.4%
190071715.8%
19101,01541.6%
1920790−22.2%
19301,07235.7%
19401,42232.6%
19501,76324.0%
19602,02014.6%
19702,56326.9%
19802,523−1.6%
19902,367−6.2%
20002,3931.1%
20102,188−8.6%
Est. 20152,279[10]4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]

2010 census

Excelsior Public School

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 2,188 people, 1,115 households, and 494 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,473.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,340.9/km2). There were 1,254 housing units at an average density of 1,990.5 per square mile (768.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.4% White, 2.7% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.2% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.9% of the population.

There were 1,115 households of which 21.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.7% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 55.7% were non-families. 48.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.92 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the city was 42 years. 19.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.4% were from 25 to 44; 30.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census

Excelsior Beach

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 2,393 people, 1,199 households, and 547 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,822.9 people per square mile (1,466.6/km²). There were 1,254 housing units at an average density of 2,003.3 per square mile (768.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.07% White, 0.75% African American, 0.33% Native American, 2.21% Asian, 1.55% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.13% of the population.

There were 1,199 households out of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.2% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.3% were non-families. 45.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.95 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the city the population was spread out with 19.5% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,598, and the median income for a family was $61,406. Males had a median income of $40,845 versus $28,717 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,127. About 3.6% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

Parks

Restored Express boat Minnehaha

The Excelsior Commons, a large park situated along the shore of Lake Minnetonka, is a publicly owned parcel of land used for various activities year-round. It is speculated that the Excelsior Commons and the Boston Common are the only two designated "commons" in the United States. A large public beach is located at the northern end of the Commons.

Three Rivers Park District also maintains a bike and pedestrian trail that runs through Excelsior.

Events

Excelsior hosts several annual events including Apple Day, Art on The Lake, Crazy Days, Girls Night Out, Christkindlmarkt, the Excelsior Farmers Market, and Independence Day festivities.

References

  1. ↑ Excelsior, MN - Official Website - City Council
  2. 1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
  3. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
  4. ↑ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  5. ↑ "Excelsior, Minnesota - About Us". City of Excelsior. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  6. 1 2 Keller, Martin (2007). Music Legends: A Rewind on the Minnesota Music Scene. D Media. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-9787956-1-0.
  7. ↑ Kaufmann, Bill (2009-04-20) The Republic Strikes Back, The American Conservative
  8. ↑ Thiede, Dana (2007). "Excelsior loses tie to rock and roll history". KARE 11. Multimedia Holdings. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  9. ↑ Honor's Foxfire Liberty Hume - Golden Retriever Weekly
  10. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

Excelsior travel guide from Wikivoyage

Coordinates: 44°54′12″N 93°33′59″W / 44.90333°N 93.56639°W / 44.90333; -93.56639

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