Overview of Blaine, Minnesota

A booming business and residential community, Blaine is one of the Twin Cities' largest and fastest growing communities. From 2002-2006 Blaine had 3,774 new housing units constructed in the city, the most in Minnesota. This north metro 34-square-mile city has become a viable business and residential area. Blaine is also the home of Minnesota's Olympic-class facility; the National Sports Center (NSC), an athletic facility designed for training, competition and accommodating a variety of activities and events. The NSC hosts the USA Cup, the world's second largest youth soccer tournament each July. Also the NSC has the Schwann's Super Rink, eight Olympic sized ice sheets under one roof. The NSC draws over 4 million people to Blaine each year. Blaine is home to the TPC of the Twin Cities, a private 18-hole professional golf course, designed and owned by the PGA. This course is home to the 3M Champion's Tour held each August.

Blaine History:

Until 1877 Blaine was considered to be part of the city of Anoka, Minnesota. Phillip Laddy, a native of Ireland, is recognized as the first settler in Blaine. He settled near the lake that now bears his name, Laddie Lake, in 1862. Laddy died shortly after his arrival and his survivors moved on to Minneapolis. He was followed by Englishman George Townsend, who lived for a short time in the area of Lever St. and 103rd Ave.

It was not until 1865 that Blaine's first permanent resident, Green Chambers, settled on the old Townsend claim. Chambers was a former slave who moved north from Barren County, Kentucky, following the Civil War. In 1870 George Wall, Joseph Gagner, and some others settled in the area and it began to grow.

In 1877 Blaine separated from Anoka and organized as a Township of its own. That year the first election was held and Moses Ripley was elected as the first Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Ripley, who had come to Minnesota from Maine, persuaded his fellow Board Members to name the new Township in honor of James G. Blaine, a senator and three-time presidential candidate from Maine. By the year 1880 Blaine's population had reached 128.

While many of the other communities in Anoka County experienced growth due to farming, Blaine's sandy soils and abundant wetlands discouraged would-be farmers and it remained a prime hunting area. Blaine's growth remained slow until after World War II when starter home developments began to spring up in the southern part of town.

Blaine's population went from 1,694 in 1950 to 20,640 in 1970. As the Minneapolis/St. Paul area began to enjoy rapid growth, Blaine's wide open spaces became attractive to many people looking for the suburban life style just a short distance from both downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. Its population in 2005 is estimated to be 54,020.[1]

With the development of Interstate 35-W, State Hwy. 65, and U.S. Route 10, Blaine's accessibility to the twin cities was greatly increased. Because of this, Blaine has become a very attractive location for business and residential development. Blaine has attracted many new corporate residents, such as the Aveda Corporation, MagnetStreet and Dayton Rogers Manufacturing. Blaine is also home to the National Sports Center, an Olympic class training facility, as well as home to a TPC golf course.