A brief history of

Inver Grove Heightsfrom Township and Village to City

with a map of historic sites

On March 9, 1965 Inver Grove Township and InverGrove Village citizens voted 1,380 to 331 to mergeas the Village of Inver Grove Heights. In 1974“City” replaced “Village” to comply with a newstate statute for incorporated municipalities.Inver Grove with its richly diverse 116-year her-itage and equally diverse and beautiful landscapeofficially became the City of Inver Grove Heights.

The setting for settlementWhen Dakota County opened to settlement in 1853land in the future Inver Grove was quickly claimed.In fact some claims were made in 1852. John Greeris considered the first settler along the river and JohnMcGroarty first in the southwest.From 1853 to 1858 settlers improved their home-steads as representatives helped organize the county.New Englanders chose to settle along theMississippi River, Irish and French selected the openspaces of Rich Valley in the south and west, and theGermans settlers chose the hills, ravines, and woodsof the northwest along today’s Babcock Trail whichthey called the German Road for 100 years.

Organization of Inver Grove TownshipOn April 17, 1858 Dakota County established itsfirst 17 townships. Each township was invited toorganize. On May 11 farmers met at JosiahBurwell’s home on Rich Valley Road and organizedInver Grove township. Burwell, George Bohrer, andPatrick McKenny were elected town supervisors.John McGroarty had proposed the name “Inver.” It’sunclear who proposed “Grove.”

The next 100 years, 1860 to 1960Inver Grove Township’s 1860 population was 536.Town meetings were held in Josiah Burwell’s homeuntil a town hall was built in 1878 on Barnes Ave.

Without a central commercial area the three com-munities were growing apart. Rich Valley farmerslooked to Hastings and Rosemount. German Roadfarmers travelled north to St. Paul. The river peoplefocused on fishing, steamboat servicing, and devel-oping a commercial center.Early maps suggest an even greater division withlocations named Glentoro, Centralia, Marcott,Merrimac, Pine Bend, Rich Valley, and Inver GroveVillage. Most were developer names except for thelatter.

The Village of Inver GroveInver Grove Village appeared on maps as early as1886 at 65th and Concord. It became a rail hub forSouth St. Paul’s Stockyards. Its rail/wagon bridgespanning the Mississippi made it a major Twin Cityrail center. Inver Grove village incorporated in 1909.

Organizing “because of” and “for” suburbiaBy 1960 suburban sprawl following World War IIhad reached Inver Grove Township. Its populationtripled from 1,752 in 1950 to 5,753 in 1960.In 1958 the Sunfish Lake area incorporated as avillage to maintain its community objectives.Suburban home developers were demanding pub-lic services townships weren’t prepared to provide.Recognizing the problem the state required town-ships to incorporate upon reaching a population of2,000. Options for the township were annexation inpart or all by South St. Paul or the Village of InverGrove, or Inver Grove Township incorporating. Thetownship chose to incorporate and the old Village ofInver Grove joined in creating Inver Grove Heights.

Inver Grove HeightsHistory Site Map

on following page

April 6, 1858Original township included 30 sec-tions along the river.In April 1858 the county added 12sections from Nininger but gavethem to Rosemount in 1871.

1910February 1898 Minnesota added5-1/2 sections from South St. Paul.August 1909 The Village of InverGrove incorporated occupying thearea from 61st to 66th streets andfrom the river to today’s airport.

1971June 1958 Two Sunfish Lake sec-tions incorporated as Sunfish Lake.1965 South St. Paul acquiredFleming Field acreage.1965 The Village of Inver GroveHeights incorporated.1967 Inver Grove Heights acquiredsmall acreage from West St. Paul.1971 Change from the “Village” tothe “City” of Inver Grove Heights.

From Township totoday’s City boundary

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Chief Medicine Bottle’s villageformed in 1836; a marker is on high-way 52. Area became the Pine Bendtownsite and post office.

Mendota - Wabasha RoadThis is one of five federal militaryroads in Minnesota. John S. Potter laidit out in 1850. The Rich Valley Roadbed follows the military road.

Josiah Burwell’s home, site of1858 Inver Grove Township organiza-tion, Rich Valley at 102nd.

In 1854 Father Ravoux held first massin McGrath home. Frame churchburned in 1919. A church built in 1961preceded dramatic church built in 2002,3535 E. 72nd.

Salem United MethodistChurch organized in 1854 in a logchurch. This brick church was built in1868 with the steeple added in 1884.Additions have retained the historicbrick structure, 5590 Babcock.

Now a Methodist national shrine.A favorite setting for artists.

1876 Reuben Freeman “Houseof eight gables”on Inver Grove Trail.Built to better the “House of sevengables.” A National Register site.

Inver Grove 1878 Town Hall“Town House” site, German Road(Barnes Ave.) and 91st St. Propertydonated by Patrick Brennan, Sr.Served until 1936 when new town hallwas built.

1882 site of Dist. 7 School andmeeting place, built with bricks byrailroad. Earlier location of DakotaCounty’s first public school in 1854.Doane and 67th.

1 8 8 3site of OldE m a n u a lL u t h e r a nChurch aftera 1854 logchapel; ser-vices andc h u r c hschool werein German.Today’s church and educational centerwere built in 1960. 70th and Babcock.

Railroad Swing Bridge, 1894,rail and wagon Mississippi Rivercrossing for over a century. Built bySouth St. Paul Beltline railroad forstockyards. Acquired by the RockIsland in 1915. Sold to the Roman Co.in 1981 who operated it as a toll bridgeuntil closing in 1999.

Duke’s restaurant, 1906, onConcord. Originally Piekarski’s butch-er shop. Building became Duke’soffering good food and hotel roomsmostly for railroaders. Meals served 24hours a day. Now Jersey’s Bar.

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1867 St. Patrick’sChurch site, cemetery,and early log church.

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1874 SalemE v a n g e l i c a lChurch on Upper55th atSchmidtLake.

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1886 Inver Grove Village rail-road depot. The nearby Rock Islandboxcar clearing yard was largest in theTwin Cities. Rock Island was a majorarea employer.

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Turning a new page in the history of The City of Inver Grove Heights

The City of Inver Grove HeightsMunicipal Center

Today’s Inver Grove Heights enjoys itsdiversity of landscape and development. Thecity center along 80th St. hosts our City Hall,Community Center, Simley High School,

Inver Glen Library, and Inver HillsCommunity College. Throughout the city arepark and recreational areas, and you can stillfind a dirt or gravel road and nature spaces.

Prepared by W. G. Wolston and the Dakota County Historical Societyin cooperation with the City of Inver Grove Heights

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St. Paul and Southern Electricrail line built in 1914 provided com-muter service from St. Paul to Hastingswith six stops. Equipment included fourpassenger cars. Car maintenance shopswere located in Inver Grove Village.

1913 Cameron’s store, 65th andConcord. Originally 1880s site ofBushnell Market and Weier and Miller1895 grocery. Cameron’s was a gro-cery and restaurant. The business hasremained in family, now a liquor store.

1933 site of Rosenberger’snight club on East Adelbert to WorldWar II. A basement wood floor hosteddancing to the music of Whoopee Johnand others.

1920 Streetcar Church on EricWalgren farm at 105th St. and InverGrove Trail, served as neighborhoodSunday School.

1936 Inver Grove TownshipTown Hall site on Barnes at Highway55 also built by the WPA with schoolbricks. Site of March 13, 1962 decisionto incorporate the township leading toVillage of Inver Grove Heights.

Schlief’s Little City a 1937 cre-ation of Luella and Cleadis Schlief. Thecountry dance hall opened in 1937 onHighway 55 and South Robert.Schlief’s was a favorite entertainmentplace for annual volunteer firemendances until 1974 closing. Formerly afarm implement business.

Site of 1958 B-52D USAFbomber crash on Kahl farm duringColdWar practice run from 30,000 feet.Marker on Broderick near West LoopCourt.

When the District 73 School onBarnes closed its doors in 1960 it wasthe last one room school in DakotaCounty. The building is now a singlefamily home on Barnes Avenue.

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The 1934 Inver Grove VillageHall still stands on River Road south of66th St. in former village square. BuiltbyWPAwith bricks from the old villageschool.

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