HOPKINS, MN

Hopkins is a small suburban city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, located west of Minneapolis. Hopkins was the headquarters of Minneapolis-Moline, which was a large manufacturer of tractors and agricultural equipment in the United States until the 1960s. The southern end of town sits along the main line of the Twin Cities and Western Railroad.

The city is four square miles in size and is surrounded by the larger suburban communities of Minnetonka, Saint Louis Park, and Edina. The population was 19,079 at the 2020 census. U.S. Highway 169 and Minnesota State Highway 7 are two of the main routes in the area. The city's main street was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. There are several small ponds on the western side of Hopkins, and creeks to the north and south. One of these creeks includes Minnehaha Creek. The north branch of Nine Mile Creek has its headwaters in Hopkins at the intersection of 13th Avenue South and Excelsior Boulevard.

Demographics

thumb|left|View of Mainstreet (the local spelling) in downtown Hopkins.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 17,591 people, 8,366 households, and 3,975 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 8,987 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 70.4% White, 13.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 8.5% Asian, 3.4% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.9% of the population.

There were 8,366 households, of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 52.5% were non-families. 43.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.93.

The median age in the city was 34.4 years. 21.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 34.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.4% were from 45 to 64; and 12.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 17,145 people, 8,224 households and 3,741 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,205.9 per square mile (1,622.5/km). There were 8,390 housing units at an average density of 2,058.2 pe square mile (794.0/km). The racial makeup of the city was 82.61% White, 5.19% African American, 0.78% Native American, 5.92% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 2.58% from other races, and 2.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.54% of the population. 23.9% were of German, 12.4% Norwegian, 7.4% Irish and 7.1% Swedish ancestry.

There were 8,224 households, of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.5% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.85.

19.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 37.2% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.

The median household income was $39,203 and the median family income was $50,359. Males had a median income of $37,541 versus $30,687 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,759. About 8.1% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Housing

Hopkins has a much lower homeownership rate than neighboring communities. The city's 39 percent homeownership rate is 22 percentage points less than the 61 percent of St. Louis Park, which has the next lowest rate among Hopkins’ neighbors. Other west metro communities fall in the mid-70 percent range.

Housing also tends to be more affordable than most west metro communities. Hopkins’ $225,200 median value is the lowest among its neighbors. The median housing value for St. Louis Park, which is next lowest, is 6.75 percent higher at $240,400.

Government

City charter

Hopkins’ government structure is set by its city charter. Hennepin County district court judges appointed the first Hopkins Charter Commission on February 8, 1946, in order to create a proposed charter that would be voted on. The commission submitted the proposed charter to the Village Council on November 4, 1947. Voters approved the charter December 2, 1947. The charter has been amended numerous times since then, most recently in October 2012.

Government structure

The charter specifies that Hopkins use a council-manager plan. The council controls city administration but does so exclusively through the city manager. The charter contains an “interference with administration” clause that expressly forbids the council from telling the city manager whom to hire or preventing the city manager from using his or her judgment to make administrative appointments. It also prohibits the council from issuing orders to any of the city manager's subordinates.

Mayor and council

The council is made up of the mayor and four council members elected at-large. The mayor serves a two-year term in office. Council members have four-year terms—with two of the seats on the ballot in one election and the other two seats up in the following election. Regular elections take place in odd years.

The mayor votes on all motions before the council like the council members. The position is also the head of the city for ceremonial purposes, serving legal processes and martial law.

The mayor is paid $6,000 per year and council members are paid $4,600 per year. The current salaries were set in 1998.

=Presidents and mayors=

City manager

The city manager is the chief administrator of the City of Hopkins. The Hopkins City Council appoints the city manager for an indefinite period and may remove the manager at any time.

Subordinate employees

The charter specifies just two other administrative positions by name. It requires the city to have a clerk, who is subordinate to the city manager, and allows for, but doesn't require, a city attorney to advise the council on legal matters.

However, the charter specifies that the city manager can create city departments and divisions and alter them when necessary. Hopkins has seven departments, each with a department head that reports to the city manager. The departments are:

History

The first non-indigenous settlers of Hopkins arrived in 1852 as land around the growing Minneapolis–Saint Paul area was opening up and being explored by members stationed at Fort Snelling. However, the roots of the town begin in 1887 with the building of the Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company, later called Minneapolis-Moline, to make farm equipment. At the time, Minneapolis Moline employed most of the Hopkins residents. In 1887, the West Minneapolis Land Company was founded and formed to build housing for the Minneapolis Moline factory workers.

In 1893, residents of Hopkins sent the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners a petition signed by 41 residents, asking that a separate village be formed from unincorporated portions of then-Minnetonka and Richfield Townships. Following an election, the community was then incorporated as the Village of West Minneapolis with a population of 1,105. The original village consisted of about three square miles, and it has been enlarged by annexation to its present size of about four square miles.

In 1928, the name of the village was changed to Hopkins after Harley H. Hopkins, who was among its first homesteaders and was the community's first postmaster. Mr. Hopkins allowed the town to build the train depot on his land (now [http://www.thedepotcoffeehouse.com/ The Depot Coffee House]) with the agreement that the train station would say "Hopkins" on it. People getting off the train assumed the name of the town was Hopkins and it stuck. On January 1, 1948, the village became the city of Hopkins, upon adoption of a council–city manager charter.

Timeline

Hopkins Raspberry Festival

The Hopkins Raspberry Festival is an annual event in Hopkins. The Hopkins Raspberry Festival was founded in 1935 as a way to boost business during the Great Depression of the 1930s. A date of July 21 was chosen to hold the event to coincide with the peak of raspberry-picking season. The festival now takes place the third weekend in July every year.

The Raspberry Festival is overseen by a board of directors supported by many additional volunteers and local civic organizations each year. Since its inception, it has evolved into a dynamic community celebration with activities including music, sporting events, royalty coronations, craft fair, and parade.

National Register of History Places

The main street of Hopkins, from 8th to 11th avenues, was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in January, 2022. The designation was revealed during a ceremony in April of 2022.

Education

Public schools

The Hopkins School District serves all or parts of seven Minneapolis west suburban communities: Hopkins, Minnetonka, Golden Valley, Plymouth, Edina, Eden Prairie, and Saint Louis Park. Approximately 8,100 students attend seven elementary schools (K–sixth grade), two junior high schools (7th–9th grade), and one high school (10th–12th grade). Some students attend public schools in other school districts chosen by their families under Minnesota's open enrollment statute, as some students from outside Hopkins school district enroll in Hopkins schools on that basis.

#located in Minnetonka

#located in Golden Valley

Private schools

There are two private schools in Hopkins:

Charter schools

Notable people