Hopkins

Hopkins is a suburban city in the county of Hennepin in Minnesota, US situated west of Minneapolis. It is around 4 square miles in size bordered by the greater, west suburban communities of St. Louis Park, Minnetonka and Edina. The city is about 98 percent developed with small remaining vacant land. As of 2010, the population of the city was 17,591. The two primary routes in the area are Minnesota State Highway 7 and US Highway 169.
The total area of the city is 4.11 square miles according to the US Census Bureau in which 4.08 square miles is land and the rest is water. There are many small ponds on the western part and some creeks to the south and north. One of the creeks is Minnehaha Creek. There were 17,591 residents in the city, 3,975 families and 8,366 households.
The first settlers of the city came in 1852 as land around the growing area of St. Paul and Minneapolis was opening up and explored by the members stationed at Fort Snelling. But the roots of the town started in the year 1887 with the construction of the Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company which was later on called Minneapolis-Moline to manufacture farm equipment. During that time, the company employed most of the residents in Hopkins. In 1887, another company known as Minneapolis Land Company was established and formed to create housing for the workers of the factory.
In 1892, the residents of the city sent a petition to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners signed by forty one residents which asked a separate village to be formed from unincorporated portions of Richfield and Minnetonka Townships. After an election, the community was incorporated as the West Minneapolis Village with 1,105 residents. The original village was composed of around 3 square miles and has been enlarged by seizure to the present size of around 4 square miles.
Each year, the city celebrates the Raspberry Festival which was founded in the year 1935 as a way of promoting business during the 1930s Great Depression. The event is held every July 21 to match with the peak of raspberry-harvesting season. This festival is supervised by a board of directors supported by a number of additional volunteers and civic organizations of the local area every year.
The Hopkins School District is serving most parts of the seven Minneapolis west suburban communities namely Hopkins, Golden Valley, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Edina, Plymouth and St. Louis Park. About 8,100 students attend seven elementary schools, two junior high schools and one high school. Some of the students are attending public schools in other school districts their families choose under the open enrolment statute of the state as some students enroll on such basis.
There are four private schools in the city which include the Blake School, St. John’s Catholic School, St. David’s School and Hopkins Montessori School.
The real estate industry of the city is also thriving with more people choosing to invest and live in the Hopkins because of the different scenic locations and entertainment spots the city has to offer.