Minneapolis Real Estate

WOODBURY REAL ESTATE

 

 

Woodbury is located in Washington County, and is a suburb of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. It is situated east of Saint Paul along Interstate 94. The population was 46,463 at the 2000 census. 

 

Woodbury is known for its attractive residential neighborhoods, which are connected by more than 100 miles of multi-use trails and surrounded by 3,000 acres of dedicated park land. Residents have a wide choice of housing, ranging from apartments and townhomes to large-lot estates.

 

Woodbury contains many parks, three of which encircle Colby, Wilmes, and Powers lakes, respectively. The indoor Central Park is adjacent to the public library. Many parks in the city are connected by paved trails. Two golf courses are located in the city: Prestwick (privately owned) and Eagle Valley (publicly owned). There are many local events year-round, a popular summer event named Woodbury Days is held in Ojibway park each year.

 

The five largest employers located in Woodbury are The Hartford, Woodwinds Health Campus, School District 833, EcoWater Systems, and Assurant. Other important employers include eFunds, Long Term Care Group, Dean Foods/Land O'Lakes, and the Target Corporation.

 

A large portion of the economy is retail. The two largest retail centers are Tamarack, near the intersection of Radio Drive and I-94, and Valley Creek, near the intersection of Valley Creek Road and I-494. Woodbury Lakes, an upscale retail development with an open-air mall layout, was completed in 2006.

 

Originally named Red Rock, after a sacred stone supposedly painted by the famous Dakota Chief Little Crow, the town was renamed in 1859 when the state legislature discovered another Red Rock Township in Minnesota. Woodbury was named after Judge Levi Woodbury of New Hampshire, a friend of the first town board chairman.

 

The first settlers came to Woodbury in 1844. Most of the area's early settlers migrated from the eastern states and from Germany. Immigrants also came from Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, Scotland and Denmark. Over the years the people of Woodbury have contributed in many ways to the rich heritage that the city enjoys today.

Land development and agriculture.

In 1844 the town was largely covered with timber. Clearing the land for farming required considerable time and labor. Wheat was the principal crop grown, as well as barley, corn, and potatoes; and later soybeans became a crop of major importance. Generally the land was rolling and very fertile, which was particularly conducive to dairy farming.

 

The 1950s introduced a new phase in agriculture. Farming technology resulted in controlled acreage, more fertilization, improved crop rotation and chemicals for pest control, making agriculture an even greater contributor to the local economy. In 1955 the first housing development, Woodbury Heights, was started. The 1960s brought another outlook for the farmer. Urban development spread out into the community and began to replace the farm land.

 

Urban development has continued as the metropolitan area looks eastward for living space. The city values its open spaces and natural resources and is taking steps to acquire and conserve several hundred acres in the undeveloped areas.