Hopkins, Minnesota, United States

🇺🇸 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, west suburban communities of Minnetonka, Saint Louis Park, and Edina. U.S. Highway 169 and Minnesota State Highway 7 are two of the main routes in the area.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.11 square miles (10.64 km²), of which 4.08 square miles (10.57 km²) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km²) 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.

The southern end of Hopkins is adjacent to main line of the Twin Cities and Western Railroad. Two main highways, U.S. Route 169 and Minnesota State Highway 7, service the Hopkin's area.

Demographics As of the census of 2020, there were 19,079 people, and 9,220 households residing in the city. The population density was 4,696.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,813.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.2% White, 21.5% African American, 0.1% Native American, 7.1% Asian, 5.4% from two or more races, and 8.8% Hispanic or Latino.

The average household size was 2.02 and 22% of persons aged 5 years+, 2017-2021 spoke a language other than English spoken at home.

9.5% of people under age 65 years, 2017-2020 had a disability, and 6.9%of persons under age 65 years, did not have health insurance.

The median household income (in 2021 dollars), 2017-2021 was $60,824. The per capita income in past 12 months (in 2021 dollars), 2017-2021 was $40,770.11.8% of People lived in poverty.

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.

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.

The Hopkins train station, which determined the town's eventual name, is now a student-run coffee house.

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 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.

Hopkins was the headquarters of Minneapolis-Moline, which was a large manufacturer of tractors and agricultural equipment in the United States until the 1960s.

Timeline • 1852 – First non-indigenous settlers arrived • 1862 – First school, Burnes, built • 1887 – Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company built • 1893 – November 7, 1,168 people incorporated the village of West Minneapolis • 1893 – December 9, first city-council elected • 1899 – Streetcar arrived in West Minneapolis • 1928 – August 16, village name changed to Hopkins • 1929 – Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company becomes Minneapolis-Moline • 1934 – Hopkins business people organized the first Hopkins Raspberry Festival • 1947 – December 2, Hopkins became a city through the adoption of a city charter • 2022 - Hopkins Mainstreet designated on the list of the National Register of Historic Places

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.

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 2022.

Education 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–fifth grade), two middle schools (6th–8th grade), and one high school (9th–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.

Private schools There are two private schools in Hopkins: • The Blake School: A large private school with several campuses throughout the Twin Cities was founded in Hopkins, and the Blake Campus in the city houses both the Middle School and one of its two Lower Schools. • Agamim Classical Academy (relocated) • Chesterton Academy

Charter schools • Mainstreet School of Performing Arts (MSSPA): A performing arts school that focuses on the three major performing arts areas; music, dance and theater. The school opened in 2004 and eventually moved to Eden Prairie, MN being renamed to Performing Institute of Minnesota Arts High School (PiM Arts High School). Grades 9–12. • Ubah Medical Academy is a charter high school currently leasing space in the Katherine Curren Elementary building. The school was chartered in 2003 and was previously housed in Minneapolis.