About Bloomington

Bloomington, Minnesota was once the home of Lake Agassiz which formed River Warren. Lake Agassiz was formed when the ice melted from the Laurentide ice sheet. The water was up to 700 feet deep and covered up to 110,000 square miles. River Warren drained Lake Agassiz into the Mississippi delta. Eventually Lake Agassiz began to recede and Native Americans entered the area to hunt bison that were very plentiful. The Iowa people were some of the earliest settlers and were followed by the Oneota people, who were present in the area until the 1600s. The Oneota people are famous for the pottery that they made and lived in mounds. They are often referred to as the mound builders. The Oneota people were replaced by the Dakota and the Ojibwa Native Americans, who lived in teepees following the bison. The area also became known for its fur trading, with traders coming from France, the eastern United States, and Europe. Those looking to do some trading today should consult the Bloomington, MN business directory.The area was first settled by Zebulon Pike, who was commissioned by the United States government to find a location suitable for a fort.

Zebulon chose the area where the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers met. Soon, a fort was established there being named Fort Snelling. Soon the Dakota Indians signed the first land treaty. Soon the steamboat arrived to Fort Snelling. The white settlers had a good relationship with the Dakota people. One of the earliest settlers was Gideon Pond, who settled in the area in 1834. Mr. Pond soon established a mission and worked as a farmer. Other early settlers included Peter Quinn, who acted as an interpreter for the Dakota people, Martin McLeod, who was instrumental in seeing that all children in Minnesota received a free public education, Henry Sibley who became Minnesota governor, and Joseph Dean who was instrumental in bringing the ferry to Bloomington. Many farmers moved to the area after the Dan Patch railroad service was established to the area by Col. Marion Willis Will Savage. The Dan Patch Line had the first gas-electric freight locomotive. It was built to run from Mr. Savage's farm to Minneapolis. Those who want to make a trip today should consult the Bloomington, MN yellow pages.

Written by Lyndsey Morgan