Eagan, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Eagan is a city
south of Saint Paul
in Dakota County
in the U.S. state
of Minnesota
. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River
, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River
. Eagan and nearby suburbs form the southern portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the fifteenth largest metropolitan area
in the United States
, with about 3.6 million residents. The population of Eagan was 64,206 at the 2010 census.
Originally a rural Irish farming community and "Onion Capital of the United States", Eagan became the eighth largest Minnesota city in the 2000 Census. The largest growth in Eagan took place following the relocation and expansion of Highway 77 along with the construction of the new six-lane bridge (with three northbound and three southbound lanes) over the Minnesota River in 1980 and also the completion of the final Interstate 35E
freeway section southbound from Minnesota State Highway 110
in Mendota Heights to the area where it joins 35W in Burnsville
in the mid 1980s. Its northern border is primarily along Interstate 494. Its southern border is about a mile south of Cliff Road. Its eastern border runs primarily along Minnesota State Highway 3
. The western border runs primarily along the South bank of Minnesota River. Currently the fourth largest suburb in the metro area, Eagan is predominantly a commuter town
of both Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The city's influence in the region grew when the companies Northwest Airlines
(now Delta Air Lines) and Thomson West
(now Thomson Reuters) established their headquarters.
, Ireland
to Troy
, New York
where they married in 1843. They arrived in Mendota
around 1853-1854, before settling in the Eagan area.
, the city has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.6 km²), of which, 32.3 square miles (83.7 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.9 km²) of it (3.38%) is water.
Interstate Highway 35E
, Interstate Highway 494
, Minnesota Highways 13
, 55
, 77
, and 149
are six of the main routes in the city.
The Eagan Core Greenway is an ongoing-project to preserve Eagan's environmentally-sensitive green space, with particular emphasis on Patrick Eagan Park and a two-mile (3 km) greenway connecting the park with Lebanon Hills Regional Park
.
of 2000, there were 63,557 people, 23,773 households, and 16,427 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,967.6 people per square mile (759.3/km²). There were 24,390 housing units at an average density of 755.1 per square mile (291.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.03% White, 3.41% African American, 0.26% Native American, 5.31% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.96% from other races
, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.24% of the population.
There were 23,773 households out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.9% were married couples
living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 38.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 4.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.
According to the 2000 census, median household income was $67,388.http://www.ci.eagan.mn.us/live/page.asp?menu=2161 Males had a median income of $52,029 versus $35,641 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $30,167. About 1.9% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
The Council members are:
In general, city government is non-partisan. Candidates need not be (and usually aren't) selected or endorsed by political parties, and no such endorsement appears on the ballot by state law. All five council seats including the mayor are elected at-large in the general election every four years. Terms are staggered with two council members being elected one election cycle, while the remaining two seats and the mayor are elected two years later. The non-mayoral seats are elected in pairs giving voters the chance to vote for up to two candidates on the same question. If necessary, races are narrowed down during a primary election.
As a part of Dakota County, Eagan's northern precincts (1-9, 11, 17 and 21) join with regions northward to form the Third District on the County Commission. It has been represented by former Eagan Mayor Thomas Egan since 2005. The southern portions of the city (precincts 10, 12-16) are joined by regions south and west to form the Fourth District of the County Commission which has been represented by Nancy Schouweiler since 1999. County commissioners serve four year terms.
Eagan is located in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district
, and has been represented by John Kline
(R
) since 2003.
Since redistricting last occurred in 2002, Eagan straddles two Minnesota State Senate districts. Twenty out of twenty-one Eagan precincts are joined with three precincts in neighboring Burnsville to form Senate District 38. District 38 is currently represented by Senator Ted Daley
(R
). Eagan’s northeastern-most precinct is a part of Senate District 39, represented by Senator James Metzen
(DFL
), who was first elected to the State House in 1974.
In the Minnesota House of Representatives
, each Senate District is divided in to an “A” and a “B” side. The western half of District 38 makes up House District 38A, which is represented by Rep. Diane Anderson
(R). The eastern half of District 38 makes up House District 38B, which is currently represented by Rep. Doug Wardlow
(R). Rep. Rick Hansen
(DFL) represents precinct one as part of House District 39A.
Eagan is home to Minnesota’s 38th and former Governor
Tim Pawlenty
(R), 2003–2011, who previously represented Eagan in the Minnesota House, and on the city council. Former mayor Patricia Anderson
(R) also served as the 17th State Auditor
from 2003-2007.
Recently there have been two city questions that have gone to the ballot for city residents to vote for. In 2008 the citizens voted 53% to 47% to allow for private development of a defunct golf course instead of having the City purchase the land for future public development or open space. In 2004 and in 2007 voters were presented with plans drafted by an established Charter Commission calling for the city to scrap its current governing structure as a statutory city and adopt a new home-rule city charter. The measure failed 80% to 20% in 2004 and 91% to 9% in 2007. The Charter Commission was dissolved on June 18, 2008.
Eagan lies in Minnesota’s First Judicial District.
Mesaba Airlines
(closing December 26, 2011), Regional Elite Airline Services, and Buffets, Inc. are headquartered in Eagan.
Northwest Airlines
had its headquarters in Eagan. After Northwest merged with Delta, the Northwest headquarters was disestablished. Todd Klingel, president of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, said that losing Northwest, a Fortune 500
company, would be "certainly a blow." He added, "But it's been expected for so long. Let's get on with it. The key is what can we do to minimize the loss to Minnesota." Northwest Airlines employed around 1,830 people at the time of its merger with Delta.
Eagan is home to businesses such as the legal publisher West
, (part of Thomson Reuters
(7,350 employees), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota (3,900 employees) and Coca-Cola
's Midwest bottling facility (900 employees). The sparsely populated northern portions of the city, being convenient to freeways and MSP Airport
, are also home to a number of warehouses and distribution centers including Minnesota's largest UPS
hub with 1400 employees.
, Zacarias Moussaoui
, prior to the attacks on the World Trade Center
in New York City
. Moussaoui attempted to complete flight training school, but was ultimately refused service by local resident Tim Nelson.
Eagan was named the 15th best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine.
, Independent School District 196
, & Independent School District 197. Some students, however, choose to attend public schools in other school districts chosen by their families under Minnesota's open enrollment statute.
† Denotes schools located outside of Eagan with attendance boundaries that cover part of the city.
The Dakota County Library
operates the Wescott Library in Eagan. The library houses the headquarters of Dakota County Library.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
south of Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
in Dakota County
Dakota County, Minnesota
Dakota County is the third most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is bordered by the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers on the north, and the state of Wisconsin on the east. Dakota County comprises the southeast portion of seven-county Minneapolis-St. Paul, the thirteenth...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. Eagan and nearby suburbs form the southern portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the fifteenth largest metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with about 3.6 million residents. The population of Eagan was 64,206 at the 2010 census.
Originally a rural Irish farming community and "Onion Capital of the United States", Eagan became the eighth largest Minnesota city in the 2000 Census. The largest growth in Eagan took place following the relocation and expansion of Highway 77 along with the construction of the new six-lane bridge (with three northbound and three southbound lanes) over the Minnesota River in 1980 and also the completion of the final Interstate 35E
Interstate 35E
Interstate 35E may refer to:*Interstate 35E , a long branch route serving Dallas, Texas*Interstate 35E , a long branch route serving St. Paul, Minnesota...
freeway section southbound from Minnesota State Highway 110
Minnesota State Highway 110
Minnesota State Highway 110 is a short connector highway in Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with State Highway 55 in Mendota Heights and continues east to its eastern terminus at its interchange with Interstate 494 in Inver Grove Heights, south of downtown Saint Paul.Highway 110 is in...
in Mendota Heights to the area where it joins 35W in Burnsville
Burnsville, Minnesota
Burnsville is a city south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River...
in the mid 1980s. Its northern border is primarily along Interstate 494. Its southern border is about a mile south of Cliff Road. Its eastern border runs primarily along Minnesota State Highway 3
Minnesota State Highway 3
Minnesota State Highway 3 is a state highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with MN 21 in Faribault and continues north to its northern terminus at an interchange with MN 110 in Inver Grove Heights...
. The western border runs primarily along the South bank of Minnesota River. Currently the fourth largest suburb in the metro area, Eagan is predominantly a commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
of both Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The city's influence in the region grew when the companies Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
(now Delta Air Lines) and Thomson West
Thomson West
West publishes legal, business, and regulatory information in print, and on electronic services such as Westlaw. Since the late 19th century, West has been one of the most prominent publishers of legal materials in the United States...
(now Thomson Reuters) established their headquarters.
History
Eagan was named for Patrick Eagan who was the first chairman of the town board of supervisors. Patrick Eagan tamed a 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) parcel of land near the present-day town hall. Eagan (born 1811) and his wife Margaret Twohy (born 1816), emigrated from TipperaryTipperary
Tipperary is a town and a civil parish in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 4,415 at the 2006 census. It is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam....
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to Troy
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
where they married in 1843. They arrived in Mendota
Mendota, Minnesota
Mendota is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. The name comes from the Dakota word for "where the waters meet." The population was 198 at the 2010 census.-History:...
around 1853-1854, before settling in the Eagan area.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 33.4 square miles (86.6 km²), of which, 32.3 square miles (83.7 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.9 km²) of it (3.38%) is water.
Interstate Highway 35E
Interstate 35E (Minnesota)
Interstate 35E is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Minnesota, passing through downtown Saint Paul. It is one of two through routes for Interstate 35 through the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the other being Interstate 35W through Minneapolis. Thus, both ends of I-35E are...
, Interstate Highway 494
Interstate 494
Interstate 494 is a loop route making up part of a beltway of Interstate 94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis – Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota...
, Minnesota Highways 13
Minnesota State Highway 13
Minnesota State Highway 13 is a highway in Minnesota that runs from its intersection with U.S. Highway 65 in Albert Lea to its northern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 149 at the West St...
, 55
Minnesota State Highway 55
Minnesota State Highway 55 is a highway in west-central, central, and east-central Minnesota, which runs from the North Dakota state line near Tenney and continues east and southeast to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S...
, 77
Minnesota State Highway 77
Minnesota State Highway 77 is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with 138th Street in Apple Valley and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with State Highway 62 in Minneapolis. The route is in length...
, and 149
Minnesota State Highway 149
Minnesota State Highway 149 is a highway in Minnesota that runs from its intersection with State Highway 3 in Inver Grove Heights to its northern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 5 in Saint Paul. The route is in length....
are six of the main routes in the city.
The Eagan Core Greenway is an ongoing-project to preserve Eagan's environmentally-sensitive green space, with particular emphasis on Patrick Eagan Park and a two-mile (3 km) greenway connecting the park with Lebanon Hills Regional Park
Lebanon Hills Regional Park
Lebanon Hills Regional Park is a 2,000 acre Dakota County Park, located in Eagan, Minnesota and Apple Valley, Minnesota, that includes naturally preserved woodland and prairie. Winter activities include skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, ice fishing, and hiking...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 63,557 people, 23,773 households, and 16,427 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,967.6 people per square mile (759.3/km²). There were 24,390 housing units at an average density of 755.1 per square mile (291.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.03% White, 3.41% African American, 0.26% Native American, 5.31% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.96% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.24% of the population.
There were 23,773 households out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 38.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 4.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.
According to the 2000 census, median household income was $67,388.http://www.ci.eagan.mn.us/live/page.asp?menu=2161 Males had a median income of $52,029 versus $35,641 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $30,167. About 1.9% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Eagan's municipal government is a Type A Statutory City, which provides for a council size of 5 members, one of whom is the mayor. Eagan's Mayor since 2007 has been Mike Maguire (2nd term, council member since 2003, seat up again in 2014).The Council members are:
- Paul Bakken (3rd non-consecutive term, 1997 and since 2007, seat up again in 2014)
- Gary Hansen (2nd term, since 2009 special election, seat up again in 2014)
- Cyndee Fields (3rd term, since 2001 seat up again in 2012)
- Meg Tilley (3rd term, since 2001, seat up again in 2012)
In general, city government is non-partisan. Candidates need not be (and usually aren't) selected or endorsed by political parties, and no such endorsement appears on the ballot by state law. All five council seats including the mayor are elected at-large in the general election every four years. Terms are staggered with two council members being elected one election cycle, while the remaining two seats and the mayor are elected two years later. The non-mayoral seats are elected in pairs giving voters the chance to vote for up to two candidates on the same question. If necessary, races are narrowed down during a primary election.
As a part of Dakota County, Eagan's northern precincts (1-9, 11, 17 and 21) join with regions northward to form the Third District on the County Commission. It has been represented by former Eagan Mayor Thomas Egan since 2005. The southern portions of the city (precincts 10, 12-16) are joined by regions south and west to form the Fourth District of the County Commission which has been represented by Nancy Schouweiler since 1999. County commissioners serve four year terms.
Eagan is located in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district
Minnesota's 2nd congressional district
Minnesota’s 2nd congressional district covers the south Twin Cities metro area and contains all of Carver, Scott, Le Sueur, Goodhue and Rice Counties. It also contains most of Dakota County and south Washington County including the cities of Cottage Grove and the southern part of Woodbury...
, and has been represented by John Kline
John Kline (politician)
John Paul Kline is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. The district includes most of the southern suburbs of the Twin Cities, including Apple Valley, Inver Grove Heights, Burnsville and Eagan. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:Kline was born...
(R
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
) since 2003.
Since redistricting last occurred in 2002, Eagan straddles two Minnesota State Senate districts. Twenty out of twenty-one Eagan precincts are joined with three precincts in neighboring Burnsville to form Senate District 38. District 38 is currently represented by Senator Ted Daley
Ted Daley
Theodore J. "Ted" Daley is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate who represents District 38, which includes most of Eagan and a small portion of Burnsville in Dakota County, which is in the southeastern Twin Cities metropolitan area...
(R
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
). Eagan’s northeastern-most precinct is a part of Senate District 39, represented by Senator James Metzen
James Metzen
James P. Metzen is a Minnesota politician, a state senator and a former president of the Minnesota Senate. A Democrat, he was first elected to the Senate in 1986 after serving 12 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives...
(DFL
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
), who was first elected to the State House in 1974.
In the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
, each Senate District is divided in to an “A” and a “B” side. The western half of District 38 makes up House District 38A, which is represented by Rep. Diane Anderson
Diane Anderson
Diane Anderson is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represents District 38A, which includes portions of the city of Eagan in Dakota County, which is in the southeastern Twin Cities metropolitan area. A Republican, she is also a small business...
(R). The eastern half of District 38 makes up House District 38B, which is currently represented by Rep. Doug Wardlow
Doug Wardlow
Douglas G. "Doug" Wardlow is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represents District 38B, which includes portions of the city of Eagan in Dakota County, which is in the southeastern Twin Cities metropolitan area...
(R). Rep. Rick Hansen
Rick Hansen (Minnesota politician)
Rick Hansen is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represents District 39A, which includes all or portions of the cities of West St. Paul, South St...
(DFL) represents precinct one as part of House District 39A.
Eagan is home to Minnesota’s 38th and former Governor
Governor of Minnesota
The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial...
Tim Pawlenty
Tim Pawlenty
Timothy James "Tim" Pawlenty , also known affectionately among supporters as T-Paw, is an American politician who served as the 39th Governor of Minnesota . He was a Republican candidate for President of the United States in the 2012 election from May to August 2011...
(R), 2003–2011, who previously represented Eagan in the Minnesota House, and on the city council. Former mayor Patricia Anderson
Patricia Anderson
Patricia "Pat" Anderson is a Minnesota politician and current national committeewoman for Minnesota to the Republican National Committee. She served as the 17th State Auditor of Minnesota, from 2003 to 2007. Prior to this, she was mayor of Eagan, Minnesota for four years after serving as a city...
(R) also served as the 17th State Auditor
Minnesota State Auditor
The Minnesota State Auditor is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. State of Minnesota. The State Auditor is charged with overseeing more than $20 billion spent annually by local governments in Minnesota...
from 2003-2007.
Recently there have been two city questions that have gone to the ballot for city residents to vote for. In 2008 the citizens voted 53% to 47% to allow for private development of a defunct golf course instead of having the City purchase the land for future public development or open space. In 2004 and in 2007 voters were presented with plans drafted by an established Charter Commission calling for the city to scrap its current governing structure as a statutory city and adopt a new home-rule city charter. The measure failed 80% to 20% in 2004 and 91% to 9% in 2007. The Charter Commission was dissolved on June 18, 2008.
Eagan lies in Minnesota’s First Judicial District.
Economy
Mesaba Airlines
Mesaba Airlines is an American regional airline based in Eagan, Minnesota. The airline operates under Mesaba Aviation, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation...
(closing December 26, 2011), Regional Elite Airline Services, and Buffets, Inc. are headquartered in Eagan.
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
had its headquarters in Eagan. After Northwest merged with Delta, the Northwest headquarters was disestablished. Todd Klingel, president of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, said that losing Northwest, a Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
company, would be "certainly a blow." He added, "But it's been expected for so long. Let's get on with it. The key is what can we do to minimize the loss to Minnesota." Northwest Airlines employed around 1,830 people at the time of its merger with Delta.
Eagan is home to businesses such as the legal publisher West
West (publisher)
West publishes legal, business, and regulatory information in print, and on electronic services such as Westlaw. Since the late 19th century, West has been one of the most prominent publishers of legal materials in the United States...
, (part of Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters Corporation is a provider of information for the world's businesses and professionals and is created by the Thomson Corporation's purchase of Reuters Group on 17 April 2008. Thomson Reuters is headquartered at 3 Times Square, New York City, USA...
(7,350 employees), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota (3,900 employees) and Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
's Midwest bottling facility (900 employees). The sparsely populated northern portions of the city, being convenient to freeways and MSP Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:...
, are also home to a number of warehouses and distribution centers including Minnesota's largest UPS
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
hub with 1400 employees.
Top employers
According to Eagan's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West West (publisher) West publishes legal, business, and regulatory information in print, and on electronic services such as Westlaw. Since the late 19th century, West has been one of the most prominent publishers of legal materials in the United States... (Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters Corporation is a provider of information for the world's businesses and professionals and is created by the Thomson Corporation's purchase of Reuters Group on 17 April 2008. Thomson Reuters is headquartered at 3 Times Square, New York City, USA... ) |
7,350 |
| 2 | Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Cross Blue Shield Association The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a federation of 39 separate health insurance organizations and companies in the United States. Combined, they directly or indirectly provide health insurance to over 100 million Americans. The history of Blue Cross dates back to 1929, while the history of... of Minnesota |
3,600 |
| 3 | Northwest Airlines Northwest Airlines Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world... |
2,297 |
| 4 | Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors | 1,400 |
| 5 | United States Postal Service United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States... |
1,400 |
| 6 | United Parcel Service United Parcel Service United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the... |
1,400 |
| 7 | Coca-Cola Enterprises Coca-Cola Enterprises Coca-Cola Enterprises is a marketer, producer, and distributor of Coca-Cola products. It is the anchor bottler for Western Europe, and was formerly the anchor bottler for most of North America.... |
900 |
| 8 | Ecolab Ecolab Ecolab, Inc. is a St. Paul, Minnesota based sanitation supply company founded in 1923.The company provides sanitation and pest control supplies, foodservice equipment repair and parts, food safety services and consulting to restaurants, hospitals, food and beverage plants, laundries, schools,... |
800 |
| 9 | Wells Fargo Home Mortgage | 700 |
| 10 | Prime Therapeutics Prime Therapeutics Prime Therapeutics LLC isa Pharmacy Benefit Manager headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota. The company is privately held by organizations representing 12 Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and... |
550 |
Notability
Eagan was also famously visited by the "20th hijacker" of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, Zacarias Moussaoui
Zacarias Moussaoui
Zacarias Moussaoui is a French citizen who was convicted of conspiring to kill citizens of the US as part of the September 11 attacks...
, prior to the attacks on the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Moussaoui attempted to complete flight training school, but was ultimately refused service by local resident Tim Nelson.
Eagan was named the 15th best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine.
Public schools
Eagan is served by three school districts: Independent School District 191Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
Burnsville-Eagan-Savage is Independent School District 191 in the U.S. state of Minnesota; it serves the city of Burnsville and parts of the neighboring cities of Savage and Eagan...
, Independent School District 196
Independent School District 196
Independent School District 196 is a K-12 public school district located in the south suburban Twin Cities, near both Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota....
, & Independent School District 197. Some students, however, choose to attend public schools in other school districts chosen by their families under Minnesota's open enrollment statute.
High schools
- Burnsville High SchoolBurnsville High SchoolBurnsville High School is a three-year public high school located in Burnsville, Minnesota. The school is part of Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191, which covers most of Burnsville, as well as parts of the surrounding cities Savage and Eagan, and small parts of Shakopee and Apple Valley...
(191)† - Eagan High SchoolEagan High SchoolEagan High School is a public high school in east-central Eagan, Minnesota. The school opened in fall of 1989 for ninth grade students and for grades ten through twelve the following year. It is particularly noted for its fine arts programs and use of technology...
(196) - Eastview High SchoolEastview High SchoolEastview High School is a comprehensive and college preparatory public high school located in Apple Valley, Minnesota, USA. Established in 1997, Eastview is the newest of the four high schools serving Independent School District 196. Newsweek ranked the school in their "List of the Top High Schools...
(196)† - Henry Sibley High SchoolHenry Sibley High SchoolHenry Sibley High School was founded in 1954. The current school was built in 1971 to serve students in grades 10-12. Today, it serves students in grades 9-12 and houses the district’s administrative offices. It is currently remodeling the main offices, expanding the cafeteria, and remodeling...
(197)† - School of Environmental Studies (196)†
Middle schools
- Blackhawk Middle School (196)
- Dakota Hills Middle SchoolDakota Hills Middle SchoolDakota Hills Middle School is a school in Eagan, Minnesota. It is located in the same building as Eagan High School and is in Independent School District 196. Dakota Hills is a large public school with about 1200-1300 students as of the 2005-2006 school year...
(196) - Falcon Ridge Middle School (196)†
- Friendly Hills Middle School (197)†
- Metcalf Junior High School (191)†
Elementary schools
- Deerwood Elementary School (196)
- Glacier Hills Elementary School (196)
- Northview Elementary School (196)
- Oak Ridge Elementary School (196)
- Pilot Knob Elementary School (197)
- Pinewood Community School (196)
- Rahn Elementary School (191)
- Red Pine Elementary School (196)
- Rosemount Elementary School (196)
- Thomas Lake Elementary School (196)
- William Byrne Elementary School† (191) (in Burnsville, MinnesotaBurnsville, MinnesotaBurnsville is a city south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River...
) - Woodland Elementary School (196)
† Denotes schools located outside of Eagan with attendance boundaries that cover part of the city.
Public libraries
Dakota County Library
The Dakota County Library system is a regional public library system in Dakota County, Minnesota, headquartered in the Wescott Library in Eagan. The system includes 8 branch libraries and a bookmobile, and shares borrowing privileges with the City of South St. Paul public library...
operates the Wescott Library in Eagan. The library houses the headquarters of Dakota County Library.
See also
- Cedarvale, Eagan, Minnesota
- H. Timothy ("Tim") VakocTim VakocHenry Timothy "Tim" Vakoc was a Roman Catholic priest and a United States Army chaplain during the Iraq War, attaining the rank of major. Vakoc was the first U.S. military chaplain to die from wounds received in the Iraq War...
– former associate pastor of St. John Neumann Catholic Church, in Eagan, and the first U.S. military chaplain to die from wounds received in the Iraq War.