3 minute read
Blaine History
The Story of Blaine
Dakota and Ojibwe Indians hunted on the land
that later became Blaine long before settlers appeared. In 1847, a government land survey crew led by Deputy Surveyor Andrew Hewett measured the perimeters of the township “by slogging through swamp and thicket and over dunes.” In his report, Hewett concluded, “The township is almost inaccessible for either man or beasts except when frozen up.”
In the 1850s, speculators began acquiring land by hiring squatters with the idea of turning over ownership in the form of land patents to the speculators, who by all accounts never lived there. However, one individual, Andrew More, who purchased land in 1855, most likely lived in the township. His name appears in the 1857 census, making him possibly the first settler.
The first permanent settler was most likely Phillip Leddy, whose name was misspelled in early historical sources as Laddy. Leddy purchased land in 1857 and 1859 near what was later called Laddie Lake, presumably named for him. He farmed there from about 1862 until his death in 1872. Leddy’s wife Bridget and three of their seven daughters continued to live on the farm until at least 1875. They then moved to Minneapolis.
The township was officially organized in 1877. Moses Ripley was elected as the first chairman of the Board of Supervisors. According to local lore, Ripley, who had come to Minnesota from Maine, persuaded his fellow board members to name the new township in honor of James G. Blaine, a U.S. Senator and statesman, also from Maine. In 1880, Blaine Township had a population of 128.
A former enslaved person from Kentucky also helped set Blaine on its early course to permanent settlement. Greenberry “Green” Chambers served as a private in Company H of the 115th U.S. Colored Infantry and later as a supervisor cook during the Civil War. After his 1865 discharge from the Union Army, Chambers traveled by steamboat up the Mississippi River to Minnesota with his wife and three of their five children in search of a better life.
Chambers purchased a farm in Anoka County that later was lost to foreclosure. The family then settled on another farm, likely in southeastern Blaine, where Chambers served on the Township Board of Supervisors from 1878-1881 as a constable and in 1882 as a road overseer. He and his son, Green Jr., are listed as voters in the 1881 Blaine Township election.
MARK ETHEN Chief Credit O cer
DAN THOMSEN VP - Commercial Banking SCOTT HUDSON VP - Commercial Banking
STACEY BUCHANAN Assistant VP - Commercial Banking
The City of Blaine has twice been named to the prestigious annual Money.com (formerly Money Magazine) 100 Best Places to Live in America list. Blaine made the list in 2019 and 2008. The best places to live ranking takes more than 80 types of data into account. Evaluated data sets include economy, cost of living, diversity, education, housing, health and safety, amenities, and ease of living. Blaine is also one of only a handful of cities in Minnesota to receive a AAA bond rating. The AAA rating is the highest possible rating a city can receive and shows that Blaine has sound financial management and a strong local economy.
Dairy farms dominated the landscape in Blaine well into the 20th century. After World War II, with the severe housing shortage created by returning servicemen and their growing families, starter home developments began to spring up in southern and eastern Blaine. In 1950 the population reached 1,694. Dairy farms gave way to vegetable and sod farms and later were sold to housing developers. The development of Interstate 35W, Highway 10, and Highway 65 created greater accessibility to the Twin Cities. The National Sports Center was constructed in 1990 and the TPC of the Twin Cities was completed in 2000. By 2021, more then 170 years after Hewett’s survey, Blaine’s population topped 70,000, making it the largest city in Anoka County and the 10th largest in Minnesota.
Information compiled by the Blaine Historical Society
YOUR PARTNER FOR THE PATH AHEAD.
Building long-term relationships with our clients and our community is the way we do business.
At Northeast Bank, our focus is helping you grow your business by getting to know you and truly understanding what you and your business need. You can trust that we are on your side, and by your side, every step of the way.
Let us help you reach your financial goals with modern, relationship-driven banking.
MEMBER FDIC
GET STARTED AT NEBANKMN.COM
