History
The yard of “Col. Murphy’s near Shakopee”
Burial mounds along the Minnesota River bluff, located within the present-day Veterans Memorial Park, have been dated between 500 and 2,000 years old.[6]
Following the Dakota migration from Mille Lacs Lake in the 17th century, several bands of Mdewakanton Dakota settled along the Minnesota River. They continued the mound building tradition. One of these bands was led in the 18th century by the first Chief Shakopee. The original Shakopee acquired his name when his wife, White Buffalo Woman, gave birth to sextuplet boys. Shakopee means “the six.” The Ojibwa nation began pushing into Dakota territory and reportedly Shakopee’s band skirmished in 1768 and 1775.[7] Shakopee died in 1827 at Fort Snelling.
The second man to be given the name Chief Shakopee was his adopted Ojibwa son, Eaglehead (b. 1794-1857), a twin son born to Ozaawindib, or “Yellowhead.” Ozaawindib gave this son to the Dakota, as he had another to take the hereditary chief’s role. Explorer Joseph Nicollet recorded that Eaglehead had been chosen in 1838 to lead the band and assume his father’s name.[8]
By this time, Nicollet referred to the “Village of the Six,” a permanent Dakota village south of the river, as acting as a boundary to the Ojibwa. However, historians have since situated it east of the present downtown. [7][8] He noted the village and locality was commonly called the “village of the prairie” (published as tinta ottonwe). The Shakopee band lived in summer bark lodges and winter tipis. They followed the changes of the season when they planted their cornfields.[7]
By the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux, the Sioux tribe ceded land in 1851 and many relocated to Chief Shakopee II’s village. The latter people had moved south to what was later assigned to them as the current Shakopee-Mdewakanton Indian Reservation in nearby Prior Lake.[9] The band swelled to 400 people. Its leadership passed to Shakopee II’s son Eatoka (b. 1811-1865). He was called Shakpedan (Little Shakopee/Little Six) at the death of his father.[10]
During the Dakota War of 1862, his warriors killed about 800 European-American settlers in an effort to regain their lands. Shakpedan was hanged at Fort Snelling in 1865 for his role in the rebellion.[10]
Descendants of the Mdewakanton Dakota placed 572 acres (2.31 km2) of Shakopee land into tribal land trust with the Department of Interior in 2003.[11]
Meanwhile, in 1851, Thomas A. Holmes established a trading post west of the Dakota and platted Shakopee Village in 1854, named after Chief Shakopee II.[10] The city quickly grew, incorporating in 1857. It surrendered its charter in 1861 due to conflicts in the Dakota War. As tensions lifted, the city incorporated again in 1870. The western end was left in township status and was renamed as Jackson Township, Minnesota in 1861, likely after President Andrew Jackson.[10]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.32 square miles (75.94 km2); 28.01 square miles (72.55 km2) is land and 1.31 square miles (3.39 km2) is water.[12]
U.S. Highway 169 and County Highway 101 are two of the main routes in Shakopee. Highway 169 and nearby State Highway 13 connect Shakopee to the rest of the Minneapolis – Saint Paul region. County Highway 101 serves as a major east–west connector route of historic downtown Shakopee.
Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 37,076 people, 12,772 households, and 9,275 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,323.7 inhabitants per square mile (511.1/km2). There were 13,339 housing units at an average density of 476.2 per square mile (183.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 77.0% White, 4.3% African American, 1.2% Native American, 10.3% Asian, 4.5% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.8% of the population.
There were 12,772 households of which 45.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.4% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.31.
The median age in the city was 32.2 years. 30.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 37.2% were from 25 to 44; 19.2% were from 45 to 64; and 6.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.
2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 20,568 people, 7,540 households and 5,360 families residing in the city. The population density was 761.7 per square mile (294.1/km²). There were 7,805 housing units at an average density of 289.0 per square mile (111.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.61% White, 1.33% African American, 0.94% Native American, 2.41% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.14% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.40% of the population.
There were 7,540 households of which 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.12.
27.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 38.8% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median household income was $59,137 and the median family income was $66,885 (these figures had risen to $72,523 and $83,235 respectively in a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $41,662 versus $32,244 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,128. About 1.8% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Shakopee Public Schools (ISD 720) include five elementary schools, two middle schools and one senior high school, as well as a learning center. The schools are:[15]
Shakopee Senior High
Shakopee West Middle School
Shakopee East Middle School
Red Oak Elementary
Sun Path Elementary
Sweeney Elementary
Eagle Creek Elementary
Jackson Elementary
Tokata Learning Center
Central Family Center
District Leadership
Mike Redmond- Superintendent
ISD 720 Board of Education:
Reggie Bowerman- Chair
Judi Tomczik- Vice Chair
Angela Tucker- Clerk
Joe Aldrich- Treasurer
Matt McKeand
Kristi Peterson
Paul Christianson
Students in ninth through twelfth grade attend Shakopee High School. Students in sixth through eighth attend either Shakopee West or East Middle School and Students in K-5 attend one of the 5 elementary schools, in addition to this, there is also a learning center serving as a high school for troubled teens and, a Family Center for Early childhood education and preschool. Shakopee is also the location of the Shakopee Area Catholic Schools.
Living Hope Lutheran School is a Christian Pre-K-8 school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Shakopee.[16]
The city of Shakopee also has a campus of the Globe University/Minnesota School of Business, a private career college offering programs in business, health sciences, legal sciences, multimedia and design, and information technology.
Notable people
Jamal Abu-Shamala, a Jordanian-American basketball player for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, was born in Shakopee and went to the high school.
Scott Ferrozzo, a mixed martial artist who held a 4-2 record.
Eleanor Gates, playwright, was born here in 1875.
Christopher Straub, a contestant on Project Runway (season 6), lives in Shakopee.
Maurice Hubert Stans, United States Secretary of Commerce
Anthony Bonsante, “The Bullet”, is a professional boxer and competitor on the reality TV show The Contender.
Andrew Reiner, the executive editor of Game Informer Magazine, and guitarist in The Rapture Twins.