The City of Fridley can be found nine miles north of Minneapolis along the eastern bank of the Mississippi River. It has a healthy mix of residential neighborhoods, parks, churches, businesses, shopping areas and high-tech industries. With three major highways running through Fridley, residents have unmatched access to almost every part of the metro. Each year in early June, residents come together to celebrate 49’er days, which celebrates the year Fridley was officially incorporated. 

History

Fridley has existed since the first European settlers arrived in the 1840s. Fridley’s first settler and business owner was John Banfill who built the Banfill Tavern in 1847. Banfill came into town on the Red River Ox Cart Trail, which is now called East River Road. In Banfill’s day, the trail was used to transport furs from the north and supplies from the south. It wasn’t until the baby boom period after World War II that the city really took off. After it incorporated in 1949, Fridley grew rapidly in size as Minneapolis overflowed its borders and people moved into the neighboring suburbs. 

Springbrook Nature Center

One of Fridley’s crown jewels is the 127-acre Springbrook Nature Center, located in the heart of the city. It is home to rare and endangered species and serves as a large public recreational area. Thousands of people visit Springbrook every year to view the birds and wildlife, bike on the trails and learn about nature from the staff of naturalists at the interpretive center. In the middle of the city, visitors can immerse themselves in the wilderness on over three miles of hiking trails through oak and aspen forests, past prairies and over wetlands on floating boardwalks. 

Parks and Recreation

The city of Fridley has over 315 acres of land in 38 city parks with amenities such as: baseball and softball diamonds, football and soccer fields, basketball and tennis courts, outdoor skating rinks, playground equipment and picnic shelters. The city parks totals seven percent of Fridley’s land area and attract over 150,000 people a year. 

Schools 

Independent School District 14 serves the entire central area of the city. There are two elementary schools in the district that serve students from kindergarten to the fourth grade. The city’s middle school serves students in fifth to eighth grade and the high school has grades nine through twelve. Sometimes students from outside of the Fridley area also choose to attend these schools because of their reputation for offering quality academic programs, healthy school climates and personalized attention for each student.

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