Hopkins is a happening community located just 13 minutes west of downtown Minneapolis. Hopkins offers the advantages and conveniences of a large city but still has the security of a small town. The residents and the business community have an enormous sense of pride and support for their City. Travel any street and you will see and feel the reflections of pride and vitality. The city of Hopkins is 98 percent developed and is currently working on redevelopment. Most of the cities housing stock was built between the years of 1960 and 1980, and as a result of the high development status, is not likely to grow much larger. The city of Hopkins prides itself on the abundance of activities available to its residents.
History
The first settlers of Hopkins arrived in 1852 but things didn't get big until after the Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company, later called Minneapolis Moline, moved in. In 1893, a petition signed by 41 residents led to the formation of the village of West Minneapolis. In 1928, the name of the village was changed to Hopkins to honor the community's first postmaster and early homesteader, Harley H. Hopkins who was also the father of the first mayor. In 1948, the village became a city. Hopkins has always had a core business district, and in the center of that early business district was Hopkins City Hall. Completed in 1912, it housed the city's police and jail in the rear portions, and city offices, library and meeting room upstairs. The fire station was on the main level, and the firefighters used horse drawn rigs. The building was remodeled in 1940 to accommodate more fire trucks.
Raspberry Festival
The City of Hopkins is home to the annual Raspberry Festival. The first festival was organized in 1934 by a group of community business people who were concerned that the Hopkins economy and community needed a boost. The first Grand Day parade was held on Main Street and it's become the traditional location. This festival is one of the largest in the state and is known to attract close to 100,000 visitors each July. It is one event that Hopkins few residents would miss.
Parks and Recreation
A few of the popular hangouts among the Hopkins residents are the Hopkins Activity Center, the Hopkins Center for the Arts, and the Hopkins Pavilion, all of these are community facilities. The Activity Center is equipped with volleyball courts, basketball courts, seminar and classrooms, as well as an area set aside especially for groups gathering with visiting and unorganized activities as its main objective. The facility is open to the public during the weekdays and may be rented on weekends. The Hopkins Center for the Arts, which strives to educate the public on the aesthetic values of art, is located right on Main Street. Not only is this center equipped with a visual art gallery, it also includes a theater, visual arts classroom and dance studio. The Hopkins Pavilion, which is adjacent to the Public Works facilities, was opened in December 1991. The sports arena is envied by neighboring cities for its premier facilities, which are conducive to almost any sport. It is currently used for soccer, lacrosse, inn-line roller hockey and ice hockey.
Education
The Hopkins School District #270 serves the Hopkins areas as well as parts of other west suburban communities. Academic excellence has been celebrated at Hopkins High School, which was the first Minnesota School to receive the honorary title of "National School of excellence." The high school consists of students in grades 10-12. Three of the districts seven elementary schools are located in the city. There are also early childhood family education programs in the Harley Hopkins Family Center. Numerous outreach programs are also available at the Hopkins Area Family Resource Center.
-Home Owner's Resource Guide
