The city of Woodbury is one of the fastest-growing suburbs in the Twin Cities. Rapid building and expansion of residential and retail shopping areas began 20 years ago and continue today. Woodbury is located in Washington County just southeast of St. Paul in close proximity to the St. Croix River Valley. The city is a gateway to the beautiful natural setting of the St. Croix Valley with its limestone caves, unique restaurants and its picturesque lift bridge to Hudson, Wisconsin with year-round recreational opportunities. Woodbury is known for its attractive residential neighborhoods, which are connected by more than 67 miles of multi-use trails and surrounded by 1,570 acres of dedicated parkland. 

History 

The city was originally named Red Rock, after a sacred stone supposedly painted by the famous Dakota Chief Little Crow. The town was renamed in 1859 when the state legislature discovered another Red Rock Township in Minnesota. Woodbury was named after Judge Levi Woodbury of New Hampshire, a friend of the first town board chairman. The first settlers, many of which were migrants from the eastern states and from Germany, came to Woodbury in 1844. The city remained largely agricultural in nature for the next century and did not see its first housing development until the 1950s. The city was incorporated as a village in 1967 and a new city hall was built in 1975, 100 years after the first one was built. Over the years the people of Woodbury have contributed in many ways, to the rich heritage that the city enjoys today. 

Land Development & Agriculture

In 1844 the town was largely covered with timber. Clearing the land for farming required a considerable amount of time and labor. Wheat was the principal crop, as well as barley, corn, and potatoes. Later soybeans became a crop of major importance. Generally the land was rolling and very fertile, which was particularly conductive to dairy farming. The 1950’s introduced a new phase in agriculture. Farming technology resulted in controlled acreage, more fertilization, improved crop rotation and chemicals for pest control, making agriculture an even greater contributor to the local economy. Later, urban development spread out into the community and began to replace the farmland. 

Parks and Recreation

Eight small lakes, most with public parks and pathways dot the city. Woodbury operates the Bielenberg Sports Center, which houses two indoor ice arenas and a field house with walking/running tracks. The outdoor complex includes 14 athletic fields, picnic facilities, and play equipment. Woodbury’s greatest asset, however, is the people who live and work there. Hundreds of residents volunteer in city-sponsored programs and on advisory boards; many more take an active role in community life by donating their time through local churches, schools, civic and youth groups, and other organizations.

Schools 

Woodbury is served by three independent public school districts with the majority of the city residing in the South Washington County School District #833. The city is also served by the Stillwater School District #834 and the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District #622. All three districts play a role in running Woodbury’s Valley Crossing School, a collaborative elementary school serving students from all three districts.

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