City Tour of Fridley


1680: Father Louis Hennepin, a Fransican Monk, and two companions became the first men of European descent to come through Anoka County.

1774: What is now Fridley was included in an area that was made part of the province of Quebec.

1783: The Treaty of Peace fixed the United States-Canadian border.

1803: Fridley is included in the Louisiana Purchase and successively became part of the Northwest Territory, Illinois Territory in 1809, Michigan Territory in 1818, Wisconsin Territory in 1836, and once more unorganized territory in 1848.

1810: John Banfill born on February 10 in Topsham, Vermont.

1817: Abraham Fridley born on May 1 at Painted Post, Steuben County, New York.

1837: Two Indian treaties are signed which affect tribes living in what is now Fridley.

1844: The Red River Ox Cart Trail passes through Fridley, on what will someday become East River Road, on its way to Pembina, North Dakota. Furs came south and all sorts of supplies came north, from flour to pianos. Up to 200 people came through at once. They traveled the trail until 1857.

1847: John Banfill made his claim, becoming the first settler and proprietor of an area which now includes the cities of Fridley, Spring Lake Park, parts of Columbia Heights and Coon Rapids. At that time, this area was called Manomin, an Indian work meaning "wild rice."

1849: Henry Rice, for whom Rice Creek was named, settled here after acquiring a lot of land, most of it for $1.25 per acre or less and sometimes with "Whiskey Script." Minnesota became a United States territory. What is now known as the Banfill Tavern was built by an East St. Louis Lumber company as a retreat house near where they planned to build a saw mill. John Banfill "acquired" the house two years later.

1851: Abraham M. Fridley, for whom Fridley was named, settled in Manomin.

1851-52: John Banfill, a territorial senator and Minnesota's first State Auditor, platted the town of Manomin, opened a general store, and erected a sawmill on Rice Creek.

1852: The legislature approved $10,000 to improve the trail on the east side of the Mississippi River, to become the first territorial road, from Point Douglas to St. Paul, then to Minneapolis, Anoka and Fort Ripley. It is now known as East River Road.

1853: Manomin gets its first post office. Minnesota territory is legally opened for settlement.

1854: Ferry established in Fridley crossing the Mississippi River.

1855: First special election for representative to territorial legislature was held. Abram Fridley was elected with 21 votes. His competitor, M.W. Getchell received 5.

1856: Minnesota's first governor, Alexander Ramsey, bought property in Fridley.

1857: Grasshopper plague. Manomin County is separated from Ramsey County, becoming the smallest county in the United States with only 18 sections.

1858: Minnesota becomes a state.

1864: St. Paul and Pacific Railway was built through Fridley. About this same time, Abraham Fridley is one of the incorporators of the Minnesota and Northwestern, which later comes under the control of James J. Hill. Hill appoints Fridley land agend for all its land east of the Mississippi. A while later, the Fridley family moves to Pleasant Valley (now Becker) and builds a home and general store.

1865: Building boom began in Minneapolis and outlying areas with the end of the Civil War and the return of Minnesota's 25,000 troops.

1870: Manomin County is annexed by Anoka County and Manomin is granted township status.

1871: Flour mill, starch factory and Manomin Hotel built. Other businesses in Fridley at various times included pickle, pump and plow factories and a stock yard.

1873: Township was divided into two common school districts.

1879: Named changed to Fridley by act of Minnesota State Legislature, of which Abraham Fridley was a member.

1881: Fridley population is 257 with 1,092 acres under cultivation.

1888: Abraham Fridley dies.

1890: Attempt at incorporation fails.

1890s: Nation-wide depression hits and land values plummet as homes and factories are abandoned. Fires strike many of the industries and businesses.

1895: Dairy industry flourishes in Fridley.

1914: Frederick T. Price murders his wife, Mary Fridley Price, daughter of David Fridley, who was the son of Abraham Fridley. Price pushed her off a cliff in St. Paul. Price died in Stillwater Prison.

1940: World War II. Pressure gathers for zoning laws. Fridley Booster Club formed. U.S. census listed 747 residents in Fridley. During the late 1930s and 1940s, people started leaving the city and moving to more open areas.

1941: Northern Pump, one of Fridley;s first major industries, started. Later known as FMC, a major defense contractor for WWII Korean and Vietnam Wars.

1949: Fridley incorporated as a village. First mayor was Carl Hartman, who also served as first police chief and fire chief. Fridley municipal liquor stores established. Much of the proceeds go to daily city operations because a lawsuit challenging the incorporation of Fridley has city funds frozen. Fridley Free Press established.

1950: Election to "clarify and follow up" 1950 election was successful. April 6 decision by Minnesota State Supreme Court declared incorporation legal with council-manager government. 100 Twin Drive-In (now the site of Medtronic's World Headquarters) owned by Jerry Herringer expands to two screens. During construction, motel units on the site are moved and become cabins in Ham Lake.

1953: Ernest R. Madsen becomes first City Manager. Recreation Board is established.

1957: Village becomes Home Rule Charter City.

1960: Fridley has 15,182 residents.

1961: From Fridley's First Annual Report: Traffic signals installed on Mississippi and University and on Highway 65. 30 street lights installed making a total of 79. Commons water tower completed. Snow and ice removal cost the City $6,335 for 600 hours of plowing and 400 hours of sanding. City has 3,387 water and sewer accounts.

1962: City buys 84 acres for $178,000 which will become Locke Park, named after Mr. and Mrs. Cassius Locke. City completes deep wells and no longer needs to buy over half its water from Minneapolis.

1965: Fridley ranked 14th in size of all cities in Minnesota. On May 6, Fridley is literally devastated by three tornadoes. One of every four homes was destroyed or damaged. Under leadership of Mayor Bill Nee and countless people helping through agonizing weeks and months of rebuilding, Fridley again became a prosperous community.

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