Excelsior, Minnesota

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.69 square miles (1.79 km²), of which 0.63 square miles (1.63 km²) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km²) is water. Minnesota State Highway 7 serves as a main route. Excelsior is located 20 miles west–southwest of downtown Minneapolis.

History

Excelsior was founded in 1853 by George Bertram and the Excelsior Pioneer Association. It was the first community established on Lake Minnetonka. Many of the original settlers in Excelsior came from the New England area, particularly upstate New York and Massachusetts. Some eastern-like features can be found in the layout of the town, which is organized as a grid with a public Commons along the lake shore.

Throughout the years, Excelsior's Water Street has been the home to many businesses including hotels, restaurants, and merchants. Excelsior works hard to maintain its historical identity while renewing various elements of the downtown area; the community is known for its abundance of Victorian housing stock and masonry-clad commercial district.

Excelsior was also home to the Excelsior Amusement Park, which operated from 1925 to 1973. Today the site is occupied by a condominium complex and two restaurants.

Ray Colihan owned a ballroom called '"Big Reggie's Danceland" in Excelsior during the 1950s and 1960s. Colihan is speculated as the only man to lose money on both The Beatles, who he booked at Met Stadium in 1965, and The Rolling Stones, who played Danceland in 1964 for an audience of approximately 300. Legend has it, since debunked online, that an Excelsior resident named Jimmy Hutmaker was the inspiration behind the Rolling Stones song You Can't Always Get What You Want after an encounter with singer Mick Jagger at the local drug store prior to the 1964 concert. "Mr. Jimmy", as he was known, died on October 3, 2007.

President Gerald Ford's golden retriever, Liberty, was purchased in 1974 from Avis Friberg, a resident of Excelsior.

The streetcar boat Minnehaha, a steamboat used for passenger travel on Lake Minnetonka during the turn of the Twentieth Century, was raised from the bottom of Lake Minnetonka in 1980, restored, and put back into passenger service in 1996. Now operated by the Museum of Lake Minnetonka, it again carries passengers between the communities of Excelsior and Wayzata as it did over a century ago.

The Minnesota Streetcar Museum, a local transportation museum, also operates two heritage streetcar lines in Minneapolis and Excelsior. Two streetcars are currently operated on the Excelsior line: Twin City Lines No. 1239 and Duluth Street Railway No. 78.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,188 people, 1,115 households, and 494 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,473.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,340.9/km²). There were 1,254 housing units at an average density of 1,990.5 per square mile (768.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.4% White, 2.7% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.2% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.9% of the population.

There were 1,115 households of which 21.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.7% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 55.7% were non-families. 48.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.92 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the city was 42 years. 19.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.4% were from 25 to 44; 30.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,393 people, 1,199 households, and 547 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,822.9 people per square mile (1,466.6/km²). There were 1,254 housing units at an average density of 2,003.3 per square mile (768.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.07% White, 0.75% African American, 0.33% Native American, 2.21% Asian, 1.55% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.13% of the population.

There were 1,199 households out of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.2% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.3% were non-families. 45.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.95 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the city, the population was spread out with 19.5% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,598, and the median income for a family was $61,406. Males had a median income of $40,845 versus $28,717 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,127. About 3.6% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

Parks

The Excelsior Commons, a large park situated along the shore of Lake Minnetonka, is a publicly owned parcel of land used for various activities year-round. It is speculated that the Excelsior Commons and the Boston Common are the only two designated "commons" in the United States. A large public beach is located at the northern end of the Commons.

Three Rivers Park District also maintains a bike and pedestrian trail that runs through Excelsior.

Events

Excelsior hosts several annual events including Apple Day, Art on The Lake, Crazy Days, Girls Night Out, Christkindlmarkt, the Excelsior Farmers Market, and Independence Day festivities.

Notable Residents

Bruce Kelly- Excelsior's Hat Man