03. Community Background - Laserfiche WebLink

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2001 Comprehensive Plan Amended February 26, 2002 B. Historical Development 1. Early Beginnings As the glaciers melted they formed lakes and streams that deposited large amounts of level sand and gravel across the region. Hills were formed by glacial till deposits and depressions were formed by melting ice blocks; resulting in lakes and wetlands. A once larger and wider Mississippi River formed the level terrace that Highway 10 now traverses. As the River subsided, the terrace was left dry, with a layer of coarse gravel and sand. The vegetation that grew on this draughty soil was subjected to continuous low- intensity ground fires. The Native Indians may have maintained these fires for improved hunting grounds. These conditions favored the growth of prairie grasses and forbes beneath fire tolerant oaks. The 1850s land survey recorded this area as predominantly dry Oak Barrens mixed with Wet Prairies, Marshes, and Conifer Bogs, with Prairie vegetation along the Mississippi River terrace, and Flood Plain Forest along the rivers. 2. Early Settlement The first settlement began in Ramsey on the banks of the Mississippi River where trading took place between white settlers and the Winnebago Indians as early as 1849. This trading business eventually led to settlement of the first permanent colony in 1850, which later became the town site of Itasca Village in 1852. The town site was located in the southwest comer of Ramsey near Highway 10 and the Mississippi River. A brief history of the village is printed on a monument located at the wayside rest area on the south side of Highway 10. The first government wagon road was established in 1852 stretching from Point Douglas near Hastings, through St. Paul, St. Anthony, Anoka and further north to Fort Ripley. In 1855,300 ox carts traveled through the town on this road en-route to St. Paul with trading goods. The town began to emerge along the road with the building of the Itasca Hotel, a trading post, several houses, a stage coach barn, and a post office. In 1864, railroad reached Ramsey and a stop was set up to serve the Itasca Village. Many settlers came to the town on the steamboat called "Governor Ramsey" which traveled the Mississippi River. 3. The name "Ramsey" The Township of Ramsey was first organized in 1857 as Watertown Township later to become Ramsey Township in the fall of 1858. The name "Dover" Township was also used sometime between Watertown and Ramsey. Ramsey was named after Governor Ramsey, who aside from having a steamboat named after him, was the first territorial governor of Minnesota. In November of 1974 Ramsey Township was incorporated as a City and had grown to a population of approximately 8,000.~ James, Jean. The History of Ramse¥ 1976, pages 23, 24 & 62 Information on the naming of Ramsey was also obtained from the Oliver Kelly Farm Visitor Center. 2001 Ramsey Comprehensive Plan Amended February 26, 2002 Page 111-2