Unorganized Territory of Fort Snelling | |
|---|---|
Unorganized territory | |
 Aerial photograph ofMinneapolis–St. Paul International Airport showing much of the unorganized territory of Fort Snelling. Thehistoric fort is by the confluence of theMississippi andMinnesota toward the upper right of the photograph, andFort Snelling National Cemetery is at center right. | |
  Unorganized Territory of Fort Snelling Location within the state of Minnesota | |
| Coordinates:44°53′34″N93°10′50″W / 44.89278°N 93.18056°W /44.89278; -93.18056 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Hennepin County |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.6 sq mi (17.2 km2) |
| • Land | 6.4 sq mi (16.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.31 sq mi (0.8 km2) |
| Elevation | 860 ft (260 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 322 |
| • Density | 50.5/sq mi (19.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Fort Snelling is anunorganized territory ofHennepin County in the U.S. state ofMinnesota. It is named after historicFort Snelling, which is located within its boundaries.[1] The district also includesColdwater Spring park,Fort Snelling National Cemetery,Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, parts of theMississippi National River and Recreation Area, and several government facilities. As of the2020 census the territory had a population of 322 people.
The unorganized territory of Fort Snelling is just east of the city ofRichfield. Historic Fort Snelling is located at the eastern end of the territory, near the confluence of theMississippi River with theMinnesota River. It also bordersMinneapolis to the north andBloomington to the southwest, whileSaint Paul inRamsey County (includingPike Island) is to the northeast, and across the Minnesota River areMendota andMendota Heights inDakota County.
For postal purposes, addresses in the eastern portion of the unorganized territory (including Terminal 1 of theMinneapolis St. Paul International Airport and the Fort Snelling historic site) are in zip code 55111 with aSaint Paul mailing address, while addresses in the western part of the territory (including the airport's Terminal 2 and theMetropolitan Airports Commission offices) are in zip code 55450 and have a Minneapolis mailing address.[2] According to theUnited States Census Bureau, this unorganized territory has a total area of 17.2 km2 (6.7 mi2). 16.5 km2 (6.4 mi2) of it is land and 0.8 km2 (0.3 mi2) of it is water.
Fort Snelling's territory contains numerous military and other federal facilities. These facilities include the currentNational Guard base at Fort Snelling,Fort Snelling National Cemetery, and the MinneapolisVeterans Health Administration Medical Center.
Several facilities belonging to Minnesota state government agencies such as theMinnesota Department of Transportation are also located in the territory, as are the headquarters and portions ofFort Snelling State Park and theMinnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, however, includes most of the land area of the unorganized territory.Delta Air Lines Building C is located on the airport property and in Fort Snelling,[3][4][5][6] and is used by the airline for northern and regional operations.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 352 | — | |
| 1890 | 550 | 56.3% | |
| 1930 | 2,043 | — | |
| 1940 | 2,972 | 45.5% | |
| 1950 | 2,584 | −13.1% | |
| 1960 | 898 | −65.2% | |
| 1970 | 624 | −30.5% | |
| 1980 | 223 | −64.3% | |
| 1990 | 97 | −56.5% | |
| 2000 | 442 | 355.7% | |
| 2010 | 149 | −66.3% | |
| 2020 | 322 | 116.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
Fort Snelling was listed as an incorporated village during the 1890 Census.[8]
In the era after World War II, residents of the unorganized territory were service members stationed at the barracks at Fort Snelling, and military families living on base housing in the Upper Post area. Over time, some parts of the fort were demolished to expand Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, and the Upper Post was abandoned as housing in 1973 with ownership transferred to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.[9] In the 2010s, private housing started to be developed in the Upper Post. This began with a newly built apartment complex that opened in 2015, followed by a redevelopment of all the remaining Upper Post buildings that was completed in 2022. All of this new housing is intended primarily for veterans and their families, with funding provided by federal, state, and local historical preservation and affordable housing funds.[10][11][12][13]
As of thecensus[14] of 2020, 322 people resided in 239 households in the unorganized territory. 83.5% of households spoke English at home and 14.6% spoke Spanish. The median household income was $18,594. 31.1% of the population was below thepoverty line.
Municipalities and communities ofHennepin County, Minnesota,United States | ||
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| Cities |
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| Unincorporated area | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
