Hennepin County was founded on March 6, 1852 by Minnesota Territorial Legislature and named after a French missionary, author and explorer Father Louis Hennepin. The county was named after him as he was the first to give the name St. Anthony Falls, the only natural major waterfall on upper Mississippi river, and was also a pioneer in exploring the area, recording some early topographical accounts of the county for the western world. Minneapolis and St. Anthony are two cities that are closely linked to Hennepin's early accounts. Hennepin County, like all the other counties of Minnesota, is governed by an elected board of commissioners and this commission in turn elects a chairman who presides over the meetings.
According to records of the year 2000, the county's racial distribution consisted of 80.53% whites, 8.95% African Americans, 4.80% Asians, 1% Native Americans, 0.05% Pacific Islanders and 2.06% from other races. The county population consists of Latinos, Germans, Norwegians, Irish and Swedish ancestry. Hennepin is Minnesota's most populous county - total population in 2000, according to US Census Bureau was 1,116,200. Per capita income of the county was as high as 28,789 dollars, hence it is the wealthiest county in the state of Minnesota, and one of the 100 highest income counties in United States.
Major Cities
The two cities of Minneapolis and Bloomington are major economic centers in Hennepin County. However, cities like Plymouth, Richfield, Maple Grove and Eden Prairie are also important business centers. A few of the major cities and their attractions are given below.
Minneapolis
The largest city in the state of Minnesota, lies on both banks of river Mississippi. With over 20 lakes and wetlands, the city is abundant in water and is known for its water recreation parks. Therefore, it's rightly named as 'City of Lakes'. It was once called the world's flour milling capital, earning it a nickname, 'Mill City'. The Mill City Museum, which is located within the ruins of the 'Washburn A Mill', accounts for history of the flour milling industry. The city is also one of the most literate cities in United States.
Bloomington
The city of Bloomington is located on the banks of the river Minnesota. The city, considered a bedroom community, has more jobs than any other city in Minnesota. It has many Fortune 500 companies, some of which are Ceridian, Donaldson Company Inc., Toro, etc. The city is home to 'The Mall of America', that is the largest enclosed shopping center in the United States. The city is a leading hospitality and retail chain, attracting many corporate biggies.
Plymouth
In 2008, the city of Plymouth was ranked at the top of Money magazine's 'America's Best places to Live'. It was because of the fact that the city has world-class residential areas, industries, parks, schools and other essential aspects to make it a self contained and autonomous city. The city is known for its academic excellence with many good educational institutes here.
Hennepin County is one of the best places to visit in the state of Minnesota. It has rich, preserved history and great cities. Visit the state for its vast water bodies which will surely fascinate you.
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