Coon Rapids, Minnesota

Coon Rapids is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota with a residential population over 63,000. It is a quiet northern suburb of Minneapolis lying on the Mississippi River just twenty minutes north of Minneapolis-St. Paul, and is considered a gateway to the northern part of the state. This 23 square mile city is the fifth largest Twin Cities suburb and ninth largest city in Minnesota. The median income for a city household is estimated at around $55,550, and the median income for a family is around $62,260.

The name "Coon Rapids" comes from "Coon Creek Rapids," a turbulent part of the Mississippi River nearby the mouth of Coon Creek. These rapids were removed as a consequence of the construction of the Coon Rapids Dam in 1913. The Dam operated until 1966 when it was closed and later reopened to the public in 1978 as the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.

Originally founded as a part of Anoka Township in 1857, Coon Rapids became a separate village in 1952. In 1959, it became a city. It retains its original boundaries, except for the part that became the City of Anoka. The city has numerous parks, a municipal golf course, outdoor ice rinks and indoor ice arenas, ball fields and tennis courts, hiking and biking trails, and ample shopping development. Since 1967, Coon Rapids has been the home of the main campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College.