Richfield was originally part of the government reservation which was established at Fort Snelllng in 1820. Because of the security provided by the Fort, settlers began arriving by steamship at St. Paul. As land was released from the Federal holdings in the early 1850's, the Richfield area was rapidly settled, predominantly by farm families.

Among the earliest settlers was Riley Bartholomew, a former General in the Ohio Militia, who became a Richfield Justice of the Peace and a Minnesota State Senator. General Bartholomew built a home on the east shore of Wood Lake in the spring of 1853. This house has been restored by the Richfield Historical Society and is open to the public. On May 11, 1858, when Minnesota was admitted as a state in the Union, the residents of this area held their first town meeting. In recognition of the excellent farming land from which they largely drew their livelihood, they officially adopted the name of Richfield. Later, truck farming for the local Minneapolis/St. Paul market became quite important.

Richfield incorporated as a village in 1908. Along the way, Richfield lost a considerable portion of its original area. The boundaries once extended north to Franklin Avenue, included Edina on the West, extended to the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers on the east, and to Bloomington on the south. Two annexations by Minneapolis in the 1880s plus another in 1927 set the present northern boundary at 62nd Street. Edina formed a separate community in 1888. A series of annexations over the years for Fort Snelling and by the Metropolitan Airports Commission have determined the existing eastern boundary.

In the late 1940's, following the Second World War, Richfield's population began to increase very rapidly as farm land was sold to developers who built homes for returning veterans and their families. The population mushroomed from 3,778 people in 1940 to 17,502 a decade later. In 1954 Richfield received the All American City award from the National Municipal League and Look Magazine. By 1960, Richfield's population had grown to 42,523 people and continued to increase to 47,231 by the 1970 census. A drop in school enrollment, fewer families with children, and a smaller average family size have contributed to a declining population during the 1970's. The current population is about 42,000 in the seven square mile area, which contains 10,000 homes and 5,000 apartments.

There are more than 600 businesses and 22 churches, but no large industrial or commercial developments.

Interstate Highways 35W and 494 intersect in Richfield affording convenient transportation. The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is minutes away as is Southdale, one of the first of the enclosed mall type shopping centers.

The Richfield School District includes all of the City of Richfield, as well as a portion of eastern Edina and Fort Snelllng.

During 1978-79 there were 2,170 participants in Richfield's Adult Education classes and another 1,700 in various college and enrichment classes held in Richfield. The Community Education program coordinates programs with the city Park and Recreation Department, the Southdale Fairview Hospital program, Augsburg Park Library, the Norwegian-American Cultural Institute, University of Minnesota Extension Division, Mankato State University Extended Campus, Hennepin County Vo-Tech and other Hennepin County Agencies in providing space in the buildings for classes. Richfield's classes are open to residents of Bloomington, Edina and any other community.

Richfield has 23 park areas providing playground and picnic facilities, archery, basketball, bicycling, cross-country skiing, a parcourse for physical fitness, lighted tennis courts, football, soccer, baseball and softball fields, skating areas and hockey rinks. An outdoor swimming pool is open during the summer. An 18 hole and a 9 hole golf course are almost completed and will be open soon and the Wood Lake Nature Center provides a number of nature related activities.

Webmaster's Note: Special thanks to Judy Miller, former District 280 secretary, for this reprint.