St. Cloud, MN
Saint Cloud, or St. Cloud, is largest populated city in Minnesotas central region and is the 12th largest city in the state. St. Cloud is located 65 miles northwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Another city that lies on the banks of the Mississippi River, St. Cloud was developed on both sides of the river, making it a pristine spot for hydroelectric dams.
Some interesting history about St. Cloud includes:
- The Beaver Islands is a two-mile stretch of approximately 30 undeveloped islands that kayakers and canoe enthusiasts visit during the summer months. They are tied to a 12 mile stretch of state-designated wild and scenic river.
- Saint Cloud was named by John L. Wilson, and he named the city after Saint-Cloud which was a Paris suburb where Napoleons favorite palace was built.
- The cities nickname, "The Granite City", was given due to the granite quarries that have been in operation in and around the city since the 1880's.
- St. Cloud State University is Minnesotas third largest university and in fall of 2020 had 12,607 students enrolled, even with the Covid-19 pandemic happening at this time.
- In 2016, St. Cloud was up to 80% renewable energy within the city. They achieved this using solar gardens, street light improvements, bio-gas, and other energy efficiency initiatives. Since 2020, the city is now producing more energy than it can consume.
| Population | Incorporated | Region | Classification | Average Income | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 199,922 | 1856 | Central | Urban | $72,564 | |
| State Numbers | 5,738,000 | $87,556 |
Some notable people from St. Cloud include:
- Howard M. Fish, retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant general and former assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force
- Janey Gohl, 1978 Miss Minnesota USA
- Lawrence M. Hall, longest-serving Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
- Nate Schmidt, NHL player
- Gene Waldorf, electrical engineer and politician