More historic than 15% of U.S. towns · #250 of 273 in Minnesota. What drives it
Most of Maple Grove was built recently: 1% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1991. Below: maps from 1902 on and the census since 1890.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1855.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Maple Grove’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Maple Grove is more historic than 15% of U.S. towns, #250 of 273 in Minnesota. Its age holds the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Maple Grove’s overall grade.
Minnesota towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Minnesota town has 2.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Maple Grove’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (23% of Minnesota towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C−. The pre-1940 share (±0.8 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1858.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Maple Grove’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Winnebago were the only inhabitants in the Maple Grove area until 1851, when Louis Gervais arrived and settled. Four years later, city growth included a church, town hall, and many homes. The Pierre Bottineau House was the first wood-frame house built in Maple Grove Township, in 1854. The house has been moved from its original location and is now in the Elm Creek Park Reserve. The city was known for its large stands of maple trees and was a significant source of maple syrup. On July 23, 1987, Maple Grove was hit by an F3 tornado, causing damage to homes and businesses. The tornado then moved into neighboring Brooklyn Park and caused damage in several subdivisions before dissipating.
Eagle, Fish, Weaver, Rice and Cedar Island are names of several of a chain of lakes lying in the deep forest of the town of Maple Grove. Eagle Lake, lying in the southeast part of the town, is the largest, occupying nearly the entire of section 36. It discharges its waters through Palmer Lake and
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Hennepin county and the city of Minneapolis, including the Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota1881 · page 322Read the page →
Read the text
The stillness of the forests which covered much (if the territory now embraced within the limits of the town of Maple Grove, had never been disturiied. except by the stealthy tread of the Indian, until Louis P. Garvais, in 18.31, broke the silence which for ages had peiTaded the wilderness. He settled on the southeast (piarter of section 12. and sounded the first notes of civilization from that
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Maple Grove, 1855 to 2002
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In 1858, according to Wikidata. Maple Grove’s post office opened in 1855, and the census of 1890 counted 1,197 people here.
How does Maple Grove rank for history?
Maple Grove is more historic than 15% of U.S. towns, #250 of 273 in Minnesota. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Maple Grove?
1% of Maple Grove’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 8.1% for a Minnesota town; the median home was built in 1991.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (12), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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