More historic than 24% of U.S. towns · #193 of 273 in Minnesota. What drives it
Most of North St. Paul was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1973. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1953 on, and the census since 1890.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, North St. Paul is more historic than 24% of U.S. towns, #193 of 273 in Minnesota. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of North St. Paul’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 North St. Paul’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.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1887.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to C. The pre-1940 share (±2.5 points) is firm at this size.
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 North St. Paul’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
North St. Paul was originally called Castle, and under the latter name was laid out in 1887 by Henry Anson Castle when the Wisconsin Central Railroad was extended to that point.
North St. Paul boasts the oldest continuously operating bar in Minnesota, Neumann's Bar, in their historic downtown area. The original bar opened for business in 1887, and has continuously operated as an establishment serving alcoholic beverages ever since. Even during Prohibition, they served near beer in the main bar, and opened a speakeasy upstairs. Visitors can still go upstairs and see the keyhole door used to screen entrants, and the old telephone that was connected to the downstairs bar so that messages could be passed back and forth.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
The U.S. Geological Survey’s map of North St. Paul.
1953Stillwater sheet · 1:250,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of North St. Paul.
People over time
North St. Paul, census by census
Between 1,099 and 12,376 people in every census since 1890.
14 censuses, 1890–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on North St. Paul’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
4 famous people were born in North St. Paul
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
In 1887, according to Wikidata. the census of 1890 counted 1,099 people here.
How does North St. Paul rank for history?
North St. Paul is more historic than 24% of U.S. towns, #193 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 North St. Paul?
7% of North St. Paul’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.5 points), against a typical 8.1% for a Minnesota town; the median home was built in 1973.
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 (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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