Robbinsdale’s post office opened in 1890, and 14% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 51% of U.S. towns · #107 of 273 in Minnesota. What drives it
2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1902 on, and the census since 1890.
From Robbinsdale’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers
How Robbinsdale began
When was Robbinsdale founded?
1890
The Robbinsdale post office opened in 1890, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1893. Three smaller post offices, Crystal Lake (1857), Parker (1888) and Parker (1895), opened inside today’s city and later closed.
First census: 1,074 in 18902020 census: 14,646136 years
How historic is Robbinsdale?
B−
More historic than 51% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: the first Robbinsdale post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1893.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Robbinsdale’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Robbinsdale is more historic than 51% of U.S. towns, #107 of 273 in Minnesota. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Robbinsdale’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 Robbinsdale’s 1.4 sits near the middle of its state (52% of Minnesota towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to B. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.0 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata’s 1893 falls in the same era, so the grade doesn’t depend on which one is used.
Founding year: the first post office (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 Robbinsdale’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Shortly after the Minnesota Territorial Legislature created Hennepin County in 1852, John C. Bohanon filed the first claim in the Township of Crystal Lake. Railroads reached the area in 1880. A flag station was established near the farm of Alfred Parker, and six years later he donated land for a depot. The community that grew around it came to be known as Parker's Station. In 1887 Minneapolis made an effort to secure more taxable property by annexing neighboring townships. In response, Crystal Lake farmers incorporated the Village of Crystal.
Passages that mention Robbinsdale, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Compendium of history and biography of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, Minnesota1914 · page 450Read the page →
Read the text
By the death of Andrew B. Robbins, Thursday morning, June 16, 1910, at Robbinsdale, the town he founded and which was named in his honor, Minnesota lost a citizen of the highest type, the Northwest one of its most energetic, enterprising, and successful promoters, and American manhood one of its best and most comjnendable representatives. He had worked well for his State and country as a soldier, legislator, and Christian business man, governing his worldly
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
Robbinsdale, 1857 to 2001
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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 Robbinsdale post office opened in 1890, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1893.
How does Robbinsdale rank for history?
Robbinsdale is more historic than 51% of U.S. towns, #107 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.
What is on the National Register in Robbinsdale?
Two places: the Hennepin County Library (listed 1978) and the Graeser Roadside Parking Area (2025).
How old are the homes in Robbinsdale?
14% of Robbinsdale’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.0 points), against a typical 8.1% for a Minnesota town; the median home was built in 1956.
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), the National Register of Historic Places (2), 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.
2015
2015
2014
2012
