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C−History
History · Shoreview

Shoreview dates to 1858

More historic than 17% of U.S. towns · #235 of 273 in Minnesota. What drives it

Most of Shoreview was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1981. Below: maps from 1902 on and the census since 1960.

1858founded
0on the National Register
3%homes built before 1940
11famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Aaron Fulkerson (AaronRoe at English Wikipedia) · CC BY 2.5
Quick answers

How Shoreview began

When was Shoreview founded?

1858

Shoreview dates its founding to 1858 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1960.

First census: 7,157 in 19602020 census: 26,921168 years

How historic is Shoreview?

C−

More historic than 17% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1894.
History grade

What drives Shoreview’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Shoreview is more historic than 17% of U.S. towns, #235 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 Shoreview’s overall grade.
Founding era1858, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19402.5% of homes (±1.0) · typical MN town 8.1% · U.S. 8.4%C−National RegisterNo listings counted · typical MN town 2.1 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 17%
NewerOlder
Minnesota towns of 2,500+ (273)Ahead of 14%

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 Shoreview’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 1858.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C−. The pre-1940 share (±1.0 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 Shoreview’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Shoreview are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19026 editions of the USGS map, 1902 to 1993. Watch Shoreview change.Famous sons and daughtersBilly Turner, Dan O'Brien and 9 more were born here.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Shoreview’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Shoreview’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Shoreview on the map, 1902 to 1993

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Shoreview. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Shoreview on the 1902 USGS mapShoreview on the 1952 USGS mapShoreview on the 1967 USGS mapShoreview on the 1972 USGS mapShoreview on the 1980 USGS mapShoreview on the 1993 USGS map1902White Bear sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Shoreview.

Famous people

11 famous people were born in Shoreview

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Billy TurnerAmerican football player · b. 1991
D
Dan O'BrienAmerican soccer player · b. 1986
S
Sam HentgesAmerican baseball player · b. 1996
Adam WeberAmerican football player, quarterback · b. 1987
Andrew CarrollAmerican ice hockey player · b. 1985
J
Jason HedstrandAmerican speed skater · b. 1975
The story so far

Shoreview, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Shoreview yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Shoreview is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 26,921 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area.

Shoreview was established in 1858. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 25,043 to 26,921 (+7%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

Timeline

Shoreview, 1858 to 1996

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1858
    FoundingShoreview is established
  3. 1894Post officeThe Cardigan post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1902On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1912Post officeThe Cardigan post office closes
  7. 1986Born hereDan O'Brien is born here
  8. 1987Born hereAdam Weber is born here
  9. 1991Born hereBilly Turner is born here
  10. 1996Born hereSam Hentges is born here
By decade

Shoreview, decade by decade

Today18 recent
Rice Creek Dog Area - Shoreview, MN - panoramio (10)2013Rice Creek Dog Area - Shoreview, MN - panoramio (10)Rice Creek Dog Area - Shoreview, MN - panoramio (1)2013Rice Creek Dog Area - Shoreview, MN - panoramio (1)Melting Snow2013Melting SnowLexington and Co. Rd I2013Lexington and Co. Rd ILexington Ave and Co Road J2013Lexington Ave and Co Road JLexington Ave and Co Road J - Shoreview, MN - panoramio (1)2013Lexington Ave and Co Road J - Shoreview, MN - panoram…Lake Johanna Fire Department2013Lake Johanna Fire DepartmentInterstate 6942013Interstate 694Interstate 694 - Shoreview, MN - panoramio (1)2013Interstate 694 - Shoreview, MN - panoramio (1)Interstate 35W Bridge2013Interstate 35W BridgeCo Road J and Park View Dr2013Co Road J and Park View DrCircle K2013Circle KUntitled photo2013Untitled photo35W - Shoreview, MN - panoramio (1)201335W - Shoreview, MN - panoramio (1)ParthenocissusVitacea2009ParthenocissusVitaceaShorviewMN2005ShorviewMNShorviewMN(1)2005ShorviewMN(1)MNMap-doton-Shoreview2005MNMap-doton-Shoreview
People over time

Shoreview, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,000196019802000202026,921

Grew from 7,157 people in 1960 to 26,921 in 2020, 3 times over.

7 censuses, 1960–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Shoreview’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and places now gone

Another post office, Cardigan, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Cardigan Junction
Gone or out of use
Cardigan Post Officepost office

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

North Oaks1 historic placeC−Arden HillsIts storyDVadnais HeightsIts storyDRoseville1 historic placeC

Questions about Shoreview’s history

What year was Shoreview founded?

In 1858, according to Wikidata. Shoreview’s post office opened in 1894, and the census of 1960 counted 7,157 people here.

How does Shoreview rank for history?

Shoreview is more historic than 17% of U.S. towns, #235 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 Shoreview?

3% of Shoreview’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.0 points), against a typical 8.1% for a Minnesota town; the median home was built in 1981.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

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 (18), 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) 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.