The city of Chanhassen got its name from the Native American Dakota tribe’s word chanhassen, which means “sugar maple tree.” Over the past thirty years, the city has grown from a small and sparsely populated town to an affluent and successful city of over 24,000 residents. Much like that of its neighboring cities, Eden Prairie, Chaska, and Carver, Chanhassen grew at a very slow pace until 1960. Before it became a developed area with booming businesses, the main way of life was farming. The first settlers inhabited the location during the 1850’s, seeking land that they could farm and make a living off of. The first claim was settled in June, 1852.

The city had its very first town meeting in 1858, which was held in the county’s quaint school house. In 1896, more settlers were drawn to the town through its first railroad system, the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad. Near the railroad’s main stop, the first general store, saloon, and bank were established.

After the 1960’s, the population and growth of businesses within the city started to swell. In 1967, Chanhassen established a merger of the village and the surrounding township, which increased its population to over 4,000. Within that same time period, the Chanhassen Dinner Theater was built and combined dining with drama in order to create one of the city’s main attractions. The theater is still very successful today, and provides it services to over 300,000  excited customers annually.

Much of the development that we see in the city today occurred in the 1970’s. The downtown area began to accumulate all sorts of businesses and shopping areas. Today the city is home to more than 500 businesses that provide work for almost 10,000 people. The city now has about 14,500 acres, and 24-square miles and is split up by two counties.

If you have any questions regarding the city of Chanhassen Minnesota, it’s parks, schools, history, community life, or if you would like to sell or buy a house in the Chanhassen area, call Realtor David Olson at 952.314.9446 or visit www.DavidOlsonRealEstate.com.