New Brighton, Minnesota, is a city with a young feel that is almost a century old. Similar to many of the cities in the metro areas of the state, New Brighton was initially inhabited by Native Americans. The main two groups were the Dakota and the Ojibwe, and their main goal was to harvest treks. Several of them settled the area of modern day New Brighton, and for a long time they were the only inhabitants.

During the mid-1800’s, both French and Englishmen went looking for land to homestead from the government. In the year of 1858, these groups of European immigrants established a small town that had a general store, a school, and a church.

Perhaps the most influential reason for the cause of growth in this area was a company called the Minneapolis Stockyards and Packing Company that was founded in 1888. The company’s main function was to supply home needs and to claim a share of the growing trade. The company attracted several employees out of the big cities and into the metro area in order to work. Because of the success of this company, other companies like the Butcher’s Spur and the Harris Forge started up in the area. Soon, the town became a small hub for businesses.

The city was named after Brighton, Massachusetts, which was a cattle center that served the Boston area, which was named after the popular Brighton, England resort city. It was not yet an official city, but that would come soon. Along with so many business in the area, there were also several hotels. One of the most popular hotels was called the Exchange Building, and cost $35,000 to build.

The Village of New Brighton was incorporated in 1891, the passenger train industry was perhaps the most prevalent in the town. However, as more time ent on, the village moved towards farming as a way of living. Currently, the residents observe their intriguing past yearly at New Brighton Stockyard Days, in memory of the industry that gave the city its beginning.

If you have any questions regarding the city of New Brighton, Minnesota, or if you would like to sell or buy a house in the area, please feel free to visit TwinCitiesPropertyFinder.com or call 1-800-909-1953.