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Burnsville, Minnesota
is a mid-size town that is ideally located just twenty minutes from downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. It’s conveniently situated at the intersection of two major interstates, 35W and 35E, and is just a ten-minute drive to the largest and most famous mall in America and 15 minutes from the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. The town of Burnsville, as it is known today, began as a rural, primarily Irish farming community in the 1850s. Prior to that, the land belonged to the Mdewakanton Sioux, and in 1493 Spain laid claim to it for almost two hundred years until France obtained possession in 1682. Next came the British who claimed it in 1763 and Jefferson bought it from Napoleon in 1803. The rich soil and vast acres of open farmland made Burnsville an ideal location for the settlers who started arriving in the mid-1850s. Slowly the community developed into a town with a church, school and a cemetery and in the 1960s, the population soared from 2,700 people to over 60,000. In 1965, Burnsville finally was incorporated and today it is the 10th largest city in the state.
Business is booming in Burnsville and more and more visitors are discovering all that this lovely community has to offer. More than 3,300 acres of land has been set aside for parks and wildlife refuges, which offers a large variety of outdoor recreational opportunities. The Burnsville Park System oversees approximately 1800 acres spread throughout 79 parks. Two-thirds of the parkland are preserved nature areas, and the other one-third has been developed into hiking and biking trails, tennis courts, basketball courts, in-line skating rinks, cross country ski trails, picnic areas, plus two beaches for swimming and boating. Burnsville is also the site of a major ski resort and the winter weather is ideal for both downhill and cross country skiing, sledding, snowmobiling and snowboarding. Outdoor fun is not the only thing Burnsville has to offer. It is home to a large shopping center that features over 150 stores, 14 eateries and four fine dining restaurants. It also has live theater, a science museum, home & garden shows, festivals, arts & crafts shows, plus dozens of quality lodging establishments, making it a great vacation destination all on its own. However, its convenient location has turned it into a popular spot for tourists to base their Twin Cities vacation, as well. Burnsville is just minutes to some of Minnesota’s most well known attractions such as amusement parks, the Minnesota Zoo, historical sites, the largest casino in the Midwest and much more. Visit a recreated settlement along the Minnesota River that depicts life as it was in the 1840-1890 era, and the next day go shopping at the most sophisticated and exciting mall in the U.S. It’s all here and in the center of it all is the town of Burnsville, offering less crowds and noise, with just as many conveniences and amenities as the larger cities. It’s little wonder the town has adopted the slogan, “You Can See It All From Here.”
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