Pine City, Minnesota

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Pine City, Minnesota
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption = Downtown Pine City seen from the Snake River


image_



image_

---

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in the state of Minnesota.


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Minnesota
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Pine
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Jane Robbins
established_date =
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi = 3.2
area_total_km2 = 8.4
area_land_sq_mi = 2.8
area_land_km2 = 7.3
area_water_sq_mi = 0.4
area_water_km2 = 1.1
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 3,318
population_metro =
population_density_sq_mi = 1076.3
population_density_km2 = 415.5
timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
latd = 45 |latm = 49 |lats = 38 |latNS = N
longd = 92 |longm = 58 |longs = 17 |longEW = W
elevation_ft = 951
elevation_m = 290
website = http://pinecity.govoffice.com
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 55063
area_code = 320
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 27-51064GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0649445GR|3
footnotes =

Pine City is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,043 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2006 was 3,318.

Interstate 35 serves as a main arterial route and the [http://www.stcroixscenicbyway.org St. Croix Scenic Byway] runs through Pine City along Main Street (formerly U.S. Route 61) for travelers wanting a more scenic view.

Pine City is the county seat of, and the largest city in, Pine CountyGR|6.

Its name is an English translation of "Chengwatana" (Pine Town), originally an Ojibwe village located just east of Pine City, along the Snake River. The Ojibwe name for the city is "Ne-zhingwaakokaag" (on a land-point full of white pines). A portion of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is located within Pine City.

History

Pine City was founded in 1881 and in 2006 celebrated its quasquicentennial anniversary.

The Dakota Indians were the first in the area. With the Ojibwa expansion, the area became a mixture of the two. By early 1800s, the area became predominantly Ojibwa. They trapped and hunted on the land and traded furs at the nearby trading posts. With the Treaty of St. Peters of 1837, dubbed the "White Pine Treaty", lumbering began in the area. Lumbering, though, was limited by access to the available waterways.

In the late 1800s, European settlers came to the Pine City area, which was still heavily forested with thick stands of white pine, some of the largest in the state. When the railroad arrived in Pine City so began a logging expansion. Pine City prospered and grew into a city that had everything needed to serve residents, farmers, and the fast expanding lumber industry.

Following the national trend in farming, Pine City has since lost most of its agricultural underpinnings.

When Buchanan County was merged with Pine County in 1861, the county seat was consolidated to Pine City because it was already well-established. Because of its location on the far southern edge of Pine County, there have been attempts over the years to move the county seat to more centrally located Hinckley and Sandstone. However, being the most populous city in the county, Pine City always prevailed as the county seat.

In 2005, the city became the first in rural Minnesota with an annual gay pride event and one of only two rural communities to hold such an event in the United States (See worldwide "list of LGBT events").

Christmas trees for the Minnesota Governor's Residence have often come from the Pine City area.

Pine City today

Pine City is a popular day trip for tourists from the Twin Cities who enjoy the historic downtown's specialty stores and restaurants as well as a nearby casino and recreational opportunities, including the scenic St. Croix River valley. Also, a local historical site situated along the Snake River, the North West Company Post, has become a popular tourist draw; it was used by French fur traders nearly two centuries ago.

Pine City is a recreation destination for outdoor enthusiasts who find the easily-accessible area lakes, rivers, and forests ideal for hunting, fishing, water sports, hiking, biking, and camping. Pine City is also home to two golf courses, the [http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.asp?course=603745 Pine City Country Club] , a beautiful nine-hole public course opened in 1971, and Pokegema Lake Golf Course, a par-3 course located just west of town.

In recent years, there has been a good deal of new housing development on the outskirts of the city, and there is a substantial population that commutes daily to the Twin Cities. However, the city has managed to maintain its regional significance without becoming a full-fledged bedroom community.

Politics

Pine City is located in Minnesota's 8th congressional district, represented by Jim Oberstar, a Democrat. Pine City is in State Legislative District 8B, represented by State Senator [http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_bio.php?ls=85&mem_id=1078 Tony Lourey] (DFL) and Representative [http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?district=08B Tim Faust] (DFL).

A new courthouse and county offices were relocated from downtown to the north end of town in 2007. City offices, in City Hall, remain downtown. The current Mayor of Pine City is Jane Robbins. "Click here for list of Pine City's Mayors, past and present"

The City Council comprises the following members:
* Dylan Ascheman (At-Large)
** Term- January 2007 to January 2011

* Paul Miller (At-Large)
** Term- January 2007 to January 2011

* Mark Nisley (At-Large)
** Term- January 2005 to January 2009

* Brian Scholin (At-Large)
** Term- January 2005 to January 2009

Geography

Pine City is located along Interstate 35, 66 miles north of Minneapolis and 85 miles south of Duluth. It is also located along the [http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/53918/ St. Croix Scenic Byway] . Its East Central Minnesota location is in telephone Area code 320.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.4 km²), of which, 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (12.69%) is water.

Transportation

The city of Pine City is a busy city when it comes to traffic, particularly weekdays after school and on Friday evenings in the summer and fall as vacationers and hunters head north to their cabins. I-35, which runs through Pine City and continues enroute to Duluth or the Twin Cities, sees tens of thousands of cars daily.

For those who do not wish to make the drive, an intercity bus service called Jefferson Lines runs from Pine City to St. Paul or Duluth twice daily. Presently, the Rush Line Corridor task force is studying the feasibility of passenger rail service to serve area commuters.

For travel within the city, there is local taxi service available as well as the Pine County minibus system. The St. Croix Valley Railroad runs through Pine City and has a non-passenger station downtown. Also, Pine City is served by the Rush City/Pine City Regional Airport, eight miles south of the city limits.

Business and Industry

Pine City has established itself as an economic stronghold in East Central Minnesota with many diverse industries. [http://www.minpack.com MINPACK, Inc.] is one of the largest with over 100 employees. Another, [http://www.atscott.com Atscott Manufacturing Company] , has 85 employees. Both have their headquarters in Pine City. Other large employers in the community include Wal Mart, [http://www.productfab.com Product Fabricators, Inc.] , [http://www.eabroekema.com Broekema Beltway] , [http://www.pinecity.k12.mn.us ISD 578] , Therapeutic Services Agency, Pine County and [http://www.lmc-pcac.com/ Lakeside Medical Center.] Recently, Pine City has seen a fair amount of commercial growth throughout the City but especially near the city's two freeway interchanges. Some (but not all) of the examples of this include: Subway (restaurant), Wal-Mart SuperCenter, Blockbuster (movie rental store), Ace Hardware, O'Reilly Auto Parts, and Dominos Pizza, Inc..

hopping

Pine City serves as a shopping hub for such surrounding Minnesota communities as Askov, Braham, Brook Park, Henriette, Hinckley, Finlayson, Rock Creek, Rush City and Sandstone, as well as Grantsburg, Wisconsin, and each of their respective townships. Serving as a subregional center, Pine City accommodates a much larger population by day as residents from the smaller, aforementioned, surrounding communities both shop and work there.

Pine City is home to three retail shopping centers: Pine Plaza, Evergreen Square and Northridge Center. "Pine Plaza", located in the central business district, was Pine City's first shopping center. It is anchored by a dollar store and an old-fashioned drive-in A&W All-American Food Restaurant, one of the few remaining carhops in the state. "Evergreen Square" is anchored by Pamida and is also home to such stores as Radio Shack and T-Mobile. Pine City's newest shopping center is "Northridge Center", located at the city's developing northern freeway interchange.

Pine City only has a municipal liquor store; no other liquor stores are allowed. The city closed its freeway location in 2006 and currently maintains just one liquor store, Voyageur Bottle Shop, on the corner of 2nd Ave & Main Street, downtown.

From early spring to late fall, one of East Central Minnesota's largest flea markets takes place every Wednesday morning at the Pine County Fairgrounds. Vendors feature everything from antique tools and furniture to fresh flowers and produce.

Downtown

Pine City has one of the most evident downtowns between the Twin Cities and the Twin Ports. Robinson Park is in the heart of it and essentially forms the town square, with the old train depot to the east, city hall to the south and many mom and pop shops lining 5th Street on the west side of the park.

A farmers market called [http://www.mfma.org/members/mrkt_in_the_park_pine_city.htm "Market in the Park"] is held seasonally each Friday at the south side of the park. There are many people who live and work downtown.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 3,043 residents, 1,222 households, and 734 families in the city. The population density was 1,076.3 people per square mile (415.2/km²). There were 1,275 housing units at an average density of 451.0/sq mi (174.0/km²).

Racial Makeup

97.57% White

1.35% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

0.95% Native American

0.16% African American

0.16% Asian

0.03% Pacific Islander

0.16% from other races

0.95% from two or more races.

Population statistics

Pine City also receives radio signals from the Twin Cities and St. Cloud areas.

Fictional references

*In Drop Dead Gorgeous (film) (1999), starring Kirsten Dunst, there was a fictitious "Miss Pine City" character, portrayed by an actual Pine Citian, Amy Olson.

*Craig Wright, best-known as the writer of "HBO's" Six Feet Under, set a series of plays in fictitious "Pine City", Minnesota that have been performed across the United States: "The Pavilion", "Orange Flower Water", "Molly's Delicous", "Melissa Arctic" and "Grace", which takes place in Florida, but is about people who come from "Pine City".

*Author Dean Hovey wrote two fictional mystery novels that are set in Pine City, [http://www.jpresspublishing.com/pages/weh.html "Where Evil Hides"] and [http://www.jpresspublishing.com/pages/hooker.html "Hooker"] .
*Author Richie Ryan wrote "What We Are: Richie's Story" and "What We Are II: Summer Heat", adult fiction, both set in Pine City.

Noteworthy Pine Citians

The following list includes those that were either born in, or that have resided (or presently reside) in Pine City:

* Brian Bauman
* James Bede - Politician
* Johnny Mold aka. Jammin' - Pro Snowmobile Racer
* Bob Mould - Musician, Hüsker Dü
* Helen J. Myers - Founder, Russell Bede School
* Karla Nelsen - Bodybuilder; 1993 AAU Ms. America
* Aubrey Olson - 1998-99 National Goodwill Ambassador, Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
* Nicholas Olson - 1998-99 National Goodwill Ambassador, Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
* Jane Robbins - Politician
* Allison Rosati - News Anchor
* Jon Rydberg - Paralympic Athlete
* Lee Swanson - News Producer
* Jeff Warner aka. J.W. Storm - Professional Wrestler
* [http://michaelwillertbooks.com/ Michael Willert] - Children's Author

References

External links

* [http://pinecity.govoffice.com/ Pine City's Website]
* [http://www.pinecitychamber.com/ Pine City Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.pinecitymn.com/ Pine City Pioneer newspaper]
* [http://www.extension.umn.edu/county/template/index.aspx?pID=0&countyID=59 University of Minnesota - Pine County Extension]
* [http://www.pinecity.k12.mn.us/ Pine City Public Schools]
* [http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/pine1.pdf Official Highway Map of Southern Pine County]
* [http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=45.80703&lon=-92.96396&s=200&size=l&symshow=n&u=4&datum=nad83&layer=DRG100 TopoZone - USGS Map of Pine City]
* [http://www.pinecityfire.com/ Pine City Fire Dept.]
* [http://pinecenter.org/ Pine Center for the Arts]

* [1] [http://www.pinecity.k12.mn.us/directory/StaffDirectory2.htm PCHS Staff Directory]