Introduction to St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is located in the central region of the state of Minnesota in Stearns County. The Mississippi River runs through the town. The Mississippi's thirty Beaver Islands are situated at the southern end of the city. St. Cloud is known as a college town and has an active nightlife.
History
St. Cloud was formerly a way station for the Red River Trails, situated between the Canadian border and St. Paul. The cart trains sometimes included hundreds of ox carts. The city was incorporated in 1856. It was created from three communities called the Upper Town, Middle Town and Lower Town. The remains of the deep ravines that acted as partitions for the communities can still be seen. The land became available for private ownership by non-natives after treaty negotiations were completed with the Winnebago Tribe in 1852. The city was named in tribute to Saint-Cloud, a suburb in Paris, by a man named John Wilson who had a French Huguenot ancestry. Years ago, do to its convenient location, steamboats often docked at the city. Granite quarries have been in use since the 1880's and the municipality is known as "The Granite City."
Attractions
- Cathedral of Saint Mary features Italian Romanesque architecture
- The St. Cloud Central Business District is included in the National Register of Historic Places
- Munsinger Gardens showcases giant oak trees and more than one thousand rose bushes
- Clemens Gardens
- Granite Trio is a notable sculpture and is considered to be a city landmark
- Grasshopper Chapel officially named Assumption Chapel is a beautiful structure made out of granite
- Paramount Theatre and Visual Arts Center
- The notable Sterns County History Museum offers a nature park
- St. Cloud Civic Center
- Stearns County Courthouse is a prominent historic building
- Minnesota Baseball Hall of Fame Museum
- Central Minnesota Community Theater
Activities
The scenic Beaver Island Trail is situated along the Mississippi River and is popular with college students and the community for outdoor activities. Quarry Park contains numerous trails for hiking, bicycle riding and skiing and granite quarries are located in the park. Sand Prairie Wildlife Environmental Area is a scenic environment and provides excellent opportunities for hiking.
Higher Education
St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud Technical College and Rasmussen College are located in the town.
Transportation
The city is served by the St. Cloud Regional Airport. St. Cloud Metro Bus provides the town bus transportation.