Red Wing was once Minnesota's second largest city.
Native americans originally named this area "Remnicha" meaning "the place of wood, hills and water," and built their villages along the Mississippi River and at the base of the towering Barn Bluff. The city was incorporated in 1853 and named after Chief Red Wing, a Mdewakanton, Dakota Sioux Chief born in the mid 1700s who used a swan's wing dyed scarlet as his emblem.
Modern Red Wing is now a great place to visit as well as a great place to live! It is located about 35 miles SE of St. Paul and offers a wonderful river-view travel stop via Amtrack.
The Mississippi was the main transportation route for settlers moving into the region and also for shipment of supplies and finished agriucultural products. The city was ideally positioned to become a business center for agriculture and manufacturing. By 1873, Red Wing was acclaimed as the worlds largest wheat market!
With so much commerce and progress came the business leaders who invested to make Red Wing a cultural center and great place to live. Many National Landmarks and historical sites dot Red Wing's streets. Some are now serving as attractive B&Bs
The St. James Hotel began operation in 1875 located on the busy riverfront. It is still operating today as an elegant restoration.
The Sheldon Theater was built in 1904 as the first municipal theater in the US. It is now a "glittering jewel box" restored to it's original splendor.
With clay deposits nearby, the city also became a pottery center starting in 1878 and the Red Wing Stoneware Company was founded in 1906. Early pieces are collectable and expensive. The company continued to manufacture art and decorative pottery after the 1930's. A factory outlet and crafts mall exists today within some of the original factory site.
Leather and tanning industries flourished, resulting in the formation of the Red Wing Shoe Company in 1905. Their first pair of boots retailed for $1.75. The company supplied boots for US soldiers in both WW I and II.
A Red Wing Shoe company employee split away in 1945 to form Rydell Skates, now one of the largest manufacturers of ice skates and custom made professional skates.
Alexander Anderson was a scientist and businesman who is credited with inventing "Puffed Rice." A "cannon" was built in 1902 to demonstrate "the cereal that was shot from guns." He formed a wholly owned subsidiary of Quaker Oats and the cereal was introduced publicly in 1904 at the St. Louis World's Fair. Anderson also created an agricultural research center at the outskirts of Red Wing with many innovative achitectural details that exists today as the Anderson Center for Interdisiplinary Studies.
Red Wing School District #256 is a pre-K through grade 12 district located in Red Wing.
The Red Wing School District offers all children an opportunity to grow in a supportive and caring environment. Approximately 3200 students K-12 are educated with the support of over 450 staff members; 200 are full or part-time teachers. Approximately 90% of the district graduates continue their education beyond high school.
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