Belle Plaine, Minnesota
| Belle Plaine, Minnesota | |
|---|---|
| City | |
| Motto: "A City That Works" | |
 Location of the city of Belle Plaine within Scott County, Minnesota |
|
| Coordinates: 44°37′N 93°46′W / 44.617°N 93.767°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Scott |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.11 sq mi (15.82 km2) |
| • Land | 5.91 sq mi (15.31 km2) |
| • Water | 0.20 sq mi (0.52 km2) |
| Elevation | 856 ft (261 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 6,661 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 6,804 |
| • Density | 1,127.1/sq mi (435.2/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 56011 |
| Area code(s) | 952 |
| FIPS code | 27-04834 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0639891 |
| Website | www.belleplainemn.com |
Belle Plaine is a city in Scott County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 6,661 at the 2010 census.
Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court Judge Andrew G. Chatfield selected the townsite of Belle Plaine in 1853 while traveling from Mendota to Traverse des Sioux to hold court, as it was a halfway marker on his usual path of travel. Judge Chatfield chose to name the townsite Belle Plaine, which is French for "Beautiful Prairie." Even today the city has select areas of protected, natural prairie grasses.
From 1868 to 1974, Belle Plaine was incorporated as a borough, the only one in Minnesota. In 1974, it became a city.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.11 square miles (15.82 km2); 5.91 square miles (15.31 km2) is land and 0.20 square miles (0.52 km2) is water.
U.S. Highway 169 and Minnesota State Highway 25 are two of the main routes in the community. The U.S. Highway 169 corridor travels from the city of Virginia, Minnesota, along the western edge of Mille Lacs Lake, through the western suburbs of Minneapolis and continues south through Belle Plaine, Mankato, and then into Iowa. It is a central route of travel and provides easy access to the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota.
Belle Plaine is located along the Minnesota River, which flows northeast through the town. A fairly newly constructed bridge crosses on the north side of town via Minnesota State Highway 25.
Belle Plaine is located within the Minnesota River Valley, an area of considerable width in which a great river once ran after the receding of the glaciers that left Minnesota with so many lakes. The ancient river's banks are discernible as the slopes of the valley rise up on either side of the town.
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