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Congresswoman Betty McCollum logo

McCollum Statement Commemorating Woodbury's 50th Anniversary

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Woodbury, Minnesota. Located east of Saint Paul on the picturesque high ground between the Mississippi and St. Croix River Valleys, Woodbury has quickly grown from a small farming community to a bustling suburb of 68,000 residents. The city of Woodbury enters its 50th year as a thriving community for all ages, with excellent schools, vibrant businesses and beautiful neighborhoods, lakes and parks.
In the 1840s, settlers primarily from the eastern U.S. and Germany arrived to the area, then called Red Rock by the native Dakota. Settlers soon incorporated the area as a township and named it after former U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Navy and Treasury, and Supreme Court Justice, Levi Woodbury. Much of the wooded land was converted into farmland, and agriculture dominated the area over the course of the next century. As development pressures increased, in 1967 residents chose to incorporate as the city of Woodbury to retain local control over rapid development of the community.
Today, Woodbury is one of the fastest growing Minnesota communities and is currently the state's ninth largest city. Twenty-thousand new residents flocked to the city between 2000-2016 and many more are expected to arrive in the coming years, attracted by its tremendous amenities and easy access to freeways and planned transit connections. Woodbury is home to a flourishing health and wellness industry, and has also drawn countless other businesses to the area, which benefits from one of the most highly educated workforces in the nation. It is no surprise that Woodbury is regularly rated one of the ``Best Places to Live'' in national rankings.
Since its founding, residents of Woodbury have always demonstrated a giving spirit to improve their community and welcome newcomers. As Woodbury grows and thrives, new residents are bringing diversity, creativity and energy that ensure the city will be an even better place in the next 50 years. I encourage all residents to recognize this special anniversary year and share their memories and their vision for the next half century.
Mr. Speaker, as residents of Woodbury prepare to gather on March 27, 2017 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the city, please join me in honoring this milestone.