About Fridley

Our Vision:
We believe Fridley will be a safe, vibrant, friendly and stable home for families and businesses.

Demographics

The City of Fridley is a first ring suburban community with a 2011 estimated population of 27,500. The City is located 10 minutes north of downtown Minneapolis and 20 minutes northwest of downtown St. Paul. Incorporated in July 1949, Fridley now covers 11 square miles of area and is home to several private and public schools including a K-12 International Baccalaureate school district and some of the most important industries in the Midwest, nation, and the world. We also have beautiful parks and trails including Springbrook Nature Center and Moore Lake Beach. Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts provides a welcome place to tap into your creative side in beautiful Manomin Regional Park, and our Mississippi River trails will take your breath away.

97% of residents consider Fridley a "good" or "excellent" place to live!

Get a complete picture of the city from our 2021 Citizen Survey Results

Business and Development

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An industrial spine around the rail corridor has served the City well and has provided the City with nearly as many jobs as the number of citizens who reside in the community. Fridley is home to the largest number of employees in Anoka County. Consequently, the unemployment rate for the City is below the national average. Fridley is home to many large and small businesses including Medtronic, Cummins and unity Hospital, who each employ over 1,000 people. The City of Fridley is committed to helping you start, expand and sustain your business with our open door policy and community outreach. Our Active Transportation Plan is designed to build a community that allows access to a variety of transportation including bike trails, commuter rail, buses and easy access to highways.

Government

The City of Fridley has a Council-Manager form of government. The elected City Council sets the policies for the operation of the city, and the day-to-day administrative responsibility rests with the City Manager who is appointed by the City Council. The City Manager oversees the activities of all 8 departments and is the primary liaison between City Council and city staff.

The public is invited to City Council meetings, usually held on the 2nd and 4th Monday each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, main level of City Hall.

Fridley City Council is also advised by 6 commissions. Learn more about Fridley City Council and Commissions.

Remembering Our Past

We continue to make history every day, from innovative community development to commemorating historical events. Every summer, Fridley '49er Days celebrates the birth of our community.

Fridley History

  • 1847: John Banfill became Fridley's first settler when he built the Banfill Tavern. At that time, the area was called Manomin. The Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts now resides on that site.
  • 1851: Abram M. Fridley, for whom the city was named, settled in Manomin.
  • 1879: The area's name changed to Fridley by an act of the Minnesota State Legislature.
  • 1949: Fridley was incorporated as a village. The first Mayor was Carl Hartman who also served as the first police chief and fire chief.
  • 1957: The Village of Fridley became a Home Rule Charter City. About the same time, Fridley experienced an industrial boom. By 1960, Fridley's population swelled to 15,182 residents.
  • May 6, 1965: Fridley was devastated by two F4 tornadoes (at the time it was classified as 3 distinct tornadoes, but was revised in 1973 based on a new theory regarding multiple vortexes). One in every four homes was destroyed or damaged. Under the leadership of Mayor Nee and countless other people, the city was rebuilt and again became a prosperous community.
  • 1973: Springbrook Nature Center opened.
  • 1974: Fridley '49er Days started in celebration of the City's 25th anniversary.
  • 1986: A tornado ripped through the Springbrook Nature Center, staying on the ground for 16 minutes and resulting in years of cleanup.
  • September 21, 2005: Approximately 300 homes and 2,000-3,000 trees were damaged by a rotating storm called mesocyclone with strong straight-line winds.
  • October 2009: Fridley Police debuted a Police K-9 program with the addition of Nitro and Kona.
  • November 2009: Northstar Commuter Rail began service in Fridley.
  • 2014: Redevelopment began on the Northern Pump/BAE site that once received 6 Battle E awards from the Navy. Northern Pump opened in 1940 and became a manufacturer of the Navy's gun-barrels.
  • 2014: Fridley HRA acquired the former Columbia Arena after 8 years of deterioration and vacancy.
  • May 6, 2015: Over 800 people gathered to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the tornadoes that destroyed the city.
  • 2016: Springbrook Nature Center opened its doors to a $5.1 million expansion to the interpretive center.

For more information on Fridley History, the Fridley History Center or to get involved with the Fridley Historical Society, please visit the Fridley Historical Center.