Lakeville is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It is a suburb of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, approximately 20 miles south of both downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul. On the Twin Cities metropolitan area's southern fringe, Lakeville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. The U.S. Census Bureau recorded its population at 55,954 in 2010.

Lakeville lies along Interstate Highway 35. Lakeville first became notable in 1910 when Marion Savage built the Dan Patch Railroad Line to service his Antlers Amusement Park. It later became a flourishing milling center; its agriculture industry is still in operation. While many of Lakeville's workers commute northward to Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and more central suburbs like Bloomington, Lakeville has had major industry since the 1960s—including the Airlake Industrial Park, which is served by Airlake Airport, a regional reliever airport.

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History of Lakeville

Rich in historical lore, today's Lakeville had its origins back in 1853. That's when Captain William B. Dodd, who came from the east to serve the military forts in the Minnesota Territory, designed and directed the construction of a road that would serve as a practical land route connecting the military forts in St. Paul to the southern forts. The road, which was named for Captain Dodd after he was killed in the Sioux uprising in 1862, bisects present-day Lakeville.

You can learn more about the City's history by visiting the Lakeville Area Historical Society website. Watch the short videos below, produced by Lakeville Government TV, highlighting various historical topics.