In 1856, a newspaper editor rode out from Hastings to see what the settlers were building in Empire Township. What he found was so unremarkable, so plainly functional, that he could only describe it for what it was.

"This place is rightly named," James C. Dow wrote in the Dakota Weekly Journal, "for it looks like a village of farms. Good soil, good water, and intelligent citizens is their wealth."

That was Farmington. Not a grand ambition. Just farms.

THE FIRST ARRIVALS

Settlers began arriving in the early 1850s, shortly after treaties opened the area to homesteading. Many came from New York, drawn by fertile prairie soils and river access.

J.B. Stevens was among the first to bring his family, arriving in June 1854. Leonard Aldrich, Alfred Bliss, and Horace Boyce made claims that same summer. What they found was oak openings — scattered trees over prairie grass, easy to clear, easy to plow. The Vermillion River provided water. The soil was black and deep.

The village was platted in 1864. The settlers named it for Farmington, New York — where many of them had come from.

THE NAME THAT STUCK

The village was officially called Dakota City at first. But the railroad station was labeled Farmington Station, and travelers kept confusing the two. Eventually everyone just called it Farmington.

The village received its charter in 1872 — the second community to incorporate in Dakota County, after Hastings.

THE FIRE AND THE REBUILD

On November 22, 1879, a firework cart got knocked over in a buggy accident downtown. The fire spread fast. Houses, stores, a hotel, and a grain elevator burned.

The town rebuilt. The Exchange Bank Building went up in 1880, limestone and brick. It's still standing. Still on the National Register.

THE FAIR

The Dakota County Agricultural Society organized in 1858. The first fair was held in Nininger, with Henry Sibley as guest speaker. When Nininger collapsed, the fair moved to Hastings. In 1869, it moved to Farmington.

It never left. The Dakota County Fair still fills the fairgrounds every August.

Farmington's Top the Tater Days Is Back

Farmington's biggest week of the year runs June 22–28, with bed races, duck races, minnow races, a guy kissing a pig, and yes, a contest where people compete to scoop the most Top the Tater dip. Friday night fireworks, Saturday's Grand Parade, and seven straight days of downtown fun.

Rosemount Water Meeting Recap: Experts Took Your Well #8 Questions Head-On

The city packed the Steeple Center with water experts from state and county agencies on June 18—the verdict: your tap water is safe, and gross alpha is a decades-long risk, not an emergency. The city is weighing fixes ranging from blending wells to building a treatment plant, with a council decision expected this year. A resident also asked about Meta's data center water use.

1316 3rd St E, Mendota

➡️ 5 bed, 3 bath, 0.29 acres in historic Mendota's river valley
➡️ Open-concept kitchen with oversized island, double oven & eat-in dining
➡️ Vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors & wet bar
➡️ Game room & multiple living spaces in the lower level

Price: $1,649,995

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Top the Tater Days Kicks Off (Farmington)
Farmington's biggest week of the year is officially on. Seven straight days of bed races, duck races, live music, Kiss the Pig, the Tater Trot, and the famous Top the Tater scooping contest. See the full schedule.

Amelia Earhart & Her Cousin (Apple Valley)
Hear about Amelia Earhart's life and mysterious final flight at 11am from her own second cousin at the Apple Valley Senior Center. Hear the story.

Live Jazz at Brianno's Chart House (Lakeville)
Classic jazz at 6:30pm with Courtney Burton and friends at Brianno's Chart House, dinner reservations recommended. Sip & listen.

Free Outdoor Concert: Brio Brass Band at ArtBlast (Rosemount)
A 60-piece brass band performing jazz, pop, and everything in between at 7pm, free at Central Park. Hear the brass.

Spark Into Summer (Rosemount)
A free grand re-opening celebration at 2pm with live acoustic music, Olympic-themed lawn games, and Detroit-style pizza. Kick off summer.

Pour Your Own Epoxy at Trove Brewing (Burnsville)
A hands-on workshop at 6pm where you create a custom epoxy charcuterie board, clock, or coasters using premium hardwoods. Get crafty.

Wild Workouts: Pilates at the Minnesota Zoo (Apple Valley)
An outdoor Pilates class at 6:30pm at the Zoo focused on core strength and flexibility, all levels welcome. Stretch it out.

Paint Nite at Andiamo (Eagan)
A guided paint-and-sip night at 6:30pm at Andiamo Italian Ristorante, no experience needed and you take your creation home. Paint & sip.

Free Outdoor Concert: Time After Time at ArtBlast (Rosemount)
A seven-piece 80s rock and pop band bringing synths, guitar solos, and big harmonies to Central Park at 7pm, free. Rock the 80s.

Picnics in the Park at Innisfree Park (Rosemount)
Pack your dinner and head to Innisfree Park at 5:30pm, plus the Rosemount Fire Department is bringing their interactive Fire Safety House for kids. Pack a picnic.

Restful Yoga at The Lavender Barnyard (Farmington)
Yin Yoga and singing bowl sound bath at 6pm in the lavender fields, an hour of pure calm. Find your zen.

Beetlejuice Jr. at the Mraz Center (Burnsville)
Local students in grades 5-12 hit the stage at 7pm for this high-energy, spooky-fun musical after two weeks of theater camp, tickets are just $10. See the show.

Purse Bingo at Clive's Roadhouse (Burnsville)
Bingo with designer purse prizes at 7pm at Clive's Roadhouse, reservations recommended because it fills up fast. Win big.

Free Outdoor Concert: Todd'n'Tina at ArtBlast (Rosemount)
A free, silly, family-friendly music set at 7pm from Minnesota duo Todd'n'Tina at Central Park, stick around for the outdoor melodrama after. Bring the kids.

Free Outdoor Theater: Melodrama Under the Stars (Rosemount)
Cheer the hero, boo the villain, and enjoy a free interactive outdoor melodrama at 7:45pm at Central Park from the Front Porch Players. Take a seat.