General Info
Dakota Indians occupied Carver County until the Treaty of Traverse de Sioux was signed in 1851. The treaty allowed for settlement and in 1855 Carver County was established and named after the explorer Jonathon Carver. San Francisco Township was the county seat until 1856 when voters relocated it to Chaska. New settlers experienced difficulties clearing the land for farming due to the density of the trees. The area was nicknamed the Big Woods for the dominance of elm, basswood, sugar maple and red oak trees. Most of the early immigrants were farmers or laborers in the brick industry from the east coast, Germany and Sweden. For 100 years agriculture was the dominant industry with residents raising crops or dairy farming. There were many creameries throughout Carver County and residents nicknamed it “The Golden Buckle of the Dairy Belt.” Wendelin Grimm, a farmer from Chanhassen, developed one of the most winter-hardy strains of alfalfa and was one of Minnesota’s chief contributors in agriculture. Today agriculture is no longer the staple industry for Carver County. This area has witnessed an increase in residential expansion as many residents commute throughout the suburbs and Twin Cities. Today Carver County has approximately 90,043 residents.
