2017.12.20 Parks Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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13COMMUNITY BACKGROUND2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE DRAFT Dec14-17 for review only DRAFT Dec14-17 for review only The St� Paul and Duluth Railroad was constructed through the area in 1868� A train station (Centerville Station) and a feed mill were built near the intersection of Forest Boulevard (now Highway 61) and Frenchman Road (now CSAH 8) which became the new town center� The new station brought with it new ways to make a living, better communication and new settlers� The station quickly became the center of the developing settlement, and all official meetings and voting took place within it. Train traffic came through Hugo as it moved between St� Paul and Duluth� These early trains depended on wood for fuel, so many residents in the area made a partial living by cutting down their own timber to sell at the depot� The existence of the railroad was essential to Hugo’s early economy, and made it possible for a potato depot, a cattle depot and a stockyard to develop� The downtown neighborhood surrounding the train station also began to grow into a comfortable village and the surrounding rural areas supported a robust agricultural and timber harvesting economy� 1900-1990 As the newly populated area in downtown Hugo became more autonomous, many residents thought it would be best to create a separate community. Reports stated that it was difficult for the U.S. Post Office to deliver the mail properly because the Town of Centerville and Centerville Station were only miles apart and too closely named� In 1906 the land that became the Village of Hugo was incorporated and separated from Oneka Township� Shortly after the Village of Hugo was incorporated the train station was renamed Hugo Depot, and continued to be the hub of the community for decades� The origin of the name “Hugo” has two prevailing theories. The first theory proposes the City was named in honor of Trevanion William Hugo, a native Englishman who was mayor of Duluth from 1900 to 1904 and again in 1920, and also served as a marine engineer on the Great Lakes� The second and most commonly known theory is that Hugo is named for Victor Hugo, famed French politician, artist and writer of such works as “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” and “Les Misérables”� The Village of Hugo had strong ties to French ancestry, and Victor Hugo may have been admired enough for some to suggest naming the new village after him� However, there is no conclusive evidence to prove such a theory� Over the next 6 decades the City continued as a small farming and railroad community� In 1972, the Township of Oneka and the Village of Hugo were consolidated and in 1976 the Village of Hugo became an official City by State Statute. Over the past several decades urban development in the City of Hugo has focused along the major transportation corridors including the old railroad line along Highway 61� The more concentrated growth has occurred in the western portion of the City and the eastern half has remained predominately rural� 1990-2018 Since 1990 Hugo’s population has grown rapidly� The City has developed at a thoughtful pace with significant developments such as Victor Gardens and Waters Edge, which have urbanized the western portion of the City with smaller units, multimodal connections and close proximity to commercial amenities� A tornado hit the community in 2008 and it destroyed more than 50 homes and damaged hundreds more� This event became an important part of the City’s history as the community came together and relief poured in from all over the Twin Cities Metro area� Hugo recovered with new momentum� Residential and commercial development continued� The City has become highly regarded for its stormwater management practices� Since 2015 Hugo has planned and implemented a number of water reuse projects which help the City save money while conserving drinking water and reducing its impact on the regional watershed� A strong industrial community has also gained momentum thanks to the City’s location and amenities such as rail� A variety of manufacturing and construction businesses, including the headquarters of Wilson Tool International and Glamos Wire, continue to locate and expand in Hugo� With new residential, industrial and commercial growth on the horizon, the City’s future remains bright�