All of my out-of-town readers — all two of you — have commented on the fact that there is a Little Canada in Minnesota (seen in this post). So I thought I’d share some information about this local gem.
From its Web site:
The City of Little Canada is a very unique, historic community. Did you know that we received our name from French Canadians who settled here long ago? Our citizens are proud of their French Canadian heritage and we work hard to maintain our unique identity despite our busy metropolitan surroundings … Our city offers excellent educational, retail, and business opportunities for individuals and families. In addition, our beautiful parks give residents and visitors a place to relax and enjoy their free time in a peaceful setting.
Fascinating! Did you know they also have a lake named after Ricky Gervais*? The Wikipedia article offers another interesting bit of history — the epic struggle against suburban sprawl:
In the 1950s the township was threatened by the suburban sprawl of the ensuing larger communities that were formed, such as Maplewood, MN. In 1953, the city leaders came together and established the village of Little Canada. It became a city in 1974. It was named Little Canada because the settler was Canadian.
What an inspiring tale of a community of people joining together in the fight against… Maplewood. And then naming their city something completely insipid. It’s truly a Minnesota story.
*This statement has not been verified by the management.
