Jobs Grow Around Native American History In Woodbury MN

We think of the Dakota Nation as people living in North and South Dakota and Nebraska as Plains Indians, but this group of Native Americans once lived in Minnesota and Ohio after 10,000 years or more of migration eastward from the Pacific Northwest.

The town of Woodbury began as Red Rock to honor a sacred rock on the town's site, painted ceremonial red by Chief Little Crow of the Santee band of Dakotas around what became Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Woodbury. His original name was Tayoyateduta, meaning His Red Nation or His People are Red; thus, the red rock. The town was later renamed to honor a Supreme Court Judge, after another Red Rock, Minnesota was discovered.

Little Crow was Chief of the Santee band of Eastern Dakotas, taking over from his father, Charging Hawk. The new chief led the Sioux Uprising of 1862 in protest of unreceived trust payments and supplies due his people under a treaty with the US federal government.The people were starving.

Having learned to read and write English and to wear the clothing of the Euro-Americans, as needed, Little Crow made enemies on both sides of the question - non-Native Americans and Native Americans.. However, he signed his original signature on the Treaty of 1851 with the US to reiterate that he represented the "red people." He did not use a "white" name for his signature.

The US paid money for Dakota lands in Minnesota under the Treaty of 1851, but gave the money to local traders to hold in "trust" and from which to make annuity payments to the unhappy tribe. The Dakotas saw little of the money and were forced in a dozen years to move westward to where they live today under a new agreement with the USA. The traders kept most of the money meant for the Dakotas.

Little Crow was scalped by a white man as he was picking berries with his son in 1863. His scalp and skull went to the local historical society after the scalper was paid a $500 bounty put on Little Crow's head for leading the Sioux Uprising in 1862. The chief's remains were not received and permitted to be buried by the family until 1971, 100 years later.

The Santee were moved to Nebraska about 8 miles from Crow Creek in 1863, but disease and starvation there reduced the band from large numbers down to a mere 1,000. The Santee were moved again, to a point lower on the Missouri River and were permitted to become more self-sufficient by the USm federal government. Here, they were able to farm and produce timber.

Some Santee-owned lands were sold to non-native famers, however, and land ownership struggles continued all the way to the 20th Century's Indian Education and Self-Determination Act of 1972. By this time, some of the Santee had fought willingly for the USA in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Some were among those from 33 different Indigencous Nations in Northa America that served as code talkers in WWII. Most of them went unrecoignized until 2013.

The 1972 act allows for some control of the Santee band over their own internal affairs. It has been a long journey back and forth over the continent for the Santee Sioux. During the years betweem 1862 and 1972, the lands purchased by the US from the Santee became Minneapolis, St. Paul, and their suburb of Woodbury. Interestingly, the Native American population of Woodbury is still around 5% or more and higher than in other parts of the country.

Woodbury enjoys 8 lakes, 3,000 acres of park lands and grreen space, and a population of over 58,500 in 2009, up from over 46,000 counted in the US 2000 Census. The city is on the list of the Best 25 Places to Move for Work in America, named by Forbes.com in 2009 and remaining on that and other "top cities" lists innto the 2010s.

White settlers arrived in the local area around 1844 from Germany and the Eastern US. Woodbury was founded as Red Rock to honor Chief Little Crow in 1858, until it became Woodbury in 1859. Additional settlers came from diverse Europe and Scandinavian countries.

The town originally enjoyed a thriving timber potential, but the land was cleared for farming. This produced crops of first wheat, then barley, corn, potatoes, and soybeans during and after the Civil War timeline. Post World War II, Woodbury advanced through technology and applied new methods of fertilization and crop rotation that increased production during the Cold War.

A housing development began in 1955 and Urban Development began in the 1960s, pushing out the farmer, where once the Santee Sioux of the Dakota had been pushed out 100 years before. It was ironic.

Woodbury Days Council and Events - This is a 3-Day Festival held at the end of summer every year since 1978 to celebrate Woodbury, which was incorporated in 1967. Links on this site lead to areas attractions and other events.

Indian Mounds Regional Park - Burial mounds used by the Hopewell and Dakota groups at 10 Mounds Blvd, St Paul MN 55106.

Higher Education in Woodbury

• Globe University
• ITT Technical Institute
• Lake Elmo/Woodbury Campus of Rasmussen College

In the 1990s and 2000s, Urban Development and urban revitalization helped to draw additional residents and business concerns into an already growing suburb of Minneapolis. Sustainability is seen in a priority focus, especially for open and green spaces, the stewardship of natural resources, and alternative energy concerns taken on by local governments in the area. This is another turn of the circle, back to a more natural time enjoyed by the first inhabitants, but aided by 21st Century technology. The advancements have caused Woodbury to charge into the 21st Best Place to Move in America for work, as named by Forbes.com.

Woodbury is a suburb located 12 miles west of Saint Paul MN, between I-94 (which extends from Ann Arbor/Detroit to Billings, Montana) and Minnesota State Route 10.

In Washington County, Woodbury is very near the major Twin Cities airport (see map below) and about 20 miles from the Mall of America.

1. 3M
2. Deloitte
3. HealthEast Care System
4. Wells Fargo
5. Fairview Health Services
6. Thomson Reuters
7. Cybercoders.com
8. Saint Paul Public Schools
9. University of Minnesota
10. C.R. England
11. USA Truck
12. Swift Transportation
13. LifeTime Fitness
14. US Bank
15. Boston Scientific Corporation
16. Dart - public transportation systems

1. IT Engineers
2. RN-licensed Nurses and Nurse Practitioners
3. Project Managers
4. Truck Drivers
5. Financial Analysts
6. Physical Therapists
7. Nursing Assistants
8. Assistant Managers
9. Human Resources Jobs
10. Sales Managers & Reps
11. Automotive Service Salespeople
12. Physician Assistants
13. Marketing Managers
14. Business Systems Analysts
15. IT Technicians and Support Staff

Information Technology (IT) jobs are expected to increase most, with Healthcare positions coming in second place.

1. Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts - IT
2. Computer Applications Software Engineers - IT
3. Social Service Specialists
4. Computer Systems Software Engineers - IT
5. Dental Hygienists - Health
6. Dental Assistants - Health
7. Registered Nurses (RNs) - Health
8. Sales Representatives
9. Computer Systems Analysts - IT
10. Industrial Engineers
11. Financial Analysts
12. Database Administrators - IT
13. Network and Computer Systems Administrators - IT
14. Radiologic Techs - Health
15. Managers of Property, Real Estate & Community Associations