Brooklyn Park is a suburban city on the west bank of the Mississippi River, upstream from (north of) downtown Minneapolis in northern Hennepin County. It is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 86,478 at the 2020 census. The city still has undeveloped land and farms, including the historic Eidem Homestead, a 1900s working farm that is a popular tourist attraction for families and school field trips. Brooklyn Park is considered both a second- and third-tier suburb of Minneapolis, because much of the land north of 85th Avenue was developed after 2000.
Brooklyn Park is listed as a "Tree City USA" and is home to 47 miles (76 km) of trails and 67 parks, including Rush Creek Regional Trail and the northern section of Palmer Lake Park. The city is also known for Mississippi Gateway Regional Park, on the west side of Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park. Rasmussen University, North Hennepin Community College and a campus of Hennepin Technical College are in the city.
History
Settlers from Michigan formally organized town government in 1858 and named the area after their hometown of Brooklyn, Michigan. Formerly Brooklyn Township, the township split in 1911 when the southeast community incorporated into Brooklyn Center. Brooklyn Township incorporated as the Village of Brooklyn Park in 1954, and incorporated as a city in 1969.
