Heritage Trail highlights Dakota County history

By Tim Spitzack | Editor | August 2026

Come next year, some trails in West St. Paul, South St. Paul and Inver Grove Heights will get a lot more interesting and educational. They are part of the newly created Heritage Trail that will commemorate significant people and events in northern Dakota County. The trail is a 23-mile loop that uses existing trail systems in the three cities and will feature 23 interpretive panels categorized into four themes and clustered near where historic events occurred.

The Dakota County Historical Society is spearheading the $429,000 project and Matt Carter, its executive director, said the goal is to wrap up fundraising by early next year and complete the project by the end of 2027. So far, funding has been received from Dakota County and the Minnesota Historical Society. The 106 Group, a St. Paul-based consulting firm, is assisting with research and design.

The following themes have been established, and 19 subjects have made it through the initial research and development stage.

Theme 1: Along the River Highway. Signs will interpret a tragic train wreck, the Mississippi River’s role in immigration to Dakota County, the Rock Island Swing Bridge and a famous gangster chase.

Theme 2: Civil Rights & Civil Life. Signs will interpret the lives of local residents and public servants. Some stories are tragic and others are inspirational and change-inducing.

Theme 3: Cultural Roots. Signs will interpret waves of immigration to Dakota County, from European to Mexican to Hmong.

Theme 4: Serving the Community. Signs will interpret groundbreaking female firefighters, the history of a local manufacturer of fire trucks and hydrants, and the lives of public safety officers.

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