When architect Mauricio Ochoa moved to the Twin Cities a decade ago, he quickly realized Twin was actually a bit of a misnomer.
The metro area actually includes dozens of independent cities — often referred to now as suburbs — all with their own governments, rules and regulations. Ochoa, originally from Honduras, said it's different from other parts of the world — think Paris, Mexico City — and even portions of the United States, including New York City and Houston, where the core cities are more geographically dominant.
Ochoa wondered, "Why do tiny cities like Lauderdale, Landfall, Lilydale and Falcon Heights exist?"
It is true that Minnesota has more incorporated cities than other places — 853 to be precise, compared with Wisconsin's 597 cities and villages and Michigan's 533 — said Luke Fischer, deputy director of the League of Minnesota Cities. And more than 70% have a population of less than 4,000, Fischer said. Much of this traces back to farming, he said.
"Minnesota has agrarian roots, so populations were distributed across the state," Fischer said. "Cities were formed to provide needed services."
Rural communities sprung up along waterways, rail stops, grain elevators and local supply stores.
Many Twin Cities suburbs, including Hastings and Anoka, were their own incorporated cities well outside Minneapolis and St. Paul.
As development marched out from the two larger cities, populations in other communities on the edge of urban development incorporated and kept their own distinct identities before being gobbled up via annexation.
