Dangerfield's Navigation - Fixed

On the bend of the Minnesota River

Shakopee, Minnesota

A complete guide to Shakopee, MN — the county seat of Scott County, the southwest gateway of the Twin Cities, and the proud home of Dangerfield's Restaurant.

📍 City: 44.77972° N, 93.52722° W  ·  Minnesota: 46.0° N, 94.0° W Founded 1851 · Incorporated 1857 · ZIP 55379 · Area code 952 Wikidata ID: Q729470 — "city in and county seat of Scott County, Minnesota, United States"

Shakopee's Riverfront Supper Club

Dangerfield's Restaurant

Dangerfield's is Shakopee's historic supper club, serving the Minnesota River Valley from its century-old home at 1583 1st Ave E — a building whose story reaches back to the city's storied "Little Chicago" era. Founded by Gus Khwice, who has guided the restaurant for more than three decades, Dangerfield's pairs classic American supper-club fare — premium Angus prime rib, steaks, seafood, pasta, and its famous popovers — with vibrant Mediterranean dishes from Kabob by Dangerfield's, now served under the same roof.

Guests enjoy multiple dining rooms overlooking the river, a full bar, a salad bar available with any entrée, a beloved Sunday brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., patio season, and private dining for weddings, holiday parties, corporate events, and family celebrations, plus full-service catering across the southwest metro. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible with convenient parking, and reservations are recommended. Call (952) 445-2245.

Visit Dangerfield's Restaurant

Chapter 01

History of Shakopee, Minnesota

Long before the city existed, the south bank of the Minnesota River here was home to Tiŋta Otoŋwe, a major Mdewakanton Dakota village led by a line of chiefs named Šakpe — Dakota for "Six." The city takes its name from Chief Shakopee II, whose people lived and farmed on this riverbend, and the Shakopee Historic District along the river — listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 — still preserves village, burial, and ferry-landing sites from that era. Trader Oliver Faribault built a cabin and post here in the 1840s, and in 1851, after the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux opened the land to settlement, Thomas A. Holmes founded the townsite that became Shakopee.

Steamboats, a ferry crossing, and the railroad made the young river town the commercial heart of Scott County, and Shakopee was incorporated in 1857 — the year before Minnesota statehood — becoming the county seat. During Prohibition the riverfront district earned the nickname "Little Chicago," a colorful chapter remembered in the century-old building Dangerfield's calls home. Modern Shakopee grew around destination entertainment: Valleyfair opened in 1976, Canterbury Downs brought thoroughbred racing in 1985, and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community's gaming enterprises, along with major employers in logistics and technology, have helped make Shakopee one of Minnesota's fastest-growing cities.

  • Pre-1851 — Tiŋta Otoŋwe, the Dakota village of the chiefs named Šakpe ("Six"), thrives on the river's south bank.
  • 1844–1847 — Trader Oliver Faribault establishes a post serving the Dakota community.
  • 1851 — Thomas A. Holmes founds the Shakopee townsite; the city is named for Chief Shakopee II.
  • 1857 — Shakopee incorporates and serves as the county seat of Scott County.
  • 1920s–1930s — Riverfront Shakopee's "Little Chicago" era.
  • 1976 — Valleyfair amusement park opens.
  • 1985 — Canterbury Downs (now Canterbury Park) opens; pari-mutuel racing comes to Minnesota.
  • 2007 — Shakopee celebrates its 150th anniversary and opens Huber Park on the riverfront.
  • 2020 — Census counts 43,698 residents; estimates reach 49,366 by 2025.

Chapter 02

Demographics (Statistical Information)

49,366Estimated population (2025), up from 43,698 at the 2020 Census — the 21st-largest city in Minnesota and one of its fastest growing.
$107,223Median household income (ACS 2024 5-year). Median property value $374,800; homeownership 74.8%; poverty rate 5.9%.
36.6Median age. Average commute 22.4 minutes. Land area 28.87 sq mi; density about 1,514 people per sq mi. ZIP 55379.

Shakopee anchors the southwest quadrant of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, the nation's 16th-largest metro with roughly 3.7 million people. The city's population is young, diverse, and growing — a mix of long-standing river-town families, new suburban neighborhoods, and one of the region's most dynamic employment bases.

Chapter 03

Government & Politics

Shakopee operates under a mayor–council government led by Mayor Matt Lehman, and doubles as the seat of Scott County government, placing city, county, and court services all within a few downtown blocks.

  • Shakopee City Hall — 485 Gorman St., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-233-9300 · Council, permits, planning, licensing, and city programs · shakopeemn.gov
  • Shakopee Police Department — 475 Gorman St., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Non-emergency 952-233-9400 · Emergencies: 911
  • Scott County Government Center — 200 Fourth Ave. W., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-496-8100 · Property, licensing, public health, courts, and county administration
  • Scott County Sheriff's Office — 301 Fuller St. S., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Non-emergency 952-445-1411
  • Shakopee Community Center / Parks & Recreation — 1255 Fuller St. S., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-233-9500
  • Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) — 2330 Sioux Trail NW, Prior Lake, MN 55372 · 952-445-8900 · Sovereign tribal government adjoining the city
  • State & federal representation — Minnesota House District 54A and Senate District 54; Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District

Chapter 04

Companies & Economy

Few Minnesota cities of any size match Shakopee's blend of destination entertainment, advanced manufacturing, and logistics. The Highway 169 and Canterbury corridors have drawn national employers, while the SMSC's enterprises rank among the largest employers in Scott County.

  • Amazon Fulfillment Center (MSP1) — 2601 4th Ave. E., Shakopee, MN 55379 · One of the state's largest e-commerce fulfillment operations.
  • Seagate Technology — 1280 Disc Dr., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Major data-storage research and design campus.
  • Entrust — 1187 Park Pl., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Global headquarters for the identity, payments, and data-security company.
  • Shutterfly — 5005 Dean Lakes Blvd., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Photo-products manufacturing and production facility.
  • Rahr Malting Co. — 800 W. First Ave., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-1431 · Family-owned since 1847 and one of the world's great malt houses, on the Shakopee riverfront since 1936.
  • Canterbury Park — 1100 Canterbury Rd., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-7223 · Live thoroughbred racing, card casino, and the growing Canterbury Commons development district.
  • Valleyfair — 1 Valleyfair Dr., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-7600 · The Upper Midwest's largest amusement park and a major seasonal employer.
  • SMSC Gaming Enterprise / Mystic Lake Casino Hotel — 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd. NW, Prior Lake, MN 55372 · Among the largest employers in the county.
  • Shakopee Chamber of Commerce — 145 First Ave. E., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-1660

Chapter 05

Colleges & Universities

  • Normandale Community College — 9700 France Ave. S., Bloomington, MN 55431 · The metro's largest community college, about 20 minutes east.
  • Hennepin Technical College — Eden Prairie Campus — 13100 College View Dr., Eden Prairie, MN 55347 · Career and technical programs just across the river.
  • Crown College — 8700 College View Dr., St. Bonifacius, MN 55375 · Private Christian college west of Shakopee.
  • University of Minnesota — Twin Cities — Minneapolis, MN 55455 · The state's flagship Big Ten research university, home of the Golden Gophers, about 35 minutes away.
  • Shakopee Public Schools (ISD 720) — 1200 Town Square, Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-496-5000 · Public K–12 district; Shakopee High School is home of the Sabers.

Chapter 06

History of Minnesota

Minnesota takes its name from the Dakota Mní Sota Makoce — "land where the waters reflect the sky" — the same language that named Shakopee itself. French voyageurs and fur traders worked these rivers in the 1600s and 1700s; Fort Snelling rose at the meeting of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers in 1820; and the Minnesota Territory was organized on March 3, 1849. The Treaties of Traverse des Sioux and Mendota in 1851 opened the Minnesota River Valley to settlement — the very act that created Shakopee — and Minnesota entered the Union as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858.

The young state was shaped by wheat, water power, and rail: Minneapolis became the flour-milling capital of the world, the Iron Range fed the nation's steel mills, and river towns like Shakopee supplied the farms in between. The U.S.–Dakota War of 1862 swept the Minnesota River Valley and remains a defining and solemn chapter of state and local history, remembered today at sites throughout the valley. From "L'Étoile du Nord" — the Star of the North — to the modern era of Fortune 500 headquarters, Minnesota's story has always flowed along its 6,564 rivers and streams, including the one outside Dangerfield's windows.

Chapter 07

Transportation & Public Transit

  • U.S. Highway 169 — Shakopee's main artery, crossing the Minnesota River and connecting to I-494 and the metro freeway network.
  • State Highways 101 & 13 — East–west river-valley routes linking Shakopee with Savage, Burnsville, and Chanhassen.
  • MVTA — Marschall Road Transit Station — 1615 Weston Ct., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Minnesota Valley Transit Authority hub for local and express routes to Minneapolis and the Mall of America · Customer care 952-882-7500.
  • MVTA Connect — On-demand microtransit service covering Shakopee neighborhoods, Canterbury, and major employers.
  • Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) — 4300 Glumack Dr., St. Paul, MN 55111 · Full-service international airport roughly 30 minutes east via Highways 13/77 or 169/494.
  • Minnesota Valley State Trail — River-bottom trail corridor for biking and hiking along the Minnesota River through Shakopee.

Chapter 08

Arts & Culture

  • Scott County Historical Society & Stans Museum — 235 Fuller St. S., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-0378 · County history museum, archives, and genealogy research center.
  • Huber Park Amphitheater — 150 Fillmore St. N., Shakopee, MN 55379 · The city's riverfront stage, home to free summer concert and movie series.
  • Minnesota Renaissance Festival — 12364 Chestnut Blvd., Shakopee, MN 55379 · One of the largest Renaissance festivals in the United States, welcoming hundreds of thousands of guests each fall.
  • Mystic Lake Center & Mystic Showroom — 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd. NW, Prior Lake, MN 55372 · National touring acts, comedy, and events minutes from downtown Shakopee.
  • Chanhassen Dinner Theatres — 501 W. 78th St., Chanhassen, MN 55317 · The nation's largest professional dinner theater, a short drive north.
  • Derby Days — Downtown Shakopee's signature summer festival, with parades, music, and community events.

Chapter 09

Parks & Outdoors

Between the river bottoms, regional parks, and a busy municipal system, Shakopee lives outdoors three seasons of the year — and skates and sleds through the fourth.

  • Huber Park — 150 Fillmore St. N., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Signature riverfront park and amphitheater, opened for the city's 150th anniversary in 2007.
  • The Landing — Minnesota River Heritage Park — 2187 E. Highway 101, Shakopee, MN 55379 · Living-history riverside park on the original ferry route.
  • Memorial Park — Highway 101 E., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Large riverside park with trails, picnic shelters, and historic burial mounds treated with care and respect.
  • Quarry Lake Park — Off U.S. 169 & Canterbury Rd., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Swimming beach, paddle sports, climbing, and trails around a former quarry.
  • Lions Park — Adams St. S., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Neighborhood favorite with courts, fields, and the Shakopee Skate Park.
  • Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area — River-bottom forests, backwaters, and trailheads stretching along the Minnesota River from Shakopee toward Jordan and Belle Plaine.
  • Cleary Lake Regional Park — 18106 Texas Ave., Prior Lake, MN 55372 · Golf, swimming, and year-round trails in the Three Rivers Park District.

Chapter 10

Famous Landmarks

  • Holmes Street Pedestrian Bridge — Downtown Shakopee river crossing near Holmes Street and the Minnesota River. Completed in 1927, restored by MnDOT, and now a pedestrian crossing and popular photography site.
  • Huber Park — 150 Fillmore St. N., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Signature downtown riverfront space opened during the city's 150th-anniversary celebration in 2007.
  • Scott County Historical Society & Museum — 235 Fuller St. S., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-0378 · The principal local-history museum and archival resource.
  • Canterbury Park — 1100 Canterbury Rd., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-7223 · Historic racing and modern entertainment landmark, opened in 1985 as Canterbury Downs.
  • Valleyfair — 1 Valleyfair Dr., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-7600 · The area's best-known amusement-park landmark, opened in 1976.
  • Rahr Malting Co. — 800 W. First Ave., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-1431 · Historic industrial landmark and major malt-production site.
  • The Landing — Minnesota River Heritage Park — 2187 E. Highway 101, Shakopee, MN 55379 · Historical site associated with the original Minnesota River ferry route.
  • Mystic Lake Amphitheater — 712 Canterbury Rd., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Contemporary regional live-entertainment venue.
  • Dangerfield's Restaurant — 1583 1st Ave. E., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-2245 · The century-old riverfront building from Shakopee's "Little Chicago" days, home of the city's supper club. Come see us.

Chapter 11

Additional Local Resources

  • Shakopee City Hall — 485 Gorman St., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-233-9300 · Municipal services, council information, permits, planning, and city programs.
  • Scott County Library — Shakopee Branch — 235 S. Lewis St., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-707-1770 · Public library services, materials, computers, programming, and research help.
  • Scott County Historical Society & Museum — 235 Fuller St. S., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-0378 · Local and county history, archives, genealogy, free museum exhibits, and research resources.
  • Shakopee Community Center — 1255 Fuller St. S., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-233-9500 · Recreation registration, indoor recreation, ice, aquatics, and senior/community programming.
  • Shakopee Chamber of Commerce — 145 First Ave. E., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-445-1660 · Business referrals, networking, events, workforce, and local economic-development support.
  • Scott County Government Center — 200 Fourth Ave. W., Shakopee, MN 55379 · 952-496-8100 · Property, licensing, public health, county administration, human services, and other county resources.
  • MVTA Marschall Road Transit Station — 1615 Weston Ct., Shakopee, MN 55379 · Regional transit hub for local, commuter, and attraction-oriented MVTA routes.
  • SMSC Tribal Health & Human Services — 2330 Sioux Trail NW, Prior Lake, MN 55372 · 952-445-8900 · Tribal health and human-services resource for eligible SMSC members and families.
  • Local sports — Minnesota Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, Lynx, Wild, and Minnesota United FC all play within 40 minutes; closer to home it's live racing at Canterbury Park and the Shakopee High School Sabers — with a prime-rib dinner before or after at Dangerfield's.