Independence

“Independence reminds me of Kentucky horse country, transplanted out here in the Midwest. It’s beautiful countryside with rolling hills,” says Realtor Molly Hartgartner, with Realty Group LLC’s Homes by Molly. Hartgartner acknowledges that Independence is very small, population-wise. “There are only about 3,500 people there, so it’s super tiny, but it’s because everyone is so spread out across the land,” she says. “People move here for the land more than anything else. It’s not walkable, and there aren’t a lot of businesses there, but it’s the land that really speaks to people.” Independence Township was organized in the mid-1800s, became a Village just 100 years later and incorporated as a town a little more than 100 years after that. The obvious differences between the Independence of 1858 and the town of today are the much-improved infrastructure and the modern homes. But the heavily wooded hills and lush farmland, just 30 miles west of Minneapolis, are similar to what you would have seen back then.

Independence’s homes range in price between $300,000 and $1.5 million, a spectrum that, like the city itself, is largely defined by land. “A lot of these homes are on large acreages, even those that aren’t farms or estates,” says Hartgartner, explaining that more acres mean a higher price tag. For a two-bedroom, three-bathroom Minimal Traditional-style home on a quarter-acre lot, you can expect the list price to hover around the $325,000 mark. The list price will climb closer to $1 million for a five-bedroom, six-bathroom Traditional-style home, on a 10-acre estate furnished with stables, a detached four-car garage and an in-ground pool.

Students in Independence are served by four different school districts depending on their address, so you’ll want to double-check the boundary maps ahead of registration time. The four districts are Orono Independent Schools, Delano Public Schools, Westonka Public Schools and Rockford Public Schools, but most students attend schools in either the Orono or Delano system. Orono students go to Schumann Elementary between preschool and second grade, Orono Intermediate Elementary between third and fifth grade, Orono Middle for Grades 6 through 8 and Orono Senior High for Grades 9 through 12. All four schools are located on one campus just over 8 miles east of Independence, on either side of Old Crystal Bay Road between Sixth Avenue and Wayzata Boulevard. The sprawling campus includes a swimming pool and ice arena, as well as the Orono Activities Center, which opened in 2019. The four schools are all highly rated by Niche. In 2023, Schumann Elementary received a B-plus grade. That same year, Orono Intermediate and Middle Schools received A’s and Orono Senior High received an A-plus. Students served by the Delano Public Schools system go to Delano Elementary between preschool and third grade, Delano Intermediate between Grades 4 and 6 and Delano Senior High between Grades 7 and 12. The three schools are also highly rated by Niche. Both the elementary and intermediate schools received A grades in 2023. Delano Senior High received an A-minus that same year. Through a partnership with the Wright Technical Center, Delano Senior High students can apply to participate in a variety of technical programs, from automotive technology to graphic communications.

In true horse country style, it’s common to see neighbors out and about on horseback here, but you’ll want a car to get around outside of town. For their groceries and other everyday essentials, Independence residents tend to head either west into Delano or east into Maple Plain. The two neighboring cities offer a wide variety of shopping and dining options. On Wednesday afternoons, visit the Delano Farmers Market in the Flippin’ Bills parking lot at the corner of Highway 12 and County Line Road to stock up on everything from locally grown, seasonal fruits and vegetables to locally raised meats, farm-fresh eggs and scratch-made baked goods. The market is just 4 miles west down Highway 12. For any groceries you didn’t grab at the market, head half a mile north across the highway to Coborn’s Grocery Store. Avoid after-dinner dishes tonight by heading to Iron Exchange Tavern & Brewery in Maple Plain Plaza just 5 miles east of Independence. The casual eatery offers craft beers and a menu full of Midwestern-style comfort foods. McGarry’s Pub, just 4.5 miles east of Independence, offers traditional Irish comfort foods in a cozy, casual setting.

Independence residents enjoy easy access to the great outdoors, even beyond the acreages and oversized lots right before their front steps. Lake Rebecca, on the city’s northwest side about 7 miles from the center of town, offers a myriad of opportunities for outdoor recreation. Visitors can fish from the pier or bring their watercraft and take advantage of the public access boat launch. There are campsites available at the Lake Rebecca Park Reserve, too. Lake Independence, the city’s namesake, lies just 4 miles east, alongside the Baker Park Reserve. You can fish and boat here, too, sunbathe on the lake’s sandy beach or ride your bike along the 16-mile multiuse, paved trail. In Baker Park, there’s even a zipline and ropes course-style climbing structures.

Written By

Megan Quintin

Photography Contributed By

Pat Vasquez-Cunningham

Video By

Francesco Basti