Why visit Ham Lake
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 39 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include East Bethel 10, Carlos Avery Game Farm, Majestic Oaks Golf Club and Viking Meadows Golf Club.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 2°F, and about 44 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Ham Lake
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ham Lake
Ham Lake is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. It is a suburb in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. The population was 16,464 at the 2020 census. It is in the Anoka-Hennepin School District, one of Minnesota's largest school districts.
From the Wikipedia article Ham Lake, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks1
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Carlos Avery Game Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Historic district in Minnesota, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds39
Majestic Oaks Golf Club
Golf course · 3.5 mi
701 Bunker Lake Boulevard Northeast, Ham Lake
sunrise-sunset
Timberline Park
Park · 3.4 mi
Park without services, path between neighborhoods with views of prairie/farm and small creek spillway dam
sunrise-sunset
Oak Hollow Park
Park · 4.0 mi
No amenities/features, nature area without trails
465 159th Avenue Northwest, Andover
27 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes17
Perkins
Diner · American · 4.4 mi
12545 Ulysses Street Northeast
24/7
Pho Viet 126
Restaurant · Asian · 4.5 mi
12341 Aberdeen Street Northeast
Tu-Su 11:00-20:00
Route 65 Bar and Grill
Restaurant · Wings, Burger, Pizza · 3.9 mi
18407 Highway 65 Frontage Road, East Bethel
5 more on the map.
History
The earliest record of settlers in the Ham Lake area goes back to 1855, and in 1856, settlers established a town just south and west of a lake shaped like a ham. The settlers platted and sold lots for a community they named Glen Carey, a Scottish name meaning "beautiful valley". The location was widely advertised as a future city. In 1857, all the houses were destroyed by a prairie fire. Some of the inhabitants barely escaped with their lives, saving only a few household goods. The settlers soon left the area as they had nowhere to live.
There was no more settlement until 1866, when a Norwegian man settled in the area. He was soon followed by other Scandinavians. The Scandinavian settlers found it difficult to pronounce "Glen Carey". Since no official name had been chosen by the people, the commissioners named it Ham Lake.
Early settlers found the soil well-suited to farming as it was not as rocky as Scandinavia's. Dairying became an important industry. The pioneer farmers soon found the soil suited to growing potatoes and this became an important commodity for both cash sales and trading. Ham Lake Township split from Grow Township (Andover) in 1871. In 1872, immigrants built the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church.
From the History section of Ham Lake, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship8
Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries18
DaVinci Academy of Arts and Science
School · All · 3.9 mi
532 Bunker Lake Boulevard Northeast NE, Ham Lake
Map of Ham Lake
97 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 2°F | 0.6 in | 5.1 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 7°F | 0.8 in | 9.6 in |
| Mar | 41°F | 19°F | 1.4 in | 6.3 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 32°F | 2.9 in | 5.7 in |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 55°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 60°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 57°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 48°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 36°F | 2.7 in | 0.7 in |
| Nov | 41°F | 23°F | 1.4 in | 4.3 in |
| Dec | 27°F | 11°F | 1.0 in | 12.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Andover 1N (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Anoka County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-06-07: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2001-05-16: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Flood)
- 2000-10-20: Mn - Carlos Edge Fire Complex - 10/19/2000 (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Crystal Airport (MIC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Blaine 6 mi south, about 9 min by car
- Andover 7 mi west, about 11 min by car
- East Bethel 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Coon Rapids 8 mi southwest, about 13 min by car
- Anoka 10 mi west, about 16 min by car
- Champlin 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Forest Lake 11 mi east, about 18 min by car
- Brooklyn Park 12 mi southwest, about 20 min by car
- Fridley 12 mi south, about 20 min by car
- Brooklyn Center 14 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Ham Lake, MN 55304, USA - panoramio (6), SCOTT WUERTZ, CC BY 3.0
- Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church summer, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2013-0326-CarlosAveryGameFarm, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.