Why visit Scandia
Townapedia lists 15 museums and landmarks, 19 parks and trails, 11 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Marine Mill, Hay Lake School, William O'Brien State Park and Wind In The Pines Preserve.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 3°F, and about 52 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Scandia
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Scandia
Scandia is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,984 at the 2020 census. Scandia is 25 miles northeast of Saint Paul, Minnesota.
From the Wikipedia article Scandia, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks15
Marine Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.9 mi
Historic sawmill in Minnesota, United States
Hay Lake School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
School building in Scandia, United States of America
Johannes Erickson House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic log cabin in Scandia, Minnesota, United States
John Copas House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic house in Minnesota, United States
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Moody Barn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Round barn in Chisago Lake Township, Minnesota
Gammelgarden Museum of Scandia
Museum · 1.2 mi
Museum in Minnesota, US
Marine Village Artist Studios
Museum · 4.8 mi
41 Judd Street, Marine on Saint Croix
"By appointment"
3 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds19
Wind In The Pines Preserve
Hiking and trails · 3.3 mi
22199 St Croix Trail North, Scandia
04:00-(sunset+00:30)
Standing Cedars Land Conservancy-Engelwood
Hiking and trails · 4.4 mi
The Standing Cedars name is an English translation of the ancient name of this site in the Dakota language ("Ḣaƞte Nażiƞ"). Dakota oral...
Wayne Erickson Memorial Ball Park
Park · 1.4 mi
21398 Olinda Trail North, Scandia
7 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes11
Rustic Roots
Brewery and winery · 2.8 mi
20168 St. Croix Trail North, Scandia
Su-We 11:00-19:00; Th-Sa 11:00-20:00
Meister's Bar & Grill
Bar and pub · 1.5 mi
14808 Oakhill Road North, Scandia
Mo-Fr 11:00-23:00; Sa-Su 09:00-23:00
Marine Landing b.o.t.m.
Diner · American · 4.7 mi
We-Su 08:00-14:00, Fr 17:03-20:00
History
As evidenced by the town's name, Scandia has a rich Scandinavian heritage. It is the site of what is believed to have been Minnesota's first Swedish immigrant settlement. In 1850, the first log cabin was built on the shores of Hay Lake. The first sanctuary of Elim Lutheran Church was built in 1856 on a site near Hay Lake.
After many years as New Scandia Township, Scandia became a city on January 1, 2007, to allay concerns that the community could be annexed by the nearby city of Forest Lake. The city is served by a weekly newspaper, the Country Messenger.
From the History section of Scandia, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Map of Scandia
60 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 3°F | 0.9 in | 9.6 in |
| Feb | 30°F | 6°F | 0.9 in | 9.3 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 19°F | 1.7 in | 9.2 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 33°F | 3.0 in | 3.7 in |
| May | 70°F | 45°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 56°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 60°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 58°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 50°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 37°F | 2.9 in | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 24°F | 1.8 in | 7.4 in |
| Dec | 29°F | 11°F | 1.2 in | 11.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Forest Lake 5Ne (6 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
Washington County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-12: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-05-10: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2010-03-19: Flooding (Flood)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
L O Simenstad Municipal Airport (OEO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Forest Lake 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Hugo 9 mi southwest, about 14 min by car
- Chisago City 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Lindstrom 10 mi north, about 15 min by car
- Shafer 10 mi north, about 16 min by car
- Centerville 12 mi southwest, about 20 min by car
- Grant 12 mi south, about 20 min by car
- Stillwater 13 mi south, about 21 min by car
- Columbus 13 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Lino Lakes 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
- Hay Lake School, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gammelkyrka, Scandia MN (51980473945), petermgrund, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Immigrant hus, Scandia MN (51979985698), petermgrund, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Marine Mill historical marker, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Moody Barn 3, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Processing and sorting a collection of books damaged by mold-01, Heritage Preservation Department - MNHS, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Gammelgarden Museum, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- J. Erickson House 7, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Johannes Erickson House 2016, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Johannes Erickson House, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hay Lake School 1, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- JCPenny's 2013 Black Friday ad (11161773225), m01229 from USA, CC BY 2.0
- Girl decorating the Christmas tree, m01229, CC BY 2.0
- Spring at William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (34903063711), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Trees at William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (34870788922), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Morning Sunlight - William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (34869712502), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- William O'Brien State Park Field, Minnesota (34993726866), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Leaves - William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (34646142830), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Towing Hitch Ball Lubricant - Tow Lube, Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Fire Pit Campground Grill - William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (34646867960), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Firewood - William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (34902632171), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Savanna Campground - William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (34993952716), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Savanna Trail - Winter at William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (38414061305), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Instant Pot Veggies (53833203818), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Sunset - William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (35035351655), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Winter at William O'Brien State Park - Minnesota (38479238384), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Snowy Hiking Trail at William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (39186285521), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Late Autumn at William O'Brien State Park, Minnesota (45299095734), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Wetland Trail Stream - William O'Brien State Park - Minnesota (34222759213), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sunset at William O'Brien State Park - Minnesota (34223163703), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Plane overhead - winter (38583385714), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Beaver Dam - William O'Brien State Park - Minnesota (34190832914), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- John Copas House 2016, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- John Copas House, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
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