Best Web Design in Apple Valley, MN (2026)

Web Design for Apple Valley, Minnesota

Apple Valley is a Twin Cities suburb in Dakota County best known as the home of the Minnesota Zoo, one of the state's premier attractions on a 500-acre campus. Once the farming community of Lebanon Township, it was renamed after Apple Valley, California, and incorporated in 1968, then grew into Minnesota's 17th-largest city. It has produced an outsized roster of athletes, including Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn and NBA brothers Tyus and Tre Jones.

AppWT works with Apple Valley, MN businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Apple Valley

History. The area was established as Lebanon Township in 1859 and remained farmland for nearly a century. Residential development began in the mid-1950s, led by real estate developer Orrin Thompson. The name 'Apple Valley' was inspired by Apple Valley, California, which the county road approach reportedly resembled to early developers. Voters incorporated the city in the 1968 general election, choosing the name 'Apple Valley' over 'Lebanon Valley' by a vote of 1,376 to 757. The Minnesota Zoo opened on May 22, 1978, on a 500-acre parcel that Dakota County donated to the State of Minnesota. The population reached 56,374 at the 2020 census, the 17th most populous city in Minnesota.

Local economy. The largest employer is Independent School District 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan) with about 1,414 employees. Other top employers include Target Corporation (about 520), plumbing/heating manufacturer Uponor (about 400), Dakota County government (about 384), and Walmart (about 350). The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority provides commuter bus service to Minneapolis and Saint Paul, supporting a commuter-suburb economy. Main routes include Interstate 35E, Cedar Avenue, and County Road 42, a major retail corridor.

Culture and community. The Minnesota Zoo is the city's cultural centerpiece, featuring trails such as the Tropics, Minnesota, and Northern trails with animals like Asian wild horses, Amur leopards, and sea otters. Apple Valley Freedom Days is the city's Fourth of July festival, with a parade and fireworks. A Winter Carnival is held in February. The Music in Kelley Park summer concert series, run with the Apple Valley Arts Foundation, offers free family-friendly Friday-evening concerts.

What makes Apple Valley distinct. The city is named after a town in California, Apple Valley, rather than for local apple orchards. It has produced a remarkable number of pro and Olympic athletes, including alpine skier Lindsey Vonn and NBA guards Tyus and Tre Jones. Other notable residents include actress Maria Thayer and FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley. Voters nearly named the city 'Lebanon Valley' instead, deciding by fewer than 700 votes in 1968.

Apple Valley Landmarks and Local Life

• The Minnesota Zoo - opened in 1978 on a 500-acre site
• Kelley Park - a community gathering space and home of the summer concert series
• Bogart's Entertainment Center - a local entertainment venue at 14917 Garrett Avenue