Stillwater, city in east central Minnesota, located about 29 km (about 18 mi) east of Saint Paul on the Saint Croix River, at the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Stillwater is the seat of Washington County. Economic activities include dairy processing and the manufacture of shoes and ventilating fans. Several large state correctional institutions are located near Stillwater. Partly because of its location near the populous Twin Cities (Minneapolis-Saint Paul) metropolitan area, Stillwater is growing as a tourist destination. Attractions in the city include the riverfront area, the Washington County Historical Museum, and historic homes and business structures dating from the city's prosperous early years.
Stillwater, one of the oldest settlements in Minnesota, was a booming lumber town in its early years. It was founded in 1843 and incorporated as a town in 1844 and as a city in 1854. In 1848 Stillwater was the site of the convention that drew up the petition to the Congress of the United States to organize the Minnesota Territory; the petition was successful, and the territory was formed the following year. The city takes its name from the calm waters of the Saint Croix River in the area and from Stillwater, Maine. Population 12,290 (1980); 13,882 (1990); 15,143 (2000).
