Minnesota Experimental City Authority

In 1969, the legislature, by joint resolution, authorized the study of the Minnesota Experimental City [MXC] concept, a plan to develop a totally planned city that would have an urban core surrounded by less densely crowded areas that would serve as residential plots. A buffer area would surround the entire city for green space and prevent the city from the usual patterns of urban sprawl. The city would be built in a non-metropolitan area of the state in the hope that it would provide greater direct employment and training opportunities for unemployed or underemployed citizens, increase the general level of economic activity, reduce outmigration, and improve the quality of life of all residents. A 75,000 acre area in northwestern Aitkin County and northeastern Cass County, the Swatara area, was chosen as the site. A growing protest to MXC, however, particularly by the people in the site area, led the 1973 legislature to question the concept. The request of the MXCA for money for land acquisition and further planning was not funded by the legislature and on June 30, 1973, the MXC effort died.