MARINE ON ST. CROIX, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE

LIVING IN MARINE ON ST. CROIX

Marine on St. Croix began in 1839 as Marine Mills, when Illinois lumbermen David Hone and Lewis Judd started the first commercial sawmill on the St. Croix River that August. By the time it shut down in 1895, the mill had processed more than 197 million board feet of lumber. The Village of Marine Mills incorporated in 1950 as the City of Marine on St. Croix.

A 450-acre historic district covering much of town was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 for its architecture, commerce and industry. It takes in the original business area, the Yankee residential neighborhoods and the Swedish working-class neighborhoods that grew up around the mill. Landmarks in the village center include the General Store from 1870, the Stone House Museum from 1872, the 1888 Village Hall, the Lutheran church and the fire hall.

William O’Brien State Park sits about two miles north of town. Established in 1947, it covers 1,520 acres with a sandy swimming beach and fishing pier on Lake Alice, about 12 miles of hiking and cross-country ski trails, two campgrounds and access to the St. Croix River for canoeing, fishing and boating. It ranks among the most-visited state parks in Minnesota. A 16.4-mile Washington County barn quilt trail also winds through Marine, Scandia and May Township.

Minnesota Highway 95 is Marine’s main road, running north toward Scandia and south along the river to Stillwater, where Highway 36 heads west toward St. Paul. Downtown St. Paul is roughly 30 miles away, about 40 minutes by car. Homes range from the historic houses in and around the village to properties on larger lots outside the center, and with only about 664 residents on 4.2 square miles, the pace stays quiet even on busy summer weekends at the park.

MARINE ON ST. CROIX AT A GLANCE

Population: 664
Size: 4.2 sq mi
Founded: 1839 (Marine Mills)
Schools: Stillwater ISD 834
River: St. Croix River
Commute: Hwy 95 to Hwy 36
County: Washington
Known for: 450-acre historic district
Drive to MSP Airport: about 60 minutes (40 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 55 minutes (39 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 45 minutes (33 miles), off-peak

MARINE ON ST. CROIX SCHOOLS

Marine on St. Croix is part of Stillwater Area Public Schools (ISD 834), and high school students attend Stillwater Area High School. The district closed Marine Elementary in spring 2017; the village later bought the building, and Marine Village School, a public K–5 charter school, opened there in August 2022. Families can choose between the charter school in town and Stillwater district elementary schools. The district also serves Stillwater, Bayport, Oak Park Heights and several other St. Croix Valley communities, so Marine students share middle and high schools with a much larger area. I can help you confirm school options for any address.

What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of Marine on St. Croix’s children of that school’s age who live in its attendance area — ages 5–10 for elementary, 11–13 for middle and 14–17 for high school (about 36, 19 and 28 children in the 2020 Census). District percentages use all children ages 5–17. It shows where the city’s kids are assigned; it is not a test score or a rating. Students per grade is each school’s 2025–26 enrollment divided by the number of grades it serves.

School districts serving Marine on St. Croix: Stillwater (ISD 834) — all of the city’s school-age children.

HOW MARINE ON ST. CROIX’S SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPARE STATEWIDE

Stillwater (ISD 834): reading 59% and math 58% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #40 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 95% (class of 2025), #95 of 317

Proficient = share of tested students who met or exceeded Minnesota’s grade-level standards (MCA, MTAS and Alternate MCA, all tested grades). Test-score rank = position among Minnesota school districts (charter schools not included) by the average of reading and math proficiency; school ranks compare each school with all Minnesota public schools at the same level. Ranks are calculated by Minnesota Chuck from Minnesota Department of Education data and are not an official state rating.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS SERVING MARINE ON ST. CROIX

Stonebridge Elementary: Stillwater (ISD 834) — all of Marine on St. Croix’s children that age; grades K–5, about 68 students per grade; reading 63%, math 56% proficient (2025–26), #241 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools

MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING MARINE ON ST. CROIX

Stillwater Middle School: Stillwater (ISD 834) — all of Marine on St. Croix’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 309 students per grade; reading 63%, math 60% proficient (2025–26), #28 of 264 Minnesota middle schools

HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING MARINE ON ST. CROIX

Stillwater High School: Stillwater (ISD 834) — all of Marine on St. Croix’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 665 students per grade; reading 50%, math 56% proficient (2025–26), #40 of 435 Minnesota high schools; 4-year graduation 96%

Sources: Minnesota Department of Education, School Attendance Areas, SY2025-26; Minnesota Department of Education 2025–26 assessment results and graduation rates (Minnesota Report Card); U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (children by age, by census block); Minnesota Department of Education 2025–26 enrollment. Boundaries can change, so confirm the assigned school with the district for a specific address.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What school district is Marine on St. Croix in?

Marine on St. Croix is in Stillwater Area Public Schools (ISD 834), and high school students attend Stillwater Area High School. In town, Marine Village School is a public K–5 charter school that opened in the former Marine Elementary building in 2022. I can help you sort out school options for any address.

What county is Marine on St. Croix in?

Marine on St. Croix is in Washington County, along the St. Croix River in the northeast part of the county. Its neighbors include Scandia to the north and Stillwater, the county seat, to the south along Highway 95, so county services are a short drive away.

How far is Marine on St. Croix from Minneapolis, St. Paul and MSP Airport?

Driving from the center of Marine on St. Croix at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 39 miles (roughly 55 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 33 miles (roughly 45 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 40 miles (roughly 60 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of Marine on St. Croix you start from.

What is there to do in Marine on St. Croix?

Marine has a walkable historic village center with the 1870 General Store, the Stone House Museum and the 1888 Village Hall. William O’Brien State Park, about two miles north, offers swimming at Lake Alice, trails, camping and canoeing on the St. Croix River, and a barn quilt trail runs through the area.

Is Marine on St. Croix a good place to buy a home?

Marine offers a small historic river village, a National Register historic district, access to a major state park and Stillwater-area schools. Homes are varied and often older, so whether it fits depends on what you’re looking for. I’ll help you understand each property and price it carefully before you decide.

NEARBY CITIES I SERVE

Scandia · Stillwater · Grant · Hugo · Forest Lake · Dellwood · Mahtomedi · Lindström

Thinking about buying or selling in Marine on St. Croix? Use the form at the top of this page, or call or text me at 763-218-2573. — Chuck Glasser, Realtor®, RE/MAX Results