Lakeville /ˈleɪkvɪl/ is an exurb of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, and the largest city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States.

Lakeville first became notable in 1910 when Marion Savage built the Dan Patch Railroad Line to serve his Antlers Amusement Park.

[8] Notoriety came when Colonel Marion Savage expanded his entertainment business by constructing Antlers Amusement Park in 1910.

Riding on fame from his success with the Dan Patch racing horse and the park's popularity, the lake was renamed Lake Marion, and the rail line serving the park was named the Dan Patch Railroad Line.

Other ethnic groups included Irish, Scots, and English, each of whom had spread out from Hamilton Landing and Burnsville.

In Karen Miller's diary from 1840 to 1895, Danes reportedly outnumbered Norwegians; travel to Minneapolis was not uncommon for the rural township.

[11] Lakeville's development later in the 20th century followed a typical pattern for outer-ring Twin Cities suburbs.

It remained primarily agricultural, as postwar development did not immediately absorb Lakeville (and Interstate 35 had not yet been completed).

In the early 21st century, housing and population increases were due to rising land costs in the metropolitan area, causing Lakeville to become a boomtown.

Since it was a semi-autonomous village within Lakeville Township before the city's incorporation, it continues to appear today on maps as Argonne.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has designated the Vermillion River as a trout stream.

The FAA operates the Minneapolis ARTCC (air route traffic control center) in Farmington, several miles from the airport.

Large farms are still in operation, deriving most of their revenue from corn, soybeans, and dairy cattle.

Orchard Lake Beach has a picnic area, shore fishing, playground equipment, and volleyball courts.

Before its abandonment in 1970, the Milwaukee Road's Hastings and Dakota Subdivision ran through the center of Lakeville and served various industries.

Between Lakeville and Savage the MN&S Subdivision is owned by Canadian Pacific Railway, but it has been out of service since the 1990s.

In 2009 Progressive Rail began using a segment of the out-of-service tracks for railcar storage, causing local controversy.

The Dan Patch Corridor would go through Lakeville, but has been banned from discussion and funding by the Minnesota State Legislature since 2002.

The City of Lakeville opposes public funding of a passenger rail line through the community on the MN and S Subdivision.