Sioux people use Arden Hills Lake Johanna as a resting point on their journey to Rice Lake for the fall wild-rice harvest. Charles Perry becomes the first settler in Arden Hills by breaking ground and planting potatoes on three acres adjacent to Lake Johanna. At that time, the land was part of Mounds View Township Lake Johanna and Lake Josephine become popular recreational spots for Arden Hills citizens for swimming, fishing, boating and picnicking.Joseph Hackey, a State Senator and millionaire, builds hobby farm called Arden Farms. This farm and the terrain eventually formed the basis for the City's name.The federal government purchases 2,530 acres of farmland in Arden Hills for the establishment of an ammunition manufacturing site. At its peak, during World War II, the arsenal employed 26,000 people.