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Watonwan County, Minnesota

Coordinates: 43°59′N 94°37′W / 43.98°N 94.61°W / 43.98; -94.61
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Watonwan County
County
Watonwan County Courthouse
Watonwan County Courthouse
Map of Minnesota highlighting Watonwan County
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 43°58′41.192″N 94°36′49.672″W / 43.97810889°N 94.61379778°W / 43.97810889; -94.61379778
Country United States
State Minnesota
FoundedFebruary 25, 1860[1]
Named forWatonwan River
SeatSt. James
Largest citySt. James
Area
 • Total
439.730 sq mi (1,138.90 km2)
 • Land434.947 sq mi (1,126.51 km2)
 • Water4.783 sq mi (12.39 km2)  1.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
11,253
 • Estimate 
(2023)
11,077 Decrease
 • Density25.467/sq mi (9.833/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websiteco.watonwan.mn.us

Watonwan County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,253.[2] Its county seat is St. James.[3]

History

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In 1849, the new territorial legislature of the recently organized Minnesota Territory authorized the creation of nine large counties across the Territory. Four years later in 1853, one of those original counties of Dakota, had a large area separated and partitioned off to create Blue Earth County. Less than only two years later, by 1855, the western part of Blue Earth was then partitioned to create Brown County. Again, after five years on February 25, 1860, the southern part of Brown was partitioned to create this county of Watanwan, with the town of Madelia as the original designated County Seat. The county was named for its eponymous river, (Watonwan River, which flows into the Blue Earth River, then the Minnesota River, then eventually into the "Father of Waters" - the Mississippi River, which drains the entire middle of the North American continent), whose name reflects the Dakota native word "watanwan," meaning "fish bait" or "plenty of fish."[4] The word first appears in the modern written record on an 1843 map of the area so naming the river.

In 1869, the first European white settlers arrived in the area of the future town of Saint James, and the area began growing. In the next year of 1870 an extension of the St. Paul and Sioux City Railway was terminated at the village, and railway officials decided to name the terminus Saint James. By 1878, that town had grown to the extent that a vote was taken in the county to move the county seat and courthouse there from Madelia.[5]

Geography

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Soils of Watonwan County[6]

The terrain of Watonwan County consists of low rolling hills, carved by drainages and dotted with lakes and ponds. The area is completely devoted to agriculture where possible.[7] The terrain slopes to the north and east, with its highest point near its southwest corner, at 1,293 ft (394 m) ASL.[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 439.730 square miles (1,138.90 km2), of which 434.947 square miles (1,126.51 km2) is land and 4.783 square miles (12.39 km2) (1.1%) is water.[9] The county is drained by the Watonwan River and its tributaries; the river flows eastward through the northern part of the county.[10]

Major highways

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Airports

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Adjacent counties

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Protected areas

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  • Bergdahl State Wildlife Management Area
  • Lewisville State Wildlife Management Area
  • Turtle Marsh State Wildlife Management Area
  • Wilson State Wildlife Management Area
  • Woodlake State Wildlife Management Area

[7]

Lakes

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  • Bergdahl Lake
  • Bullhead Lake
  • Butterfield Lake
  • Case Lake
  • Cottonwood Lake
  • Ewy Lake
  • Fedji Lake
  • Irish Lake
  • Long Lake
  • Mary Lake
  • Mud Lake
  • Kansas Lake
  • Saint James Lake
  • School Lake
  • Sulem Lake
  • Wilson Lake ("School Lake" in some records)
  • Wood Lake (part)

[7]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18702,426—
18805,104110.4%
18907,74651.8%
190011,49648.4%
191011,332−1.4%
192012,4579.9%
193012,8022.8%
194013,9028.6%
195013,881−0.2%
196014,4604.2%
197013,298−8.0%
198012,361−7.0%
199011,682−5.5%
200011,8761.7%
201011,211−5.6%
202011,2530.4%
2023 (est.)11,077[11]−1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14]
1990–2000[15] 2010–2020[2]
2022 US Census population pyramid for Watonwan County, from ACS 5-year estimates

As of the third quarter of 2024, the median home value in Watonwan County was $162,740.[16]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 4,314 estimated households in Watonwan County with an average of 2.55 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $70,593. Approximately 10.0% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Watonwan County has an estimated 65.4% employment rate, with 18.2% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 88.4% holding a high school diploma.[17]

The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (76.6%), Spanish (22.8%), Indo-European (0.3%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.3%), and Other (0.0%).

The median age in the county was 40.6 years.

Watonwan County, Minnesota – racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) Pop. 1980[18] Pop. 1990[19] Pop. 2000[20] Pop. 2010[21] Pop. 2020[22]
White alone (NH) 12,074
(97.68%)		 10,990
(94.08%)		 9,848
(82.92%)		 8,632
(77.00%)		 7,689
(68.33%)
Black or African American alone (NH) 1
(0.01%)		 8
(0.07%)		 36
(0.30%)		 74
(0.66%)		 42
(0.37%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 12
(0.10%)		 20
(0.17%)		 25
(0.21%)		 22
(0.20%)		 13
(0.12%)
Asian alone (NH) 33
(0.27%)		 57
(0.49%)		 100
(0.84%)		 86
(0.77%)		 86
(0.76%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH) — — 2
(0.02%)		 2
(0.02%)		 0
(0.00%)
Other race alone (NH) 2
(0.02%)		 14
(0.12%)		 1
(0.01%)		 4
(0.04%)		 15
(0.13%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH) — — 60
(0.51%)		 53
(0.47%)		 176
(1.56%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 239
(1.93%)		 593
(5.08%)		 1,804
(15.19%)		 2,338
(20.85%)		 3,227
(28.67%)
Total 212,361
(100.00%)		 11,682
(100.00%)		 11,876
(100.00%)		 11,211
(100.00%)		 11,253
(100.00%)

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, there were 11,256 people, 4,476 households, and 2,962 families residing in the county.[23]

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 11,211 people.

2000 census

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As of the 2000 census, there were 11,876 people, 4,627 households, and 3,141 families in the county. The population density was 27.3 per square mile (10.5/km2). There were 5,036 housing units at an average density of 11.6 per square mile (4.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.54% White, 0.37% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 8.78% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. 15.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 40.9% were of German, 17.3% Norwegian and 5.8% Swedish ancestry.

There were 4,627 households, out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% were married couples living together, 7.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.10.

The county population contained 27.60% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 24.30% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 18.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,441, and the median income for a family was $42,321. Males had a median income of $29,242 versus $19,788 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,413. About 7.80% of families and 9.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.50% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

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Cities

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Unincorporated communities

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Townships

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Government and politics

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Watonwan County has had its county seat and site of the Watonwan County Courthouse in the town of St. James, Minnesota since 1878, when it was moved from nearby Madelia where it had been located since the partition of the county from Brown County. Watowan's public citizenry of voters have tended to vote for the Republican Party; in two-thirds of the past 11 presidential elections years since 1980, the majority of county voters had selected the Republican Party's presidential and vice presidential nominees (as of 2020). But there are active party organizations and groups for both Republican, Democratic-Farmer-Labor and independent unaffiliated voting citizens of both conservative and liberal / progressive views.

United States presidential election results for Watonwan County, Minnesota[24]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 3,087 62.58% 1,723 34.93% 123 2.49%
2020 3,103 59.66% 1,987 38.20% 111 2.13%
2016 2,768 55.38% 1,814 36.29% 416 8.32%
2012 2,517 48.93% 2,494 48.48% 133 2.59%
2008 2,526 48.04% 2,562 48.73% 170 3.23%
2004 2,970 53.20% 2,514 45.03% 99 1.77%
2000 2,562 49.90% 2,258 43.98% 314 6.12%
1996 1,997 37.74% 2,534 47.89% 760 14.36%
1992 1,871 33.54% 2,100 37.65% 1,607 28.81%
1988 2,821 52.10% 2,544 46.98% 50 0.92%
1984 3,526 58.98% 2,425 40.57% 27 0.45%
1980 3,629 55.09% 2,442 37.07% 516 7.83%
1976 3,351 50.30% 3,177 47.69% 134 2.01%
1972 3,960 63.35% 2,229 35.66% 62 0.99%
1968 3,446 53.57% 2,701 41.99% 286 4.45%
1964 2,823 43.80% 3,615 56.09% 7 0.11%
1960 4,173 63.28% 2,412 36.57% 10 0.15%
1956 3,963 67.62% 1,886 32.18% 12 0.20%
1952 4,549 72.02% 1,752 27.74% 15 0.24%
1948 2,581 45.30% 3,039 53.33% 78 1.37%
1944 3,146 57.27% 2,324 42.31% 23 0.42%
1940 3,478 55.30% 2,783 44.25% 28 0.45%
1936 1,930 33.44% 3,668 63.55% 174 3.01%
1932 1,919 39.62% 2,795 57.71% 129 2.66%
1928 3,306 69.69% 1,412 29.76% 26 0.55%
1924 2,297 53.57% 279 6.51% 1,712 39.93%
1920 3,510 81.40% 647 15.00% 155 3.59%
1916 1,300 59.94% 801 36.93% 68 3.14%
1912 254 12.22% 618 29.74% 1,206 58.04%
1908 1,411 70.44% 537 26.81% 55 2.75%
1904 1,455 79.95% 307 16.87% 58 3.19%
1900 1,509 71.93% 509 24.26% 80 3.81%
1896 1,622 71.99% 586 26.01% 45 2.00%
1892 934 62.68% 388 26.04% 168 11.28%
County Board of Commissioners[25]
Position Name District Next election
Commissioner Jim Pettersen District 1 2024
Commissioner Bill Miller District 2 2026
Commissioner Jim Branstad District 3 2024
Commissioner Scott Westerman District 4 2026
Commissioner Dillon Melheim District 5 2024
State Legislature (2021-2023)
Position Name Affiliation District
Senate Julie Rosen[26] Republican District 23
House of Representatives Bjorn Olson[27] Republican District 23A
House of Representatives Jeremy Munson[28] Republican District 23B
U.S Congress (2021-2023)
Position Name Affiliation District
House of Representatives Brad Finstad[29] Republican 1st
Senate Amy Klobuchar[30] Democrat N/A
Senate Tina Smith[31] Democrat N/A

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. p. 165.
  5. ^ Upham, Warren. Minnesota Geographic Names (1920), pp. 547-76 (accessed April 22, 2019)
  6. ^ Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 65-67. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2.
  7. ^ a b c Watonwan County MN Google Maps (accessed April 22, 2019)
  8. ^ "Find an Altitude/Watonwan County MN" Google Maps (accessed April 22, 2019)
  9. ^ "2024 County Gazetteer Files – Minnesota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  10. ^ Minnesota Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth ME: DeLorme. 1994. pp. 21–22. ISBN 0-89933-222-6.
  11. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  14. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  16. ^ "County Median Home Price". National Association of Realtors. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  17. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Watonwan County, Minnesota". www.census.gov. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  18. ^ "Watonwan County, Minnesota — Population by Race". CensusScope. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  19. ^ "Watonwan County, Minnesota — Population by Race". CensusScope. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  20. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Watonwan County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  21. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Watonwan County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  22. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Watonwan County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  23. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  24. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  25. ^ "County Board of Commissioners | Watonwan County, MN - Official Website". www.co.watonwan.mn.us. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  26. ^ "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  27. ^ "Rep. Bjorn Olson (23A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  28. ^ "Rep. Jeremy Munson (23B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  29. ^ "Republican Rep. Brad Finstad sworn in to finish Hagedorn's House term". August 12, 2022.
  30. ^ "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar". www.klobuchar.senate.gov. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  31. ^ "Home". Senator Tina Smith. Retrieved June 24, 2020.

Further reading

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  • John A. Brown (ed.), History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota: Their People, Industries, and Institutions: With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families. In Two Volumes. Indianapolis, IN: B.F. Bowen and Company, 1916. Volume 1 | Volume 2

43°59′N 94°37′W / 43.98°N 94.61°W / 43.98; -94.61

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