Stevens County, Minnesota
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Stevens County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,671.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Morris.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History
[edit]The county was created by act of the Minnesota legislature on February 20, 1862. It was not organized at that time, and no county seat was named. The county was named for Isaac Stevens, who had led a railroad survey party across Minnesota in 1853 and was influential in bringing national attention to the Minnesota Territory.<ref>Isaac Ingalls Stevens (accessed March 15, 2019)</ref> The territorial legislature had intended to thus honor Stevens in 1855 when another county was being created, but a clerical error caused that county to be named Stearns. The error was corrected by the 1862 act; by that time Stevens was a brigadier general for the Union Army in the American Civil War. Stevens was killed later that year.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The county government was organized in 1872. Morris, which had been platted in 1869, was named the county seat.<ref>Brief History. Stevens County (accessed March 15, 2019)</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The University of Minnesota Morris is in Morris. It was developed in the early 20th century from the Morris Industrial School for Indians, which opened in 1887 and was originally operated by the Roman Catholic Sisters of Mercy under contract to the federal government.
In 1975, a moderate earthquake occurred in the county.
Geography
[edit]The Pomme de Terre River flows south through central Stevens County, on its way to discharge into the Minnesota River. The county's terrain consists of rolling hills, with the area mostly devoted to agriculture.<ref name="SCM">Stevens County MN Google Maps (accessed March 15, 2019)</ref> The terrain generally slopes to the south, although the northeast and southwest portions rise from the central part of the county. The county's highest point is on the eastern portion of the northern border, at Template:Convert ASL.<ref>"Find an Altitude/Stevens County MN" Google Maps (accessed 15 March 2019)</ref> The county has an area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (2.0%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Stack
Major highways
[edit]- File:US 59.svg U.S. Highway 59
- File:MN-9.svg Minnesota State Highway 9
- File:MN-28.svg Minnesota State Highway 28
- File:MN-329.svg Minnesota State Highway 329
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Grant County - north
- Douglas County - northeast
- Pope County - east
- Swift County - south
- Big Stone County - southwest
- Traverse County - northwest
Protected areas<ref name=SCM/>
[edit]- Alberta Marsh State Wildlife Management Area
- Boekholt Grove State Wildlife Management Area
- Bruillet State Wildlife Management Area
- Cin State Wildlife Management Area
- Dablow State Wildlife Management Area
- Dolven State Wildlife Management Area
- Everglade State Wildlife Management Area
- Klason State Wildlife Management Area
- Kline State Wildlife Management Area
- Mathison State Wildlife Management Area
- Muddy Creek State Wildlife Management Area
- Reimers State Wildlife Management Area
- Robertson State Wildlife Management Area
- Selk State Wildlife Management Area
- Thedin State Wildlife Management Area
- Verlyn Marth Memorial Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
Demographics
[edit]2020 Census
[edit]| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 8,093 | 83.7% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 84 | 0.9% |
| Native American (NH) | 110 | 1.14% |
| Asian (NH) | 68 | 0.7% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 329 | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 986 | 10.2% |
2000 census
[edit]
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,053 people, 3,751 households, and 2,366 families in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 4,074 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 96.13% White, 0.92% Black or African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 44.8% were of German, 20.8% Norwegian and 5.4% Irish ancestry.
There were 3,751 households, out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.40% were married couples living together, 5.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.90% were non-families. 29.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.
The county population contained 21.60% under the age of 18, 20.80% from 18 to 24, 21.60% from 25 to 44, 19.00% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,267, and the median income for a family was $47,518. Males had a median income of $32,045 versus $21,681 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,569. About 5.70% of families and 13.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.50% of those under age 18 and 11.30% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
[edit]Cities
[edit]Townships
[edit]- Baker Township
- Darnen Township
- Donnelly Township
- Eldorado Township
- Everglade Township
- Framnas Township
- Hodges Township
- Horton Township
- Moore Township
- Morris Township
- Pepperton Township
- Rendsville Township
- Scott Township
- Stevens Township
- Swan Lake Township
- Synnes Township
Government and politics
[edit]Stevens County has been a swing district for the past several decades. As of 2020 it has selected the Republican candidate in 56% of presidential elections since 1980. In 2016, Stevens County and several other counties in rural Western Minnesota swung sharply to the right. While Minnesota as a whole swung far to the left in 2020, Stevens County swung further right, giving Donald Trump nearly 60% of the vote - the most any party had got since 1952. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot
| Position | Name | District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commissioner and Chairperson | Bob Kopitzke | District 1 | |
| Commissioner | Jeanne Ennen | District 2 | |
| Commissioner | Ron Staples | District 3 | |
| Commissioner | Donnie Wohlers | District 4 | |
| Commissioner | Patricia Lesmeister-Nelson | District 5 | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | | Senate | Torrey Westrom<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Republican | District 12 |
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | | House of Representatives | Jeff Backer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Republican | District 12A |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | | House of Representatives | Michelle Fischbach<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Republican | 7th |
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | | Senate | Amy Klobuchar<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Democrat | N/A |
| style="background-color:Template:Party color" | | Senate | Tina Smith<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Democrat | N/A |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]External links
[edit]Template:Stevens County, Minnesota Template:Minnesota Template:Authority control Template:Coord