Editing Swift County, Minnesota (section)

==History==
Swift County is in west central Minnesota and consists of {{convert|757|sqmi|km2|sigfig=2}} with three tiers of seven townships each. It was established on February 18, 1870, and named for [[Henry Adoniram Swift]], the third governor of Minnesota (1863–64).

The Indians had grievances against the government, including delays in sending annuities that caused near starvation several times. In August 1862, an Indian rebellion broke out in Minnesota. The warfare reached the settlements just getting started in northeastern Swift County. By late September 1862, the Indian War was almost over but the settlers hesitated to venture back to Swift County until 1865, when all danger was apparently over. Scandinavians and Germans were in decided majority among the early settlers. A number of them came with the honor and privileges of Civil War veterans.

In 1869, the [[St. Paul & Pacific Railroad]] reached Willmar, and the next year it arrived in Benson. The railroad company determined the number of future trading centers (Kerkhoven, DeGraff, Benson, Randall) in the county by locating sites at intervals of approximately {{convert|8|mi|km|0}}. The Swift County Courthouse was built in 1897 and was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1976. Benson is the county seat. Railroad tracks run through Benson's downtown business district with parks on each side.

===Historic buildings===
Historic buildings in Swift County include:
* [[Gethsemane Episcopal Church (Appleton, Minnesota)|Gethsemane Episcopal Church]] in [[Appleton, Minnesota|Appleton]] built in 1879 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.