Editing Freeborn County, Minnesota (section)

==Geography==
Freeborn County lies on Minnesota's border with [[Iowa]]. The [[Shell Rock River]] flows southward from Albert Lea Lake in central Freeborn County, crossing into Iowa. Turtle Creek flows eastward through the upper eastern part of the county, crossing into [[Mower County, Minnesota|Mower County]]. The terrain is hilly and etched with drainages and gullies. The [[Le Sueur River]], a [[tributary]] of the [[Minnesota River]], begins in the northern part of the county and flows northward into [[Waseca County, Minnesota|Waseca County]]. The [[Cobb River (Minnesota)|Cobb River]] and the [[Maple River (Minnesota)|Maple River]], two other small rivers, begin in the extreme northwest corner of the county, the Cobb from [[Freeborn Lake]] and the Maple from Penny Lake. Both run generally northwest, emptying into the LeSueur River, just upstream from where the LeSueur empties into the Minnesota River, on the western edge of [[Mankato, Minnesota|Mankato]]. Most of the available land is devoted to agriculture.<ref name="FCM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Freeborn+County,+MN/@43.632498,-93.475557,10.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x87f133f7b1a4ab25:0x54bf6f5c1e1604b9!8m2!3d43.6656285!4d-93.3388917 ''Freeborn County MN''  Google Maps (accessed March 8, 2019)]</ref> The terrain generally slopes to the south and east, although the highest point is near the northeast corner, at {{convert|1,296|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>[https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm "Find an Altitude/Freeborn County MN"  Google Maps (accessed March 8, 2019)]</ref> The county has an area of {{convert|722|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|707|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|15|sqmi}} (2.1%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006102023/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |access-date=October 15, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
[[File:Freeborn Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf|thumb|right|Soils of Freeborn County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). ''Savanna Soils of Minnesota.'' Minnesota: Self. pp 43–48. {{ISBN|978-0-615-50320-2}}</ref>]] [[File:Big_Isle_MBISP_Wiki_Version.jpg|thumb|right|Soils of Island in Myhre-Big Island State Park]]

===Lakes===

Source:<ref name=FCM/>

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* Albert Lea Lake
* Bear Lake
* Church Lake
* Everhart Lake
* Fountain Lake
* Freeborn Lake
* Geneva Lake
* Goose Lake
* Halls Lake
* Hickory Lake
* Lower Twin Lake
* Penny Lake
* Pickerel Lake
* School Section Lake
* State Line Lake
* Sugar Lake
* Trenton Lake (part)
* Upper Twin Lake
* White Lake
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas===

Source:<ref name=FCM/>

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* Bear Lake State Wildlife Management Area
* Carex State Wildlife Management Area
* Halls Lake State Wildlife Area
* Moscow State Game Refuge
* Myre-Big Island State Park
* White Woods County Park
{{div col end}}

===Transit===
*[[Southern Minnesota Area Rural Transit]]

===Major highways===
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* [[Image:I-35.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 35 in Minnesota|Interstate 35]]
* [[Image:I-90.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 90 in Minnesota|Interstate 90]]
* [[Image:US 65.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 65 in Minnesota|U.S. Highway 65]]
* [[Image:US 69.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 69 in Minnesota|U.S. Highway 69]]
* [[Image:MN-13.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 13]]
* [[Image:MN-109.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 109]]
* [[Image:MN-251.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 251]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col|colwidth=24em}}
* [[Steele County, Minnesota|Steele County]] - northeast
* [[Mower County, Minnesota|Mower County]] - east
* [[Worth County, Iowa]] - south
* [[Winnebago County, Iowa]] - southwest
* [[Faribault County, Minnesota|Faribault County]] - west
* [[Waseca County, Minnesota|Waseca County]] - northwest
{{div col end}}