Editing Chisago County, Minnesota (section)

=== Progressive Era ===
By the early 1900s and the dawn of the [[Progressive Era]], much of Chisago County's forests had been cleared, leading to the closure of sawmills and the departure of lumberjacks in search of new employment. Advancements in farm machinery enabled fewer workers to manage larger farms. The county's economy shifted toward manufacturing and industry. The county was home to factories and mills, including sawmills, flour mills, and paper mills.<ref name="Lindströmsjö" />

The Progressive Era also led to reform movements resonating throughout Minnesota and Chisago County.<ref>{{cite book | last=Chrislock | first=Carl H. | year=1971 | title=The Progressive Era in Minnesota, 1899-1918 | location=St. Paul | publisher=Minnesota Historical Society | isbn=978-0873514972}}</ref> The county's distinct approach to education can be primarily attributed to its homogeneous population and the unique structure of local governance.<ref>{{cite journal | title=Swedish Elementary Schools in Chisago County | year=1979 | journal=Swedish Pioneer Historical Quarterly | volume=30 | pages=172–182 }}</ref> This uniformity allowed the school boards in Chisago County to effectively control external influences through their selection of teachers.<ref name="Shaffer">{{cite thesis | last=Shaffer | first=Thomas Wayne | title=From Sacred Learning to Secular Education: Swedish Lutherans in Southern Chisago County, Minnesota, 1875-1922 | year=1996 | isbn=0591078724 | url= | language=English }}</ref>

Nearly 70% of Chisago County voters supported [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912–1920)|Progressive Party]] candidate [[Theodore Roosevelt]] in [[1912 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1912]].<ref>{{cite book | title=The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota 1913 | author=Minnesota Secretary of State | year=1913 | chapter=Vote for President, 1912 | location=St. Paul | publisher= }}</ref>