Editing Bena, Minnesota

{{short description|City in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Bena
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = File:Big Winnie General Store.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Big Winnie General Store
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = Cass_County_Minnesota_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Bena_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Bena<br>within Cass County, Minnesota
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Minnesota]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Minnesota|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_27.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=July 24, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 1.32
|area_land_km2            = 1.31
|area_water_km2           = 0.01
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.51
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.51
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 143
|population_density_km2   = 109.33
|population_density_sq_mi = 283.17

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1309
|coordinates              = {{coord|47|20|26|N|94|12|22|W|region:US-MN|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 56626
|area_code                = [[Area code 218|218]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 27-05104<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2394131<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394131}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
}}
'''Bena''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|iː|n|ə}} {{respell|BEE|nə}})<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ap.org/minnesota/prono.html |title=Minnesota Pronunciation Guide |website=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=July 4, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722194213/http://www.ap.org/minnesota/prono.html |archive-date=July 22, 2011 }}</ref> is a city in [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]], [[Minnesota]], United States. The population was 143 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bena City, Minnesota |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Bena%20city,%20Minnesota |access-date=May 31, 2024 |website=Census Data}}</ref> It is part of the [[Brainerd, Minnesota|Brainerd]] [[Brainerd micropolitan area|Micropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
[[File:Big Fish Supper Club & Resort.jpg|left|thumb|alt=65-foot long wooden structure shaped and painted like a giant fish, flanked by a log cabin structure with sign reading "The Big Fish"|The Big Fish and the Big Fish Supper Club]]A post office called Bena has been in operation since 1898.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MN&county=Cass | title=Cass County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=12 April 2015}}</ref> Bena is a type of bird mentioned in the poem ''[[The Song of Hiawatha]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Upham|first=Warren|title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ShcLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA87|year=1920|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|page=87}}</ref> The Ojibwe word ''bina''' is the word for partridge, a very common bird in this area. 
Both the [[The Big Fish (roadside attraction)|Big Fish Supper Club]] and the National Register of Historic Places listed Big Winnie General Store are landmarks associated with the city of Bena.

From 1901-1911, the Bena Boarding School, an [[American Indian boarding schools|American Indian residential school]], operated in Bena.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Interactive Digital Map of Indian Boarding Schools |url=https://boardingschoolhealing.org/digitalmap/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition |language=en-US}}</ref>  Hundreds of Native American students were brought to the school.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Paul Buffalo Biography -- Tim Roufs -- University of Minnesota Duluth |url=https://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/Buffalo/PB36.html |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=www.d.umn.edu}}</ref>

Late in [[World War II]], a logging camp manned by prisoners of war was located at the site of an old [[Civilian Conservation Corps|CCC]] camp near Bena.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/44/v44i08p290-303.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019113116/http://collections.mnhs.org/mnhistorymagazine/articles/44/v44i08p290-303.pdf |archive-date=2012-10-19 |url-status=live |work=Minnesota History|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|first=Edward J. |last=Pluth | date=Winter 1975 |title=Prisoner of War Employment in Minnesota During World War II |page=295 |access-date=June 20, 2014}}</ref> Two German POWs escaped from the camp in 1944 for a short period.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/54/v54i03p112-123.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019165354/http://collections.mnhs.org/mnhistorymagazine/articles/54/v54i03p112-123.pdf |archive-date=2012-10-19 |url-status=live |work=Minnesota History|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|first=George H. |last=Lobdell| date=Fall 1994 |title=Minnesota's 1944 PW escape |access-date=May 5, 2017}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.50|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2012-11-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=2012-07-02 }}</ref> Bena is located along [[U.S. Route 2 in Minnesota|U.S. Highway 2]] and Cass County Road 8.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 179
|1920= 205
|1930= 145
|1940= 319
|1950= 331
|1960= 286
|1970= 169
|1980= 153
|1990= 147
|2000= 110
|2010= 116
|2020= 143
|align-fn=center
|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-11-13}}</ref> of 2010, there were 116 people, 43 households, and 24 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|232.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 60 housing units at an average density of {{convert|120.0|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 19.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 69.0% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 11.2% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.9% of the population.

There were 43 households, of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 18.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 20.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 16.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.2% were non-families. 41.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.79.

The median age in the city was 30.5 years. 32.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.5% were from 25 to 44; 23.3% were from 45 to 64; and 12.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 110 people, 48 households, and 31 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|218.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 72 housing units at an average density of {{convert|142.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 24.55% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 70.00% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 5.45% from two or more races.

There were 48 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 22.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 19.1% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $11,563, and the median income for a family was $6,563. Males had a median income of $17,083 versus $19,063 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $7,619. There were 73.7% of families and 58.0% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including 95.0% of under eighteens and 26.7% of those over 64.

==Education==
{{expand section|date=August 2021}}
It is in the [[Cass Lake-Bena Schools]] district.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st27_mn/schooldistrict_maps/c27021_cass/DC20SD_C27021.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811213018/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st27_mn/schooldistrict_maps/c27021_cass/DC20SD_C27021.pdf |archive-date=2021-08-11 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Cass County, MN|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2021-08-11}}</ref>

The tribal K-12 school [[Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School]] has a Bena address but is not in the city limits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bie.edu/schools/directory/bug-o-nay-ge-shig-school|title=Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School|publisher=[[Bureau of Indian Education]]|accessdate=2021-08-11|quote=15353 Silver Eagle Drive NW, Bena, MN, 56626}} - Despite the "Bena, MN" postal address, it is outside of the Bena city limis.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.lakesnwoods.com/BenaGallery.htm Bena Photo Gallery]

{{Cass County, Minnesota}}
{{Brainerd micropolitan area}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Cass County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Cities in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Brainerd, Minnesota micropolitan area]]
[[Category:Minnesota populated places on the Mississippi River]]
[[Category:Minnesota placenames of Native American origin]]