Editing Blue Earth, Minnesota

{{Short description|City in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Blue Earth County, Minnesota}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Blue Earth
| etymology          = [[Blue Earth River]]
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = Beyond the Valley of the Jolly Green Giant
| motto              = Earth so rich the city grows!
<!-- Images --------------->| image_skyline      = Blue Earth, Minnesota.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = [[Interstate 90 in Minnesota|I-90]] and [[U.S. Route 169 in Minnesota|US-169]] junction north of town
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps ----------------->
| image_map          = Faribault_County_Minnesota_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Blue_Earth_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of the city of Blue Earth<br>within [[Faribault County, Minnesota|Faribault County]] and state of [[Minnesota]]
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = <!-- Location ------------->
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Minnesota]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Minnesota|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Faribault County, Minnesota|Faribault]]
<!-- Government ----------->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = Mayor – Council
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Rick Scholtes {{citation needed|date=June 2023}}
| 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     = 8.84
| area_land_km2      = 8.59
| area_water_km2     = 0.24
| area_total_sq_mi   = 3.41
| area_land_sq_mi    = 3.32
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.09
<!-- Population ----------->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est     = 3248
| pop_est_as_of      = 2021
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="USCensusEst2021"/>
| population_footnotes = <ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
| population_total   = 3174
| population_density_km2 = 369.29
| population_density_sq_mi = 956.60
<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 1076
| coordinates        = {{coord|43|38|25|N|94|05|55|W|region:US-MN|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 56013
| area_code          = [[Area code 507|507]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 27-06688
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2394200<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394200}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|https://becity.org/|becity.org}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Blue Earth''' is a city in [[Faribault County, Minnesota|Faribault County]], [[Minnesota]], United States, at the confluence of the east and west branches of the [[Blue Earth River]].  The population was 3,174 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{cite web|title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2706688 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=June 25, 2022}}</ref> It is the [[county seat]] of [[Faribault County, Minnesota|Faribault County]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> It is home to a statue of the [[Jolly Green Giant]]. Additionally, [[Interstate 90 in Minnesota|Interstate 90]] is centered on Blue Earth, as the east and west construction teams met here in 1978.  As a tribute, there is a golden stripe of concrete on the interstate near Blue Earth. This draws an analogy to the [[golden spike]] set in the [[first transcontinental railroad]]. Approximately three miles south of Blue Earth is the [[Blue Earth Municipal Airport]].

==History==
Blue Earth was [[plat]]ted in 1856.<ref name="Upham 1920">{{cite book|last=Upham|first=Warren|title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance|url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog|year=1920|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n203 184]}}</ref> The city took its name from the [[Blue Earth River]] which surrounds the town.<ref>{{cite book|author=Chicago and North Western Railway Company|title=A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OspBAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA45|year=1908|page=45}}</ref> The river was given the [[Dakota language]] name {{lang|dak|makȟátȟo}} (meaning "blue earth") for the blue-green [[clay]] found in the river banks, from the phrase {{lang|dak|makato osa watapa}}: "the river where blue earth is gathered".<ref name="Upham 1920"/>

A post office has been in operation at Blue Earth since 1856.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MN&county=Faribault | title=Faribault County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=May 29, 2015}}</ref>

The city celebrated its sesquicentennial in the summer of 2006 with community events, including a concert headlined by [[Peter Noone]] of [[Herman's Hermits]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.faribaultcountyregister.com/opinions/editorials/2009/04/20/residents-of-elmore-gearing-up-for-its-sesquicentennial | title=Residents of Elmore gearing up for its sesquicentennial }}</ref>

==Attractions and community achievements==
[[File:Jolly Green Giant Statue.jpg|left|thumb|upright|The Jolly Green Giant statue is 55.5' (17 m) tall]]
The Jolly Green Giant statue attracts over 14,000 visitors a year. In July 2007, the Blue Earth City Council approved space for a Green Giant memorabilia museum. In 2018 a building was built across from the Giant statue to house the museum, the Chamber and tourism offices, and the building is also the welcome center. Lowell Steen, of Blue Earth, has collected thousands of Green Giant items and will permanently loan them to the museum.<ref>[http://www.fairmontsentinel.com Fairmont Sentinel | Fairmont Sentinel<!-- Bot generated title -->]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070709144408/http://www.fairmontsentinel.com/ |date=July 9, 2007 }}</ref>

Steinberg Nature Park is a 33-acre (13.35 ha) park located east of Blue Earth on County Road 16. The park has a half-mile (0.8&nbsp;km) trail and a picnic shelter.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://becity.org/Default.asp?Page=199 |title=Archived copy |access-date=September 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140803063017/http://becity.org/Default.asp?Page=199 |archive-date=August 3, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Prior to football playoffs the ''[[Minneapolis Star Tribune]]'' had a Coaches Poll who voted each week for the Best Football Team in the State.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}} In 1964, 1965 and 1966, the Blue Earth High School Bucs were rated #1 for 3 consecutive years holding many of their opponents to negative total yards. In 1972, the football team went 9-1 and played in the first state football playoffs and lost. The 1990 football team finished third in Minnesota for Class A. On November 24, 2012, the 2012 football team won the division 3A championship by defeating Rochester Lourdes High School by a score of 30–7.

The Blue Earth Bucs high school wrestling program has the second-most individual state champions on record in Minnesota with 50.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

On Sept. 10–12, 1999, [[Order of the Arrow|The Order of the Arrow]] (OA), a group within the Boy Scouts of America, held its Section C-1A Conclave in Blue Earth. Seven OA Lodges, representing councils from [[Iowa]], [[Minnesota]], [[North Dakota]] and [[South Dakota]], attended the event.

==Architecture==
Blue Earth is home to many examples of Midwestern architecture, including:

[[File:FaribaultCountyCourthouse.jpg|thumb|right|[[Faribault County Courthouse]]]]
'''Faribault County Courthouse''' – completed in December 1892 at a cost of over $70,000.  The architect for the courthouse was C.A. Dunham of Burlington, Iowa and the contractor was S.J. Hoban from St. Paul.  The style of the courthouse is [[Richardsonian Romanesque]]. Stone used in the construction of the courthouse was transported from [[Kasota, Minnesota]] to Blue Earth by horse and wagon and rail.  Most of the sand used in the mortar was from the Blue Earth river bottom and thoroughly washed.  The pillars on the front of the building are of polished granite.  There are ledges on all four sides of the tower that are of solid stone of unknown weights of several ton each.<ref name="Courthouse">[http://www.co.faribault.mn.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=13 Faribault County Courthouse History],</ref>

'''Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd''' – 1872

'''First Presbyterian Church''' — constructed in 1897 at a cost of $12,622.75.  Designed by Kinney and Orth, architects from Austin, Minnesota. The architecture is [[Romanesque Revival architecture|Romanesque Revival]] in the arched windows, [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] in the steeples and gables, and medieval in the towers.<ref name="Church">[http://www.blueearthpres.com/ Presbyterian Church] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073554/http://www.blueearthpres.com/ |date=July 8, 2011 }},</ref>

'''Salem Evangelical Church''' – This English country Gothic structure was completed in 1942.  Designed by Bard & Vanderbilt of [[Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]].

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|3.36|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|3.27|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.09|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<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=November 13, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 25, 2012 }}</ref>

[[Interstate 90 in Minnesota|Interstate 90]] and [[U.S. Route 169 in Minnesota|U.S. Route 169]] are two of the main routes in the city.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 1066
|1890= 1569
|1900= 2900
|1910= 2319
|1920= 2568
|1930= 2884
|1940= 3702
|1950= 3843
|1960= 4200
|1970= 3965
|1980= 4132
|1990= 3745
|2000= 3621
|2010= 3353
|2020= 3174
|estyear=2021
|estimate=3248
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |date=June 25, 2022|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=June 25, 2022}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 12, 2013}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 3,353 people, 1,453 households, and 888 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1025.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,638 housing units at an average density of {{convert|500.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.0% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.1% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.6% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 2.1% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.9% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 6.9% of the population.

There were 1,453 households, of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.

The median age in the city was 46.4 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.4% were from 25 to 44; 26.7% were from 45 to 64; and 24.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 3,621 people, 1,535 households, and 925 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|1,137.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,666 housing units at an average density of {{convert|523.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 96.85% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.17% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.06% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.33% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.19% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.60% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.80% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.14% of the population.

There were 1,535 households, out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,940, and the median income for a family was $42,377. Males had a median income of $29,359 versus $20,168 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $18,037.  About 4.3% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable people==
{{div col}}
*[[Donald Deskey]], Industrial and interior designer
*[[Arlen Erdahl]], Minnesota politician
*[[Geri Evans]], Minnesota state legislator
*[[Jim Hagedorn]], Congressman
*[[Tom Hagedorn]], Congressman
*[[Daniel D. Murphy]], Minnesota state legislator
*[[John M. Patton (Minnesota politician)|John M. Patton]]. Minnesota state legislator
*[[Pat Piper (politician)|Pat Piper]], Minnesota state legislator
*[[Frank E. Putnam]], Minnesota state legislator
*[[Georgette Valle]], Washington state legislator
*[[William Zakariasen]], Music critic for the ''[[New York Daily News]]''
{{div col end}}

==In popular culture==
Blue Earth is mentioned in [[The Jayhawks]] song "She's Not Alone Anymore," from the 1989 album ''[[Blue Earth (album)|Blue Earth]]'', in which the narrator says they "hitchhiked back from Blue Earth."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://genius.com/The-jayhawks-shes-not-alone-anymore-lyrics | title=The Jayhawks – She's Not Alone Anymore }}</ref>

Blue Earth, Minnesota, was mentioned in CNN's "That's Random" segment of the network's CNN10 production which aired on November 29, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Azuz|first1=Carl|title=CNN10|url=http://www.cnn.com/videos/cnn10/2017/11/28/ten-1129.cnn|website=cnn.com|date=28 November 2017 |publisher=Turner Broadcasting|access-date=December 1, 2017}}</ref>

Petoskey's Sports Bar, a [[Midwest]]-themed bar in [[Seattle|Seattle, Washington]], features a vegetable pizza on their menu named after Blue Earth, Minnesota,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://petoskeysbar.com/menu/|title=Menu}}</ref> because of the town's association with agriculture and the Jolly Green Giant.

A former funeral home in the town was featured on [[HGTV]]'s ''Ugliest House in America'' special event on January 3, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox9.com/news/converted-funeral-home-in-minnesota-up-for-ugliest-house-in-america|title=Converted funeral home in Minnesota up for 'Ugliest House in America'|date=January 3, 2022}}</ref>

The Jolly Green Giant was featured in promotions for Season 45 of [[Survivor (American TV series)]] on [[CBS]]. The Giant wore a giant red "Buff" bandana in the weeks leading up to the season premiere, similar to what contestants wear on the show.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/survivor-season-45-marketing-buffs-1235728448/ |title='Survivor' Season 45 Marketing Campaign Places Huge 'Buffs' on Landmarks Across the Country (EXCLUSIVE) |date=September 20, 2023}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Green Giant Museum.jpg|Green Giant Museum
Community Library, Blue Earth, MN.jpg|Community Library
Commercial storefronts, Blue Earth, MN-01.jpg|Commercial storefronts
Commercial storefront, Blue Earth, MN-04.jpg|Commercial street
Good Shepherd Church Blue Earth Minnesota.jpg|Good Shepherd Church Museum
Jolly Green Giant, backside-Green Giant Statue Park, Blue Earth, MN.jpg|Jolly Green Giant, backside
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Blue Earth, Minnesota}}
*[https://becity.org/ Blue Earth, MN -- Official site]
*[http://www.blueearthchamber.com/ Blue Earth Chamber of Commerce]

{{Faribault County, Minnesota}}
{{Minnesota county seats}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Cities in Faribault County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:County seats in Minnesota]]