Editing Brown County, Minnesota

{{short description|County in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Brown County
 | state                = Minnesota
 | seal                 = 
 | founded date         = February 20
 | founded year         = 1855 (created)<br/>1856 (organized)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Place Names |url=http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm?SendingPage=Region.cfm&county=8 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029045258/http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm?SendingPage=Region.cfm&county=8 |archive-date=October 29, 2014 |access-date=March 17, 2014 |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society}}</ref>
 | seat wl              = New Ulm
 | largest city wl      = New Ulm
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 618
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 611
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 7.4
 | area percentage      = 1.2%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 25912
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 25628 {{decrease}}
 | density_sq_mi        = 41.9
 | time zone            = Central
 | web                  = www.co.brown.mn.us
 | named for            = [[Joseph Renshaw Brown]]
 | ex image             = BrownCountyMNcourthouse.JPG
 | ex image cap         = [[Brown County Courthouse (Minnesota)|Brown County Courthouse]]
 | district             = 1st
| district2             = 7th
}}

[[File:1862 Johnson Map of Minnesota and Dakota - Geographicus - MNDK-johnson-1862.jpg|thumb|1862 Johnson Map showing Brown County was much bigger at the time of the Sioux Uprising and would be later broken up into several other counties]]

'''Brown County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Minnesota]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 25,912.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/browncountyminnesota/PST045222 |access-date=April 19, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[New Ulm, Minnesota|New Ulm]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county was formed in 1855 and organized in 1856.

Brown County comprises the New Ulm, MN [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]] and is included in the [[Mankato, Minnesota|Mankato]]-New Ulm-[[North Mankato, Minnesota|North Mankato]], MN [[Mankato – North Mankato metropolitan area|Combined Statistical Area]].

==History==
Brown County was founded in 1855 in the southwest corner of what was [[Minnesota Territory]]. It was named for [[Joseph Renshaw Brown]], a member of the Governor's Council of the Territory in 1855.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q_lKAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA12 |title=History of the Origin of the Place Names in Nine Northwestern States |year=1908 |page=12}}</ref> In 1857, Brown County was divided, creating [[Cottonwood County, Minnesota|Cottonwood]], [[Jackson County, Minnesota|Jackson]], [[Martin County, Minnesota|Martin]], [[Murray County, Minnesota|Murry]], [[Nobles County, Minnesota|Nobles]], [[Pipestone County, Minnesota|Pipestone]], and [[Rock County, Minnesota|Rock]] counties. [[Watonwan County, Minnesota|Watonwan]] was broken off in 1860. [[Redwood County, Minnesota|Redwood]] was created from a large portion of Brown County in 1862. Redwood was further divided into [[Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota|Lac qui Parle]], [[Lincoln County, Minnesota|Lincoln]], [[Lyon County, Minnesota|Lyon]] and [[Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota|Yellow Medicine]] Counties in the 1870s.

In 1862, the county's 150-mile northern border was the boundary line of the Upper and Lower Sioux reservations when the [[Dakota War of 1862|1862 Dakota War]] broke out. New Ulm, the county seat, [[Battles of New Ulm|came under heavy attack]] twice by a superior Mdewakanton Dacotah force that was repulsed. Most of the town was [[arson|torched]] and most of the population fled to [[St. Peter, Minnesota|St. Peter]] and [[Mankato, Minnesota|Mankato]]. The town took many casualties, with the dead buried in the streets. In 1863, when the treaties with the eastern Dacotah were annulled and the two reservations were dissolved, the county border was moved north 10 miles to the [[Minnesota River]].

==Geography==
The [[Minnesota River]] flows east-southeast along the county's northern border. The [[Cottonwood River (Minnesota)|Cottonwood River]] flows east-northeast through the county's central and upper area, discharging into the Minnesota at the northern border. The [[Little Cottonwood River]] flows east through the lower portion of the county, on its way to discharge into the Minnesota in neighboring [[Blue Earth County, Minnesota|Blue Earth County]]. The terrain consists of rolling hills, mostly devoted to agriculture,<ref name="BCM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Brown+County,+MN/@44.3011278,-95.0203654,10z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x87f53e1c6457bfe5:0x64bee6caaed5962f!8m2!3d44.2294379!4d-94.645035 ''Brown County MN''  Google Maps (accessed March 5, 2019)]</ref> and generally slopes to the east, tending to drop into the river valleys. Its highest point is at its southwestern corner, at {{convert|1,263|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Find an Altitude/Brown County MN" Google Maps (accessed March 5, 2019) |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=March 6, 2019}}</ref><ref>[https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=22090 Brown County High Point, Minnesota. PeakBagger.com (accessed May 5, 2019)]</ref>

The county has an area of {{convert|618|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|611|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.4|sqmi}} (1.2%) 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 5, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Minnesota Atlas & Gazetteer |publisher=[[DeLorme]] |year=1994 |isbn=0-89933-222-6 |location=Yarmouth ME |pages=21–22, 30–31}}</ref> [[File:Brown Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf|thumb|right|Soils of Brown County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). ''Savanna Soils of Minnesota.'' Minnesota: Self. pp. 65-67. {{ISBN|978-0-615-50320-2}}.</ref>]]

===Transit===
* [[Hermann Express]]

===Major highways===
{{div col|colwidth=26em}}
* [[Image:US 14.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 14 in Minnesota|U.S. Highway 14]]
* [[Image:MN-4.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 4]]
* [[Image:MN-15.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 15]]
* [[Image:MN-68.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 68]]
* [[Image:MN-257.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 257]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col|colwidth=26em}}
* [[Nicollet County, Minnesota|Nicollet County]] - northeast
* [[Blue Earth County, Minnesota|Blue Earth County]] - southeast
* [[Watonwan County, Minnesota|Watonwan County]] - south
* [[Cottonwood County, Minnesota|Cottonwood County]] - southwest
* [[Redwood County, Minnesota|Redwood County]] - west
* [[Renville County, Minnesota|Renville County]] - northwest
{{div col end}}

===Lakes===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

Most of the county is an area of rich [[Agricultural land|farm land]]; most of its wetlands were drained for use in agriculture, leaving a number of lakes.<ref name="Stark">{{Cite web |title=Stark Township |url=https://mnahgp.genealogyvillage.com/brown/brown_county_minnesota_stark_township.htmlt.html |access-date=January 2, 2010}}</ref> The county has at least 32 lakes,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brown County MN Lakes |url=https://lakeplace.com/lakefinder/mn/brown |access-date=January 2, 2010}}</ref> some of which are deemed to be "protected waters" of the State of Minnesota;<ref>{{Cite web |title=Final Designation of Protected Waters and Wetlands Within Brown County, Minnesota |url=http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/pwi/BROW_PWILIST.PDF |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031123055710/http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/pwi/BROW_PWILIST.PDF |archive-date=November 23, 2003 |access-date=January 2, 2010 |publisher=[[Minnesota Department of Natural Resources]] DIVISION OF WATERS |page=2}}</ref> these are designated with "(p)" below.

The lakes occupy "hollows in the driftsheet"; many have neither an inflow nor an outflow.{{sfn|Winchell|Upham|1884|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Au9JAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA560 560]}}

Lakes in the county include:
* [[Altermatt Lake]] (p)
* [[Bachelor Lake (Brown County, Minnesota)|Bachelor Lake]] (p), in Stark township
* Boise Lake (p)
* Clear Lake (p)
* Gilman Lake (p)
* Horseshoe Lake{{anchor|Juni Lake}}
* Juni Lake (p), named for Benedict Juni, a Swiss settler.<ref name="upham">{{Cite book |last=Upham |first=Warren |url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog |title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society |year=1920 |page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n91 72]}}{{rp|72}}</ref>
* Lake Cottonwood (p)
* Lake Hanska (p)
* Linden Lake (p)
* Lone Tree Lake (p)
* Omsrud Lake (p){{anchor|School Lake}}
* School Lake (p), named for its location in school section 16.<ref name=upham/>{{rp|72}}
* Sleepy Eye Lake (p)
* Zanders Lake (p)
{{div col end}}

==Climate and weather==
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of New Ulm have ranged from a low of {{convert|6|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|83|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-37|°F}} was recorded in January 1984 and a record high of {{convert|105|°F}} was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|0.64|in}} in January to {{convert|4.82|in}} in June.<ref name="WX">{{Cite web |title=Monthly Averages for New Ulm MN |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USMN0542 |access-date=November 6, 2011 |publisher=The Weather Channel}}</ref>

==Demographics==

===2020 Census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Brown County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web |title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Brown County, Minnesota |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Brown%20County,%20Minnesota&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|23,968
|92.5%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|118
|0.5%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|39
|0.2%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|126
|0.5%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|6
|0.02%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] (NH)
|484
|1.9%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|1,171
|4.52%
|}

===2000 census===
[[File:BrownCountyMn2022PopPyr.png|thumb|right|2022 US Census [[population pyramid]] for Brown County, from [[American Community Survey|ACS]] 5-year estimates]]
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], there were 26,911 people, 10,598 households, and 7,164 families in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|44.0|/mi2|/km2}}. There were 11,163 housing units at an average density of {{convert|18.3|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.82% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.10% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.12% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.41% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.91% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.63% from two or more races. 2.03% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 67.1% were of [[German people|German]] and 9.6% [[norwegian people|Norwegian]] ancestry.

There were 10,598 households, out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.00.

The county population contained 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 25.60% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,800, and the median income for a family was $49,811. Males had a median income of $32,347 versus $23,918 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $19,535. About 4.40% of families and 6.40% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.00% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==
===Cities===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Cobden, Minnesota|Cobden]]
* [[Comfrey, Minnesota|Comfrey]] (partial)
* [[Evan, Minnesota|Evan]]
* [[Hanska, Minnesota|Hanska]]
* [[New Ulm, Minnesota|New Ulm]] (county seat)
* [[Sleepy Eye, Minnesota|Sleepy Eye]]
* [[Springfield, Minnesota|Springfield]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated place===
* [[Searles, Minnesota|Searles]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Essig, Minnesota|Essig]]
* [[Godahl, Minnesota|Godahl]] (partial)
* [[Leavenworth, Minnesota|Leavenworth]]

===Townships===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Albin Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Albin Township]]
* [[Bashaw Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Bashaw Township]]
* [[Burnstown Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Burnstown Township]]
* [[Cottonwood Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Cottonwood Township]]
* [[Eden Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Eden Township]]
* [[Home Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Home Township]]
* [[Lake Hanska Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Lake Hanska Township]]
* [[Leavenworth Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Leavenworth Township]]
* [[Linden Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Linden Township]]
* [[Milford Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Milford Township]]
* [[Mulligan Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Mulligan Township]]
* [[North Star Township, Brown County, Minnesota|North Star Township]]
* [[Prairieville Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Prairieville Township]]
* [[Sigel Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Sigel Township]]
* [[Stark Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Stark Township]]
* [[Stately Township, Brown County, Minnesota|Stately Township]]
{{div col end}}

==Government and politics==
Brown County has traditionally voted Republican. As of 2024, the only time the county has supported the Democratic nominee for president since 1936 was in the [[1964 United States presidential election|1964]] landslide win for [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], and even then, Johnson only won the county by 218 votes and less than a 2% margin of victory.

{{PresHead|place=Brown County, Minnesota|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 17, 2018}}</ref>}}
	
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->

{{PresRow|2024|Republican|9,692|4,576|330|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|9,552|4,753|330|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|8,708|3,763|1,308|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|7,938|5,630|361|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|7,456|5,809|355|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|8,395|5,158|225|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|7,370|4,650|814|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|5,580|4,864|1,915|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|5,390|4,278|3,953|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|6,898|5,109|166|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|8,399|4,469|109|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|8,051|4,915|1,156|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|7,479|5,792|768|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|7,791|4,347|591|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|7,039|4,585|726|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|5,851|6,069|17|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|7,084|5,353|16|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|7,965|3,067|27|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|8,152|3,129|27|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|5,068|4,804|144|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|7,018|2,842|89|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|7,533|3,678|90|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,679|6,637|951|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,027|6,716|212|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|3,611|5,341|64|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1924|Progressive|2,255|270|4,551|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|5,841|796|603|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|2,078|1,101|303|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|472|1,359|1,330|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,518|1,536|303|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|2,073|869|89|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|1,695|1,471|90|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|1,807|1,469|107|Minnesota}}
	
{{PresFoot|1892|Democratic|1,080|1,174|553|Minnesota}}

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Brown County, Minnesota]]

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|2}}

===Works cited===
* {{Cite book |last=Winchell |first=N. H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Au9JAQAAMAAJ |title=Geology of Minnesota: Final Report |last2=Upham |first2=Warren |date=1884 |publisher=Pioneer Press Company, Printers |volume=1 |language=en |chapter=The geology of Pipestone and Rock Counties}}

==Further reading==
* Louis Albert Fritsche, ''[[iarchive:mn-brown-1915-fritsche-1|History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions]].'' In Two Volumes. Indianapolis, IN: B.F. Bowen and Co., 1916.

==External links==
* [http://www.co.brown.mn.us/ Brown County official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321063047/http://www.co.brown.mn.us/ |date=March 21, 2018 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070203133506/http://newulmweb.com/ City of New Ulm (County Seat)]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Brown County, Minnesota
|Northeast = [[Nicollet County, Minnesota|Nicollet County]]
|Southeast = [[Blue Earth County, Minnesota|Blue Earth County]]
|South     = [[Watonwan County, Minnesota|Watonwan County]]
|Southwest = [[Cottonwood County, Minnesota|Cottonwood County]]
|West      = [[Redwood County, Minnesota|Redwood County]]
|Northwest = [[Renville County, Minnesota|Renville County]]
}}

{{Brown County, Minnesota}}
{{Minnesota}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|44.23|-94.72|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Brown County, Minnesota| ]]
[[Category:Minnesota counties]]
[[Category:1856 establishments in Minnesota Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1856]]