Editing Jeffers, Minnesota

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = Cottonwood_County_Minnesota_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Jeffers_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Jeffers, 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        = [[Cottonwood County, Minnesota|Cottonwood]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = Mayor - Council
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Brad Prins{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = incorporated
|established_date         = 1899

<!-- 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           = 1.00
|area_land_km2            = 1.00
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.39
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.39
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_total         = 349
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_density_km2   = 347.54
|population_density_sq_mi = 899.48

<!-- 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             = 1480
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|03|21|N|95|11|43|W|region:US-MN|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 56145
|area_code                = [[Area code 507|507]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 27-31796<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2395461<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2395461}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
}}
'''Jeffers''' is a city in [[Amboy Township, Minnesota|Amboy Township]], [[Cottonwood County, Minnesota|Cottonwood County]], [[Minnesota]], United States. The population was 369 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name="2010CensusDP1">{{cite web|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 - 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1)|url=https://www.census.gov|accessdate=April 21, 2017}}</ref>

[[Minnesota State Highway 30]] and County Highway 4 are two of the main routes in the community.  [[U.S. Route 71#Minnesota|U.S. Route 71]] is nearby.

==History==
Jeffers was platted by the Inter-State Land Company on September 19, 1899.  It was incorporated as a city a few days later, on September 28, 1899.  In its first election, the following men were put into office: President, L. P. Dustin; recorder, Lewis E. Streater; along with trustees, A. W. Binger, A. A. Faust, and C. G. Fredricson.<ref name=Upham>{{cite book|last=Upham|first=Warren|title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance| url=https://archive.org/stream/collections17minnuoft#page/150/mode/2up|year=1920|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|page=150}}</ref><ref name="Brown">{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=John A.|title=History Of Cottonwood And Watonwan Counties Minnesota Their People, Industries And Institutions|publisher=B.F.Bowen and Company|volume=1|chapter=Townships of Cottonwood County Minnesota 1916|edition=1916|url=http://genealogytrails.com/minn/cottonwood/history/townships1.htm|accessdate=August 23, 2016|archive-date=September 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917150852/http://genealogytrails.com/minn/cottonwood/history/townships1.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The town was named for land-owner George Jeffers.<ref name=Upham/><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=PA179|year=1908|page=179}}</ref>  A post office has been in operation at Jeffers since 1900.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MN&county=Cottonwood | title=Cottonwood County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | accessdate=April 3, 2015}}</ref>

The [[Jeffers Petroglyphs]], a site listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]], is a series of Native American stone carvings dating from before European settlement.  They are located several miles northeast of the town.<ref name="NHRP">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/MN/Cottonwood/state.html |title=National Register of Historic Places| publisher=NRHP |accessdate=July 21, 2016}}</ref>

In the center of the city runs a north-south [[street]] named "Courthouse Ave".  It is rumored that due to its proximity in the center of Cottonwood County, Jeffers was expected to become the county seat of Cottonwood County. Therefore, they chose to name the street in anticipation of a [[courthouse]] being built.  However, [[Windom, Minnesota|Windom]], a city 18 miles to the south, was named the county seat and housed the courthouse.{{Citation needed|date=June 2016}}

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.38|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]] |accessdate=2012-11-13 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=2012-07-02 }}</ref>  Jeffers is situated in section 20, township 107, range 36 west,<ref name="Brown"/> Latitude: 44.06 N, Longitude: 95.20 W.{{Citation needed|date=August 2016}}

The [[Jeffers Petroglyphs]] are located {{convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}} northeast of Jeffers on Red Rock Ridge.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 227
|1920= 393
|1930= 434
|1940= 648
|1950= 516
|1960= 489
|1970= 436
|1980= 437
|1990= 443
|2000= 396
|2010= 369
|2020= 349
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="2010CensusDP1"/> of 2010, there were 369 people, 167 households, and 97 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|971.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 196 housing units at an average density of {{convert|515.8|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 90.0% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 6.2% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 3.0% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 7.0% of the population.

There were 167 households, of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.9% were non-families. 38.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age in the city was 46.4 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.1% were from 25 to 44; 28.1% were from 45 to 64; and 24.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 396 people, 184 households, and 114 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|1,025.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 200 housing units at an average density of {{convert|517.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 98.74% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.25% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 1.01% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.25% of the population.

There were 184 households, out of which 20.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 33.7% 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 2.15 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.9% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 27.3% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,286, and the median income for a family was $35,625. Males had a median income of $23,125 versus $20,000 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $16,649.  About 7.3% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Educational institutions==
Jeffers is part of the consolidated [[Red Rock Central School District]].  The district comprises the southwestern Minnesota towns of [[Sanborn, MN|Sanborn]], [[Lamberton, MN|Lamberton]], [[Storden, MN|Storden]], and Jeffers with all grades located in Lamberton.  The school mascot is the Falcons.  From 1971 until pairing with Sanborn and Lamberton in 1993, Jeffers was combined with Storden as the Storden-Jeffers School District.  The school's mascot was the Chiefs. Jeffers housed the Red Rock Central Elementary School until 2016, when it was moved to Lamberton.

==Religious institutions==
* Jeffers United Methodist Church
* Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA)
* Jeffers Baptist Church
* Red Rock United Methodist Church

==Politics==
{{unreferenced section|date=June 2023}}
Jeffers is located in [[Minnesota's 7th congressional district]], represented by [[Michelle Fischbach]], a [[Republican Party of Minnesota|Republican]]. At the state level, Jeffers is located in [[Minnesota Senate|Senate]] District 22, represented by [[Republican Party of Minnesota|Republican]] [[Bill Weber (Minnesota politician)|Bill Weber (politician)]], and in [[Minnesota House of Representatives|House]] District 22B, represented by Republican [[Brian Pfarr]].

==Photographs==
[[File:Jeffers New Vision Co-Op.jpg|thumb|April 2nd, 2024. New Vision Co-Op]]
This picture was taken as a rainstorm moved into town, during the sunset, creating a warm drizzly haze.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.lakesnwoods.com/Jeffers.htm Jeffers Community Guide]
* [http://www.lakesnwoods.com/JeffersGallery.htm Historic photographs]
* [http://www.rrcnet.org/~elem/ Red Rock Central Elementary School]

{{Cottonwood County, Minnesota}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Cities in Cottonwood County, Minnesota]]