Editing Koochiching County, Minnesota

{{short description|County in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Koochiching County
 | state                = Minnesota
 | ex image             = KoochichingCountyMN Courthouse 2018.jpg
 | ex image size        = 220px
 | ex image cap         = Koochiching County Courthouse
 | seal                 = 
 | founded date         = December 19
 | founded year         = 1906<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Place Names |url=http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620201420/http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm |archive-date=June 20, 2012 |access-date=March 18, 2014 |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society}}</ref>
 | seat wl              = International Falls
 | largest city         = International Falls
 | coordinates          = {{Coord|48.26|-93.77|type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990|display=title,inline}}
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 3154
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 3104
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 50
 | area percentage      = 1.6%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 12062
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 11751 {{decrease}}
 | density_sq_mi        = 3.9
 | time zone            = Central
 | web                  = www.co.koochiching.mn.us
 | named for            = [[Ojibway]] words for neighbor lake, river
 | district             = 8th
}}

'''Koochiching County''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|uː|tʃ|ɪ|tʃ|ɪ|ŋ}} {{respell|KOO|chitch|ing}}) 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 12,062.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/koochichingcountyminnesota/PST045222 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[International Falls, Minnesota|International Falls]].<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> A portion of the [[Bois Forte Indian Reservation]] is in the county. A small part of [[Voyageurs National Park]] extends into its boundary, with [[Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota|Lake of the Woods County]] to its northwest.

==History==
About 10,000 years ago almost 90% of Koochiching County was covered by [[Lake Agassiz]]. When it receded it left low areas of decayed [[vegetation]] ([[muskeg]]); as a result, three-quarters of northern Koochiching are underlain with 2 to 50 feet of [[peat]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Soper |first=E. K. |year=1919 |title=Peat Deposits of Minnesota |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j441AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA172 |journal=Bulletin of the Minnesota Geological Survey |issue=16 |page=172}}</ref>

The name "Koochiching" comes from either the [[Ojibwe language|Ojibwe]] word ''Gojijiing'' or [[Cree language|Cree]] ''Kocicīhk'' (recorded in some documents as "Ouchichiq"), both meaning "at the place of inlets," referring to the neighboring [[Rainy Lake]] and [[Rainy River (Minnesota-Ontario)|River]]. Reverend [[Joseph Gilfillan|J.A. Gilfillan]] recorded their meaning, "according to some, Neighbor lake, according to others a lake somewhere," possibly referring to the neighbouring [[Rainy Lake]] and to [[Lake Couchiching]] located in southern [[Ontario]]. Early French inhabitants gave the names ''Lac à la Pluie'' (Rainy Lake) and ''Rivière à la Pluie'' (Rainy River) to the nearby bodies of water because of the mist-like rain present at the falls of [[Rainy River (Minnesota–Ontario)|Rainy River]] and then to the settlement that became known as [[International Falls]].

This area was among the last in Minnesota to be settled. European settlers in Koochiching County started coming in the late 1800's. Some of the last lands were ceded from the Chippewa in a 1904 Land Act.<ref>{{cite web |title=19th century history |url=https://www.redlakenation.org/tribal-history-historical-photos/ |website=Red Lake Nation |access-date=24 December 2024}}</ref> Homesteads were being proven primarily in the 1900-1910 decade.<ref>{{cite web |title=General Land Office Records |url=https://glorecords.blm.gov/results/default.aspx?searchCriteria=type=patent{{!}}st=MN{{!}}cty={{!}}twp_nr=152{{!}}twp_dir=N{{!}}rng_nr=28{{!}}rng_dir=W{{!}}sp=true{{!}}sw=true{{!}}sadv=false |publisher=Bureau of Land Management |access-date=25 December 2024}}</ref> Settlers were lumberjacks and farmers and many other trades, they "suffered through isolation, illness, harsh weather, and poverty... They built schools, churches, and fought for good roads."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schwankl |first=Hermoine Gordon |year=1983 |title=History of Koochiching County |url=https://www.co.koochiching.mn.us/206/History |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405114001/http://www.co.koochiching.mn.us/history/histmain.htm |archive-date=April 5, 2010 |access-date=August 7, 2010 |publisher=Koochiching County}}</ref>

The county is one of the youngest in the state, having been created in 1906 after separating from [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca County]].

==Geography==
[[File:Voyageurs National Park.jpg|thumb|Voyageurs National Park]]
Koochiching County lies on the northern edge of Minnesota. Its northern border abuts the south border of [[Canada]] (across the [[Rainy River (Minnesota-Ontario)|Rainy River]]). The Rainy River flows west-northwestward along its north border, being fed by several rivers which drain from the county into the Rainy: [[Rat Root River]] drains the east central part of the county; Little Fork River flows northward through the eastern part of the county; Big Fork River flows northward through the east-central part of the county; Black River flows northward through the central part of the county; Rapid River and East Fork Rapid River flow north-northwestward through the western part of the county, joining in the northwestern part of the county shortly before exiting the county's west line to discharge into the Rainy, just west of the county's northwestern corner.

The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, with swampy areas where [[Lake Agassiz]] basin was deepest. There are also deposits of [[peat]] from 1½ to 50 feet in the low areas. The fairly level soil is broken by ledges of [[precambrian]] rock. [[Bedrock]] in the area includes Ely [[Greenschist|greenstone]] and greenstone schists that are said to be among the oldest on the planet.<ref name="KCM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Koochiching+County,+MN/@48.0499369,-94.1648987,61689m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x52a4deb0cc08c181:0x2b4145d2cc741737!8m2!3d48.1816012!4d-93.648322 ''Koochiching County MN''  Google Maps (accessed March 17, 2019)]</ref> The terrain slopes to the north, with its highest point on the western part of its southern border at {{convert|1,515|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Find an Altitude/Koochiching County MN"  Google Maps (accessed March 17, 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 17, 2019}}</ref> The county has a total area of {{convert|3154|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|3104|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|50|sqmi}} (1.6%) 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/20130921060200/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> It is the second-largest county in Minnesota by land area (second to neighboring [[St. Louis County, Minnesota|St. Louis County]]) and third-largest by total area.

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* [[Image:US 53.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 53|U.S. Highway 53]]
* [[Image:US 71.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 71|U.S. Highway 71]]
* [[Image:MN-1.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 1]]
* [[Image:MN-6.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 6]]
* [[Image:MN-11.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 11]]
* [[Image:MN-46.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 46]]
* [[Image:MN-65.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 65]]
* [[Image:MN-217.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 217]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Rainy River District, Ontario]] - north
* [[St. Louis County, Minnesota|Saint Louis County]] - east
* [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca County]] - south
* [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami County]] - southwest
* [[Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota|Lake of the Woods County]] - northwest
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas===
Source:<ref name=KCM/>
{{div col}}
* East Rat Root River Scientific and Natural Area
* Lost River Peatland Scientific and Natural Area
* Myrtle Lake Peatland Scientific and Natural Area
* Pine Island State Forest
* Smoky Bear State Forest
* South Black River Peatland Scientific and Natural Area
* [[Superior National Forest]] (part)
* [[Voyageurs National Park]] (part)
{{div col end}}

===Lakes===
Source:<ref name=KCM/>
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* Bartlett Lake
* Battle Lake
* Cameron Lake
* Clear Lake
* Dark Lake
* Franklin Lake
* Larson Lake
* Little Constance Lake
* Little Lake
* Lost Lake
* Moose Lake
* Myrtle Lake
* Nett Lake (part)
* Pine Lake
* Pocquette Lake
* [[Rainy Lake]] (part)
* Rat Root Lake
* Seretha Lake
* Silversack Lake
* Teufer Lake
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 6431
|1920= 13520
|1930= 14078
|1940= 16930
|1950= 16910
|1960= 18190
|1970= 17131
|1980= 17571
|1990= 16299
|2000= 14355
|2010= 13311
|2020= 12062
|estyear=2023
|estimate=11751
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 18, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426102944/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html |archive-date=April 26, 2015 |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br/>1790–1960<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mn190090.txt |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br/>1990–2000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

===2020 Census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Koochiching 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) – Koochiching County, Minnesota |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Koochiching%20County,%20Minnesota&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|10,920
|90.53%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|44
|0.36%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|278
|2.3%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|34
|0.3%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|12
|0.1%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] (NH)
|607
|5.03%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|167
|1.4%
|}

===2000 census===
[[File:KoochichingCountyMn2022PopPyr.png|thumb|right|2022 US Census [[population pyramid]] for Koochiching County, from [[American Community Survey|ACS]] 5-year estimates]]
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 14,355 people, 6,040 households, and 3,962 families in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|4.62|/mi2|/km2}}. There were 7,719 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2.49|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 96.12% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.19% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 2.15% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.17% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.06% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.08% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.23% from two or more races. 0.56% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 21.2% were of [[norwegian people|Norwegian]], 19.8% [[German people|German]], 12.3% [[swedish people|Swedish]] and 7.0% [[Irish people|Irish]] ancestry.

There were 6,040 households, out of which 28.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 30.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.88.

The county population contained 23.90% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,262, and the median income for a family was $43,608. Males had a median income of $40,642 versus $22,261 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $19,167. About 8.40% of families and 12.10% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.10% of those under age 18 and 13.40% of those age 65 or over.

==Government and politics==
From [[1932 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1932]] through [[1996 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1996]], Koochiching County voters tended Democratic, selecting the Democratic nominee in every election save [[Richard Nixon|Nixon]]'s [[1972 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1972]] landslide. In [[2000 United States presidential election in Minnesota|2000]], [[George W. Bush]] became the first Republican to carry the county since 1972, despite narrowly losing the overall national popular vote. It returned to the Democratic column in the subsequent three elections, although none of the Democratic nominees in those three elections managed as high a vote share as [[Walter Mondale|Mondale]] in [[1984 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1984]] or [[Michael Dukakis|Dukakis]] in [[1988 United States presidential election in Minnesota|1988]]. In [[2016 United States presidential election in Minnesota|2016]], [[Donald Trump]] became the second Republican since 1972 to carry the county, and carried it again in [[2020 United States presidential election in Minnesota|2020]], with an increased majority—the first time the county has ever voted Republican two elections in a row. Trump won Koochiching County for a third time in [[2024 United States presidential election in Minnesota|2024]], taking nearly 62% of the vote, becoming the first ever Republican to win more than 60% of the county's vote.
{{PresHead|place=Koochiching County, Minnesota|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=September 19, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>|source2=<ref>The leading "other" candidate, [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]], received 522 votes, while Socialist candidate [[Eugene V. Debs|Eugene Debs]] received 460 votes, [[Prohibition Party|Prohibition]] candidate [[Eugene W. Chafin|Eugene Chafin]] received 16 votes, and [[Socialist Labor Party of America|Socialist Labor]] candidate [[Arthur Reimer]] received 17 votes.</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,204|2,465|120|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,131|2,659|132|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,569|2,306|488|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|2,841|3,451|166|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|2,962|3,649|191|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|3,539|3,662|108|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,523|2,903|453|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|2,080|3,472|1,178|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,954|3,474|2,037|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|2,842|3,867|71|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|3,466|4,238|38|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|3,433|4,181|636|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,893|4,846|268|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,681|3,396|153|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|2,104|4,697|315|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,602|5,878|11|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|3,055|4,578|23|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|2,757|3,695|16|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|2,742|4,078|31|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,718|4,968|282|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,607|3,981|51|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|2,095|5,219|39|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,316|5,065|132|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,427|3,148|399|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,599|2,110|134|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1924|Progressive|1,536|222|2,347|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,786|859|585|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|474|1,089|283|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|239|638|1,015|Minnesota}}
{{PresFoot|1908|Republican|826|420|229|Minnesota}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+County Board of Commissioners<ref>{{Cite web |title=County Commission {{!}} Koochiching County, MN |url=https://www.co.koochiching.mn.us/149/County-Commission |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=www.co.koochiching.mn.us}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!District
!Next Election
|-
|
|Commissioner and Vice Chair
|Destry Hell
|District 1
|2026
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Ricky Roche
|District 2
|2026
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Terry Murray
|District 3
|2025
|-
|
|Commissioner and Board Chair
|Jason Sjoblom
|District 4
|2026
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Wayne Skoe
|District 5
|2025
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ State Legislature
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!Affiliation
!District
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
| [[Minnesota State Senate]]
| [[Grant Hauschild]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=MN State Senate |url=https://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.html?mem_id=1252 |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=www.senate.mn |language=en}}</ref>
| [[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|Democrat]]
| District 3
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |
| [[Minnesota State House of Representatives]]
| [[Roger Skraba]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rep. Roger Skraba (03A) - Minnesota House of Representatives |url=https://www.house.mn.gov/members/profile/15623 |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=www.house.mn.gov}}</ref>
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| District 3A
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+U.S Congress (2025)
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!Affiliation
!District
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |
|[[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
|[[Pete Stauber]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Representative Pete Stauber |url=https://stauber.house.gov/ |access-date=June 24, 2020 |website=Representative Pete Stauber |language=en}}</ref>
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|[[Minnesota's 8th congressional district|8th]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
|[[United States Senate|Senate]]
|[[Amy Klobuchar]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar |url=https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/ |access-date=June 24, 2020 |website=www.klobuchar.senate.gov}}</ref>
|[[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|Democrat]]
|N/A
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
|[[United States Senate|Senate]]
|[[Tina Smith]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.smith.senate.gov/ |access-date=June 24, 2020 |website=Senator Tina Smith |language=en}}</ref>
|[[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|Democrat]]
|N/A
|}

==Communities==
Koochiching County is one of two counties in Minnesota that have no organized [[civil township]] governments within the county (the other is neighboring Lake of the Woods County), due to legislative action taken by the county to absorb existing township governments. [[Survey township]]s, as defined by the [[Public Land Survey System]] exist but are not organized. Six city governments have been created, and the rest of the county consists of unorganized territories and unincorporated communities.

===Cities===
Source:<ref name=KCM/>
{{div col}}
* [[Big Falls, Minnesota|Big Falls]]
* [[International Falls, Minnesota|International Falls]] (county seat; named Koochiching until January 1, 1903)
* [[Littlefork, Minnesota|Littlefork]]
* [[Mizpah, Minnesota|Mizpah]]
* [[Northome, Minnesota|Northome]]
* [[Ranier, Minnesota|Ranier]]
* South International Falls (part of International Falls since 1987)<ref>[https://www.ci.international-falls.mn.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/History-of-International-Falls-Revised.pdf ''History of International Falls'' (page 4). Accessed March 17, 2019]</ref>
{{div col end}}

===Unorganized territories===
{{div col}}
* [[East Koochiching, Minnesota|East Koochiching]]
* [[Nett Lake, Koochiching County, Minnesota|Nett Lake]]
* [[Northome (unorganized territory), Minnesota|Northome]]
* [[Northwest Koochiching, Minnesota|Northwest Koochiching]]
* [[Rainy Lake, Minnesota|Rainy Lake]]
* [[South Koochiching, Minnesota|South Koochiching]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated place===
* [[Nett Lake (CDP), Minnesota|Nett Lake]] (part)

===Other unincorporated communities===
Source:<ref name=KCM/>
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Birchdale, Minnesota|Birchdale]]
* [[Bramble, Minnesota|Bramble]]
* [[Central, Minnesota|Central]]
* [[Craigville, Minnesota|Craigville]]
* [[Ericsburg, Minnesota|Ericsburg]]
* [[Forest Grove, Minnesota|Forest Grove]]
* [[Frontier, Minnesota|Frontier]]
* [[Gates Corner, Koochiching County, Minnesota|Gates Corner]]
* [[Gemmell, Minnesota|Gemmell]]
* [[Grand Falls, Minnesota|Grand Falls]]
* [[Indus, Minnesota|Indus]]
* [[Island View, Minnesota|Island View]]
* [[Jameson, Minnesota|Jameson]]
* Laurel
* [[Lindford, Minnesota|Lindford]]
* [[Loman, Minnesota|Loman]]
* Manitou
* [[Margie, Minnesota|Margie]]
* Nakoda
* [[Pelland, Minnesota|Pelland]]
* [[Pinetop, Minnesota|Pinetop]]
* [[Rauch, Minnesota|Rauch]]
* [[Ray, Minnesota|Ray]]
* [[Silverdale, Minnesota|Silverdale]]
* [[Wildwood, Minnesota|Wildwood]]
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns===
Source:<ref name=KCM/>
{{div col}}
* Border
* [[Fairland, Minnesota|Fairland]]
* Falls Junction
* Rainy Lake City<ref>[https://www.nps.gov/mwac/voya/shapingvoya/RainyLakeCity.html ''Rainy Lake City'' - National Park Service (accessed March 17, 2019)]</ref>
* Ridge
* The Pines
* Wayland
{{div col end}}

==In popular culture==
Koochiching County is the location of the fictional town of [[Frostbite Falls]], the home of the animated characters [[Rocky and Bullwinkle]]. Frostbite Falls was probably named in honor of International Falls, since International Falls is often referred to as the nation's icebox.<ref>[https://www.ci.international-falls.mn.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/History-of-International-Falls-Revised.pdf ''History of International Falls'' (p. 5) Accessed March 17, 2019]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Laurel complex]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Koochiching County, Minnesota]]
* [[Lake Agassiz Peatlands Natural Area]]
* [[Iron Range]]
* [[Ernest Oberholtzer]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.co.koochiching.mn.us/ County website]
* [[Minnesota Department of Transportation]] maps ([https://web.archive.org/web/20081206044835/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/koochiching1.pdf Southwest], [https://web.archive.org/web/20081206044902/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/koochiching2.pdf Southeast], [https://web.archive.org/web/20081205222449/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/koochiching3.pdf Northwest], [https://web.archive.org/web/20081206045934/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/koochiching4.pdf Northeast])
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090131090915/http://rainylake.org/thingstodo.html Koochiching County Historical Museum] (Int'l Falls)

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Koochiching County, Minnesota
|North     = [[Rainy River District|Rainy River District, Ontario]]
|East      = [[St. Louis County, Minnesota|Saint Louis County]]
|South     = [[Itasca County, Minnesota|Itasca County]]
|Southwest = [[Beltrami County, Minnesota|Beltrami County]]
|Northwest = [[Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota|Lake of the Woods County]]
}}

{{Koochiching County, Minnesota}}
{{Minnesota}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Koochiching County, Minnesota| ]]
[[Category:Minnesota counties]]
[[Category:Minnesota placenames of Native American origin]]
[[Category:1906 establishments in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1906]]