Editing Martin County, Minnesota

{{short description|County in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county        = Martin County
 | state             = Minnesota
 | seal                 = 
 | founded date         = May 23
 | founded year         = 1857
 | seat wl            = Fairmont
 | largest city wl    = Fairmont
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 730
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 712
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 17
 | area percentage      = 2.4%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 20025
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 19657 {{loss}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone           = Central
 | web     = www.co.martin.mn.us
 | named for      = Henry Martin
 | ex image             = CourthouseMartinCountyMinnesota2007May.JPG
 | ex image cap         = [[Martin County Courthouse (Minnesota)|Martin County Courthouse]] in Fairmont
 | district             = 1st }}

'''Martin County''' is a [[List of counties in Minnesota|county]] in [[Minnesota]], United States. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 20,025.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/martincountyminnesota/PST045222 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Fairmont, Minnesota|Fairmont]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

==History==
The county was created by the [[Minnesota Territory]] legislature on May 23, 1857, with Fair Mount (which was also platted in 1857) designated as county seat. The town's name was later shortened to [[Fairmont, Minnesota|Fairmont]]. Two explanations have been advanced for the county's name. A delegate to the US Congress from the [[Wisconsin Territory]], Morgan Lewis Martin, introduced the legislative act to organize the [[Minnesota Territory]]. But in 1904 the county's oldest residents attested that the name referred to Henry Martin, an early settler from Connecticut who ran several businesses during the pre-territory era.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ShcLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA326 Upham, Warren. Minnesota Geographic Names (1920), pp. 332-3 (accessed April 18, 2019)]</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Chicago and North Western Railway Company |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OspBAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA162 |title=A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways |year=1908 |page=162}}</ref>

==Geography==
Martin County lies on Minnesota's border with [[Iowa]]. The [[Des Moines River#Hydrography|East Fork of the Des Moines River]] flows southeastward through the lower western part of the county. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds, completely devoted to agriculture where possible.<ref name="MCM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Martin+County,+MN/@43.668477,-94.8077923,12z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x87f482b1e7613f7f:0x4c21b04bf5c4b263!8m2!3d43.6266807!4d-94.479976 Martin County MN Google Maps (accessed April 18, 2019)]</ref> The terrain slopes to the east and north, with its highest point near its southwest corner, at {{convert|1,407|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Find an Altitude/Martin County MN" Google Maps (accessed April 18, 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=April 19, 2019}}</ref> The county has an area of {{convert|730|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|712|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|17|sqmi}} (2.4%) 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 21, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
[[File:Martin Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf|thumb|right|Soils of Martin County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). ''Savanna Soils of Minnesota.'' Minnesota: Self. pp. 65-67. {{ISBN|978-0-615-50320-2}}.</ref>]]

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* [[Image:I-90.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 90 in Minnesota|Interstate 90]]
* [[Image:MN-4.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 4]]
* [[Image:MN-15.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 15]]
* [[Image:MN-263.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 263]]
{{div col end}}

===Airports===
* [[Fairmont Municipal Airport (Minnesota)|Fairmont Municipal Airport]] (FRM)

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Watonwan County, Minnesota|Watonwan County]] - north
* [[Blue Earth County, Minnesota|Blue Earth County]] - northeast
* [[Faribault County, Minnesota|Faribault County]] - east
* [[Kossuth County, Iowa]] - southeast
* [[Emmet County, Iowa]] - southwest
* [[Jackson County, Minnesota|Jackson County]] - west
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas===
Source:<ref name=MCM/>
{{div col}}
* Ceylon State Wildlife Management Area
* Fox Lake Refuge
* Luedtke State Wildlife Management Area
* Perch Creek State Wildlife Management Area
* State Wildlife Management Area
* Truman Wildlife Area
{{div col end}}

===Lakes===
Source:<ref name=MCM/>
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* Amber Lake
* Big Twin Lake
* Bright Lake
* Budd Lake
* Buffalo Lake ([[Cedar Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Cedar Township]])
* Buffalo Lake ([[Rutland Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Rutland Township]])
* Canright Lake
* Cedar Lake
* Clam Lake
* Clayton Lake
* Clear Lake
* Creek Lake
* Eagle Lake
* East Chain Lake
* Fish Lake (Cedar Township)
* Fish Lake ([[Lake Belt Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Lake Belt Township]])
* Fox Lake
* Hall Lake
* High Lake
* Iowa Lake (part)
* Kiester Lake
* Lake Charlotte
* Lake George
* Lake Imogene
* Lake Seymour
* Little Hat Lake
* Little Twin Lake
* Martin Lake
* Mud Lake
* [[Murphy Lake (Martin County, Minnesota)|Murphy Lake]]
* North Lake
* North Silver Lake
* [[Okamanpeedan Lake]] (part)
* Perch Lake
* Pierce Lake
* Rose Lake
* Round Lake ([[Fox Lake Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Fox Lake Township]])
* Round Lake ([[Waverly Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Waverly Township]])
* Sager Lakes
* Sisseton Lake
* South Silver Lake
* Susan Lake
* Temperance Lake
* Tuttle Lake
* Watkins Lake
* Wilmert Lake
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1860= 151
|1870= 3867
|1880= 5249
|1890= 9408
|1900= 16936
|1910= 17518
|1920= 21085
|1930= 22401
|1940= 24656
|1950= 25655
|1960= 26986
|1970= 24316
|1980= 24687
|1990= 22914
|2000= 21802
|2010= 20840
|2020= 20025
|estyear=2023
|estimate=19657
|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 |access-date=October 21, 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 21, 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 21, 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 21, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

===2020 Census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Martin 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) – Martin County, Minnesota |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Martin%20County,%20Minnesota&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|17,947
|89.62%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|112
|0.6%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|32
|0.16%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|92
|0.46%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|6
|0.03%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] (NH)
|516
|2.6%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|1,320
|6.6%
|}

===2000 census===
[[File:MartinCountyMn2022PopPyr.png|thumb|right|2022 US Census [[population pyramid]] for Martin County, from [[American Community Survey|ACS]] 5-year estimates]]
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 21,802 people, 9,067 households, and 6,047 families in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|30.6|/mi2|/km2}}. There were 9,800 housing units at an average density of {{convert|13.8|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.22% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.25% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.10% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.42% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.26% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.73% from two or more races. 1.93% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 51.6% were of [[German people|German]], 11.9% [[norwegian people|Norwegian]], 5.9% [[swedish people|Swedish]] and 5.0% [[English people|English]] ancestry.

There were 9,067 households, out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 30.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.92.

The county population contained 24.80% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 24.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 19.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,810, and the median income for a family was $44,541. Males had a median income of $30,467 versus $21,780 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $18,529. About 7.10% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.10% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==
===Cities===
{{div col}}
* [[Ceylon, Minnesota|Ceylon]]
* [[Dunnell, Minnesota|Dunnell]]
* [[Fairmont, Minnesota|Fairmont]] (county seat)
* [[Granada, Minnesota|Granada]]
* [[Northrop, Minnesota|Northrop]]
* [[Ormsby, Minnesota|Ormsby]] (part)
* [[Sherburn, Minnesota|Sherburn]]
* [[Trimont, Minnesota|Trimont]]
* [[Truman, Minnesota|Truman]]
* [[Welcome, Minnesota|Welcome]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* [[East Chain, Minnesota|East Chain]]
* [[Fox Lake, Minnesota|Fox Lake]]
* [[Imogene, Minnesota|Imogene]]
* [[Nashville Center, Minnesota|Nashville Center]]
* [[Wilbert, Minnesota|Wilbert]]
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Cedar Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Cedar Township]]
* [[Center Creek Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Center Creek Township]]
* [[East Chain Township, Martin County, Minnesota|East Chain Township]]
* [[Elm Creek Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Elm Creek Township]]
* [[Fairmont Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Fairmont Township]]
* [[Fox Lake Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Fox Lake Township]]
* [[Fraser Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Fraser Township]]
* [[Galena Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Galena Township]]
* [[Jay Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Jay Township]]
* [[Lake Belt Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Lake Belt Township]]
* [[Lake Fremont Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Lake Fremont Township]]
* [[Manyaska Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Manyaska Township]]
* [[Nashville Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Nashville Township]]
* [[Pleasant Prairie Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Pleasant Prairie Township]]
* [[Rolling Green Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Rolling Green Township]]
* [[Rutland Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Rutland Township]]
* [[Silver Lake Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Silver Lake Township]]
* [[Tenhassen Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Tenhassen Township]]
* [[Waverly Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Waverly Township]]
* [[Westford Township, Martin County, Minnesota|Westford Township]]
{{div col end}}

==Government and politics==
Martin County has been reliably Republican for almost its entire existence. It has voted Republican in 36 of the 42 elections since the formation of the county and has only voted Democratic once since 1948.
{{PresHead|place=Martin 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=October 9, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|7,442|3,171|183|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|7,480|3,305|224|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|7,062|2,733|736|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|6,657|4,054|257|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|6,053|4,413|288|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|6,311|4,590|146|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|5,686|4,166|519|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|4,303|4,718|1,496|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|4,438|4,019|3,152|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|5,724|4,922|85|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|7,308|4,673|64|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|7,057|4,301|936|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|6,484|5,672|332|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|7,569|3,816|333|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|7,115|4,271|587|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|6,529|5,575|22|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|8,479|4,194|19|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|8,152|3,289|15|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|9,411|2,673|39|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|4,662|6,015|87|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|5,182|4,443|29|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|6,409|4,290|21|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|3,090|6,492|243|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|3,004|4,731|116|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|5,110|2,822|40|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|4,238|751|2,546|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|5,142|1,221|191|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,741|1,756|195|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1912|Progressive|578|1,141|1,591|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,922|1,054|279|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|2,167|656|244|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|1,819|1,233|274|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|1,739|1,327|136|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1892|Republican|1,189|661|228|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1888|Republican|1,161|471|163|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1884|Republican|736|260|183|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1880|Republican|863|190|0|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1876|Republican|634|160|0|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1872|Republican|685|156|0|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1868|Republican|520|101|0|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1864|Republican|190|17|0|Minnesota}}
{{PresFoot|1860|Republican|40|6|0|Minnesota}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+County Board of Commissioners<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commissioners |url=https://www.co.martin.mn.us/your_government/board_of_commissioners/index.php |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=www.co.martin.mn.us}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!District
!Next Election
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Elliot Belgard
|District 1
|2024
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Jaime Bleess
|District 2
|2026
|-
|
|Commissioner and Vice Chair
|Kathy Smith
|District 3
|2024
|-
|
|Commissioner and Chairperson
|Richard Coons
|District 4
|2026
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Steven Flohrs
|District 5
|2024
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+State Legislature (2018-2020)
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!Affiliation
!District
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |
|Senate
|[[Julie Rosen]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=MN State Senate |url=https://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?member_id=1053 |access-date=June 26, 2020 |website=www.senate.mn |language=en}}</ref>
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|District 23
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |
|House of Representatives
|[[Bob Gunther]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rep. Bob Gunther (23A) - Minnesota House of Representatives |url=https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/10748 |access-date=June 26, 2020 |website=www.house.leg.state.mn.us}}</ref>
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|District 23A
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+U.S Congress (2018-2020)
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!Affiliation
!District
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |
|[[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
|[[Brad Finstad]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2022 |title=Republican Rep. Brad Finstad sworn in to finish Hagedorn's House term |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3598486-republican-rep-brad-finstad-sworn-in-to-finish-hagedorns-house-term/}}</ref>
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|[[Minnesota's 1st congressional district|1st]]
|-
| 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>
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]
|N/A
|}

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

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* William H. Budd, [https://archive.org/details/HistoryOfMartinCountyMinnesota ''History of Martin County: A True and Complete History of the County from its Earliest Settlement Down to 1880.''] Fairmont, MN: The Independent, 1897.
* Roscoe C. Hunt, "Pioneer Physicians of Martin County Prior to 1900," ''Minnesota Medicine,'' vol. 25, no. 10 (Oct. 1942) and vol. 25, no. 11 (Nov. 1942).
* Ray F. Kesler, ''Service Record Book of Men and Women of World War II, Martin County.'' Fairmont, MN: n.p., n.d. [1950s].
* Martin County Historical Society, ''Martin County, 1857-1932: Diamond Jubilee Celebration and Homecoming, Fairmont, Minnesota, June 26 to July 4, 1932.'' Fairmont, MN: Martin County Historical Society, 1932.
* Martin County Home Council, ''Martin County's Heritage.'' Fairmont, MN.: Martin County Extension Home Council, 1972–1976.
* Allen L Moore, ''Historical Narrative of Martin County, Before 1850.'' Fairmont, MN: Martin County Historical Society, 1932.
* Arthur M. Nelson, ''Know Your Own County: A History of Martin County, Minnesota.'' Fairmont, MN: Martin County Historical Society, 1947.
* Arthur M. Nelson, [https://archive.org/details/martincountyinwo00nels ''Martin County Men in the Great War, 1917-1919.''] Fairmont, MN: Sentinel Publishing Co., 1920.
* Sentinel, ''A Pictorial History of Martin County, MN.'' Marceline, MO: Heritage House, 1992.

==External links==
* [http://www.co.martin.mn.us/ Martin County government’s website]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Martin County, Minnesota
|North     = [[Watonwan County, Minnesota|Watonwan County]]
|Northeast = [[Blue Earth County, Minnesota|Blue Earth County]]
|East      = [[Faribault County, Minnesota|Faribault County]]
|Southeast = [[Kossuth County, Iowa]]
|Southwest = [[Emmet County, Iowa]]
|West      = [[Jackson County, Minnesota|Jackson County]]
}}

{{Martin County, Minnesota}}
{{Minnesota}}

{{coord|43.68|-94.56|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Martin County, Minnesota| ]]
[[Category:Minnesota counties]]
[[Category:1857 establishments in Minnesota Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1857]]