Editing Murdock, Minnesota

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Sign, Murdock, Minnesota-02.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = Swift_County_Minnesota_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Murdock_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Murdock, 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        = [[Swift County, Minnesota|Swift]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|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           = 1.61
|area_land_km2            = 1.61
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.62
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.62
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 306
|population_density_km2   = 189.90
|population_density_sq_mi = 491.96

<!-- 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             = 1086
|coordinates              = {{coord|45|13|24|N|95|23|41|W|region:US-MN|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 56271
|area_code                = [[Area code 320|320]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 27-44818<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2395140<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2395140}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://cityofmurdock.com/|City website}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
}}
'''Murdock''' is a rural town in [[Swift County, Minnesota|Swift County]], [[Minnesota]], United States. The population was 306 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Murdock city, Minnesota|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2744818|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 3, 2021}}</ref> The city is part of the Kerhoven-Murdock-Sunburg (KMS) school district. Murdock has Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg Elementary School which is for grades PreK-5.

==History==
 A post office has been in operation at Murdock since 1878.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MN&county=Swift | title=Swift County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=9 August 2015}}</ref> Murdock was [[plat]]ted in 1881 by S. S. Murdock, and named for him.<ref name="Upham 541">{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog | title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance | publisher=Minnesota Historical Society | last=Upham | first=Warren | year=1920 | page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n558 541]}}</ref> Murdock was incorporated in 1881.<ref name="Upham 541" />

In June 2020, a [[neo-pagan]] religion known as the [[Asatru Folk Assembly]] (AFA) purchased the Calvary [[Lutheran]] Church, a former Lutheran church in Murdock for use as a gathering place for AFA members of the [[Great Plains#Northern Great Plains|Northern Great Plains]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.startribune.com/white-heritage-religious-group-takes-root-in-minnesota/571802392/ | title=White heritage religious group takes root in Minnesota | website=[[Star Tribune]] }}</ref>
On December 9, 2020, the Murdock City Council voted to allow the AFA conditional approval to use the former church.<ref name="MPR News">{{cite news |last1=Marohn |first1=Kirsti |title=Murdock votes to allow whites-only group to use former church |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/12/09/murdock-to-decide-whether-whitesonly-group-can-use-former-church |access-date=10 December 2020 |publisher=MPR News |date=9 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="nbcnews.com">{{Cite web|title=After permit approved for whites-only church, small Minnesota town insists it isn't racist|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/after-permit-approved-whites-only-church-small-minnesota-town-insists-n1251838|access-date=2020-12-22|website=NBC News|language=en}}</ref> This caused uproar as the AFA has a policy of only allowing whites to become members of the religion, leading to accusations of racism against the AFA and against Murdock.<ref name="MPR News"/><ref name="nbcnews.com"/> More than 120,000 Minnesotans have signed a petition to stop the AFA's use of the former church.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/531431-more-than-120000-signatures-collected-to-stop-whites-only-church-in | title=More than 120,000 signatures collected to stop 'whites only' church in Minnesota town | date=23 December 2020 }}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.56|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]]|access-date=2012-11-13|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=2012-01-25}}</ref>

[[U.S. Route 12 in Minnesota|U.S. Route 12]] serves as a main route in the community.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 130
|1900= 275
|1910= 288
|1920= 391
|1930= 326
|1940= 334
|1950= 393
|1960= 381
|1970= 358
|1980= 343
|1990= 282
|2000= 303
|2010= 278
|2020= 306
|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|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-11-13}}</ref> of 2010, there were 278 people, 117 households, and 74 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|496.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 131 housing units at an average density of {{convert|233.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.0% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 4.0% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.1% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 7.2% of the population.

There were 117 households, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.8% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.07.

The median age in the city was 37.4 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.8% were from 25 to 44; 28.1% were from 45 to 64; and 10.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 303 people, 126 households, and 77 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|538.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 150 housing units at an average density of {{convert|266.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.05% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.66% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 3.96% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.33% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 8.25% of the population.

There were 126 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 14.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $25,781 versus $16,477 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,011. About 8.3% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 10.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 6.5% of those 65 or over.

==Notable people==
*[[Andrew Falk]] - farmer and state legislator
*[[David Frederickson]] - Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture
*[[Howard Wads Rundquist]] - businessman, teacher, and state legislator

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Business District Main Ave at Hollis Street, Murdock, Minnesota.jpg|Business District Main Ave at Hollis Street, Murdock, Minnesota
Post Office, Murdock, Minnesota.jpg|Post Office
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Murdock, Minnesota.jpg|Sacred Heart Catholic Church
2012-0828-Swift-SabinSMurdockHouse.jpg|[[Sabin S. Murdock House]], on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Swift County, Minnesota|National Register of Historic Places]].
Asatru Folk Assembly Murdock, MN-01.jpg|Former Calvary [[Lutheran]] Church, now [[neopagan]] [[Asatru Folk Assembly]] (AFA)
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Swift County, Minnesota}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Cities in Swift County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1878]]
[[Category:1878 establishments in Minnesota]]