Editing Paynesville, Minnesota

{{short description|City in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Paynesville
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = "An Area For All Seasons"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paynesvillemn.com/|title=City of Paynesville Minnesota|publisher=City of Paynesville Minnesota|access-date=October 9, 2012}}</ref>
<!-- Images --------------->
| image_skyline            = 2013-0408-PaynesvilleKoronisCinema.jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = Koronis Cinema, Downtown Paynesville
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps ----------------->
| image_map                = Stearns_County_Minnesota_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Paynesville_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Paynesville <br> within Stearns County, Minnesota
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = 
<!-- Location ------------->
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Minnesota]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Minnesota|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Stearns County, Minnesota|Stearns]]
<!-- Government ----------->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = [[Mayor–council government]]
| leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name              = Shawn C. Reinke
| leader_title1            = Governing body
| leader_name1             = Paynesville City Council
| 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           = 5.93
| area_land_km2            = 5.93
| area_water_km2           = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi         = 2.29
| area_land_sq_mi          = 2.29
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
<!-- Population ----------->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est           = 2449
| pop_est_as_of            = 2021
| pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="USCensusEst2021"/>
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
| population_total         = 2388
| population_density_km2   = 402.66
| population_density_sq_mi = 1042.79
<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset               = -6
| timezone_DST             = CDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -5
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 1175
| coordinates              = {{coord|45|22|43|N|94|43|18|W|region:US-MN|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 56362
| area_code                = [[Area code 320|320]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 27-49966<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2396168<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2396168}}</ref>
| website                  = {{URL|https://www.paynesvillemn.com/|paynesvillemn.com}}
| footnotes                = 
}}

'''Paynesville''' is a city in [[Stearns County, Minnesota|Stearns County]], [[Minnesota]], United States, on Lake Koronis, in the central part of the state. The population was 2,388 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{cite web|title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2749966 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=June 16, 2022}}</ref> It is part of the [[St. Cloud, Minnesota|St. Cloud]] [[St. Cloud metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=21357|title= Profile for Paynesville, Minnesota, MN|publisher= ePodunk |access-date= October 9, 2012}}</ref>

==History==
Paynesville was [[plat]]ted in 1857 by Edwin E. Payne, and named for him.<ref>{{cite book|last=Upham|first=Warren|title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance|url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog|year=1920|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n543 526]}}</ref> The town was completely evacuated to the relative safety of [[Richmond, Minnesota|Richmond]] and [[St. Cloud, Minnesota|St. Cloud]] during the [[Dakota War of 1862|1862 Dakota War]]; the Dakota burned the townsite to the ground. The town was subsequently rebuilt, this time with the addition of a wooden stockade built by the U.S. Army.<ref>Penrod, Michael, "Guarding the Northwest Frontier: The U.S. Military Post at Sauk Centre Minnesota 1862-1865" (2020). Culminating Projects in Cultural Resource Management. 36. https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/crm_etds/36 T</ref>

The arrival of the [[Soo Line Railroad|Soo Line]] and [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern Railway]] in 1886 spurred increased settlement near the railroad lines, leading to the formation of the new settlements of Jim Town along the Soo Line and North Paynesville near the Great Northern. Jim town, on the site of today's downtown Paynesville, became the largest of the three Paynesvilles, eventually merging with the others as New Paynesville, later shortened back to Paynesville.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Discover the Story |url=https://paynesvillehistori.wixsite.com/paynesvillehistory/discover-the-story}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Paynesville Historical Society |title=Paynesville Year 125, 1851-1983 |year=1983}}</ref>

A post office has been in operation at Paynesville since 1857.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MN&county=Stearns | title=Stearns County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=August 8, 2015}}</ref>

In the late 1980's, a series of sexual assaults on pre-teen and teenage boys occurred in Paynesville. In 1989, 11-year-old [[Murder of Jacob Wetterling|Jacob Wetterling]] disappeared in nearby [[St. Joseph, Minnesota|St. Joseph]]. That case inspired a [[Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act|federal law]] to create the first [[Sex offender registry|sex offender registries]], and it was still not discovered until 2014 that the cases in both cities were perpetrated by the same person.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-11-02 |title=Investigators Believe Paynesville Attacks, Wetterling Abduction Connected - CBS Minnesota |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/investigators-believe-paynesville-attacks-wetterling-abduction-connected/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Wetterling's body had been dumped in Paynesville.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-09-09 |title=Details on the Paynesville, Minn. dig that found Jacob Wetterling |url=https://www.fox9.com/news/details-on-the-paynesville-minn-dig-that-found-jacob-wetterling |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Geography==
Paynesville lies along the North Fork of the [[Crow River (Minnesota)|Crow River]] and Lake Koronis. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], it has an area of {{convert|2.32|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=November 13, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112090031/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 12, 2012 }}</ref>

==Demographics==
[[File:2013-0408-PaynesvilleCH.jpg|thumb|left|Paynesville City Hall]]

{{US Census population
|1880= 127
|1890= 352
|1900= 373
|1910= 901
|1920= 1060
|1930= 1121
|1940= 1317
|1950= 1503
|1960= 1754
|1970= 1920
|1980= 2140
|1990= 2275
|2000= 2267
|2010= 2432
|2020= 2388
|estyear=2021
|estimate=2449
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |date=June 8, 2022|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=June 16, 2022}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 11, 2013}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 2,432 people, 1,065 households, and 635 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1048.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,148 housing units at an average density of {{convert|494.8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.0% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.9% 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 2.2% of the population.

There were 1,065 households, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. 35.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age in the city was 42.4 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.6% were from 25 to 44; 21.9% were from 45 to 64; and 25.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 2,267 people, 934 households, and 594 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,715.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 984 housing units at an average density of {{convert|744.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.81% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.04% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.09% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.31% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.22% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.53% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.28% of the population.

There were 934 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40. For every 100 females, there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,000, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $30,978 versus $20,219 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,246. About 4.5% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===
Minnesota State Highways [[Minnesota State Highway 4|4]], [[Minnesota State Highway 23|23]], and [[Minnesota State Highway 55|55]] are three of Paynesville's main highways. Freight rail service is provided by the Soo Line's [[Paynesville Subdivision]]. Passenger rail service was formerly provided by the Great Northern Railway<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://streamlinermemories.info/GN/GN37TT.pdf |title=Time Tables, Route of the Air-Conditioned Empire Builder |publisher=Great Northern Railway |year=1937 |edition=Spring 1937 |pages=4}}</ref> and by the Soo Line's ''[[Winnipeger]]'' until 1970; since then the nearest active train station to Paynesville has been in St. Cloud.

The City of Paynesville operates [[Paynesville Municipal Airport]] (PEX/KPEX), a small general aviation airport.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Welcome to City of Paynesville, MN|url=https://www.paynesvillemn.com/department/municipal_airport.php}}</ref>

==Area lakes==

===Lake Koronis===
One mile south of Paynesville, the 3014-acre<ref name="MNDNR">{{cite web|title=MN DNR|url=https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/index.html|access-date=April 20, 2013|publisher=www.dnr.state.mn.us}}</ref> Lake Koronis offers some of the best fishing in the area, with an abundance of walleye, bass, and northern pike. It reaches a maximum depth of 132 feet and averages 29 feet deep. Aquatic invasive species found in the lake include starry stonewort and [[Zebra Mussels|zebra mussels]].<ref name="MNDNR Lakefinder">{{cite web|title=MN DNR-Lake Koronis |url=https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/lake.html?id=73020002|access-date= January 17, 2023|publisher=www.dnr.state.mn.us}}</ref>

===Rice Lake===
About five miles east-southeast of Paynesville, the 1639-acre<ref name="MNDNR"/> Rice Lake also offers excellent walleye, bass, and northern pike fishing. There is public lake access on the northwest shore, at the end of 180th Street, and on the southwest shore, at the end of 253rd Avenue.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.paynesvillemn.com City Website]
*[http://www.paynesvillearea.com/ Paynesville Area Online website - Link]
*[http://www.city-data.com/city/Paynesville-Minnesota.html City-Data.com]
*[http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=21357 ePodunk: Profile for Paynesville, Minnesota]

{{Stearns County, Minnesota}}
{{St. Cloud metropolitan area}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Stearns County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Cities in Minnesota]]
[[Category:St. Cloud, Minnesota metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1857]]
[[Category:1857 establishments in Minnesota Territory]]