Editing Steele County, North Dakota

{{Short description|County in North Dakota, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Steele, North Dakota}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Steele County
 | state                = North Dakota
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = June 2, 1883 (created)<br />July 13, 1883 (organized)
 | seat wl              = Finley
 | largest city         = Finley
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 715
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 712
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 3.2
 | area percentage      = 0.5
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 1798
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2022
 | population_est       = 1788 {{decrease}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | web                  = http://www.co.steele.nd.us/
 | ex image             = Steele County Courthouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Steele County Courthouse in Finley
 | district             = At-large
 | named for            = Edward H. Steele
}}

'''Steele County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[North Dakota]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 1,798,<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/steelecountynorthdakota/PST045222 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=April 6, 2023}}</ref> making it the fifth-least populous county in North Dakota. Its [[county seat]] since 1919 is [[Finley, North Dakota|Finley]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

==History==
The [[Dakota Territory]] legislature created the county on June 2, 1883, with territories partitioned from [[Griggs County, North Dakota|Griggs]] and [[Traill County, North Dakota|Traill]] counties. It was not organized at that time, but was attached to Traill for administrative and judicial purposes. It was named for businessman Edward H. Steele, who had pushed for its creation.

On July 13, 1883, the county organization was effected and Steele County was detached from Traill County; [[Sherbrooke, North Dakota]] was chosen as the county seat. In 1897 the town of [[Finley, North Dakota|Finley]] was founded, and by 1919 its growth had eclipsed Sherbrooke to the point that the county seat was transferred to Finley.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071111113432/http://historical-county.newberry.org/website/North_Dakota/documents/DAKs_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm Individual ND & SC County Chronologies] (Long, 2007) The [[Newberry Library]] (accessed February 20, 2019)</ref> The county's boundaries have been unchanged since its creation.

[[File:Map of Steele County, N.D., 1911.jpg|thumb|Outline map of Steele County, North Dakota, 1911]]

==Geography==
The [[Sheyenne River]] flows south near and into the county's west boundary line. The [[Goose River (North Dakota)|Goose River]] flows southeast through the northeastern part of the county. The terrain consists of rolling hills dotted with lakes and ponds. The area is devoted to agriculture.<ref name=SCND>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Steele+County,+ND/@47.3567633,-98.0531992,12.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x52c59ed22f1fb04b:0xd5dfccddd709187c!8m2!3d47.4272265!4d-97.688456 ''Steele County ND''  Google Maps (accessed February 20, 2019)]</ref> The terrain slopes to the south and east; its highest point is near its northwestern corner, at {{convert|1,562|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |title="Find an Altitude/Steele County ND"  Google Maps (accessed February 20, 2019) |access-date=February 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The county has an area of {{convert|715|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|712|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|3.2|sqmi}} (0.5%) is water.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_38.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 1, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129045530/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_38.txt|archive-date=January 29, 2015}}</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:ND-32 (2015).svg|25px]] [[North Dakota Highway 32]]
* [[Image:ND-38 (2015).svg|25px]] [[North Dakota Highway 38]]
* [[Image:ND-200 (2015).svg|25px]] [[North Dakota Highway 200]]

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Grand Forks County, North Dakota|Grand Forks County]] - north
* [[Traill County, North Dakota|Traill County]] - east
* [[Cass County, North Dakota|Cass County]] - southeast
* [[Barnes County, North Dakota|Barnes County]] - southwest
* [[Griggs County, North Dakota|Griggs County]] - west
* [[Nelson County, North Dakota|Nelson County]] - northwest
{{div col end}}

===Lakes<ref name=SCND/>===
{{div col}}
* Golden Lake
* Golden Rush Lake
* Lake Tobiason
* Lone Tree Lake
* North Golden Lake
* Stony Lake
* Willow Lake
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 3777
|1900= 5888
|1910= 7616
|1920= 7401
|1930= 6972
|1940= 6193
|1950= 5145
|1960= 4719
|1970= 3749
|1980= 3106
|1990= 2420
|2000= 2258
|2010= 1975
|2020= 1798
|estyear=2022
|estimate=1788
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2022">{{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=April 6, 2023 |website=[[Census.gov]]}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/nd190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=April 20, 1995|access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |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 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF"/>
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2020, there were 1,798 people.

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 1,975 people, 864 households, and 589 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|2.8|PD/sqmi}}. There were 1,171 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1.6|/sqmi}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.6% white, 1.2% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 60.0% were [[Norwegians|Norwegian]], 35.2% were [[Germans|German]], 5.4% were [[Irish people|Irish]], and 1.0% were [[Americans|American]].

Of the 864 households, 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.8% were non-families, and 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.78. The median age was 47.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,191 and the median income for a family was $54,625. Males had a median income of $36,588 versus $25,648 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,728. About 4.3% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

===Population by decade===
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==Communities==
===Cities===
{{div col}}
* [[Finley, North Dakota|Finley]] (county seat)
* [[Hope, North Dakota|Hope]]
* [[Luverne, North Dakota|Luverne]]
* [[Sharon, North Dakota|Sharon]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities<ref name=SCND/>===
{{div col}}
* Blabon
* [[Colgate, North Dakota|Colgate]]
* Pickert
* [[Sherbrooke, North Dakota|Sherbrooke]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081205084341/http://www.sonictremormedia.com/gnd/sherbrooke.html Ghosts of North Dakota: Sherbrooke]</ref> (original county seat; now mostly uninhabited)
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Beaver Creek Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Beaver Creek]]
* [[Broadlawn Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Broadlawn]]
* [[Carpenter Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Carpenter]]
* [[Colgate, North Dakota|Colgate]]
* [[Easton Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Easton]]
* [[Edendale Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Edendale]]
* [[Enger Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Enger]]
* [[Finley Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Finley]]
* [[Franklin Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Franklin]]
* [[Golden Lake Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Golden Lake]]
* [[Greenview Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Greenview]]
* [[Hugo Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Hugo]]
* [[Melrose Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Melrose]]
* [[Newburgh Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Newburgh]]
* [[Primrose Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Primrose]]
* [[Riverside Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Riverside]]
* [[Sharon Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Sharon]]
* [[Sherbrooke Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Sherbrooke]]
* [[Westfield Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Westfield]]
* [[Willow Lake Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Willow Lake]]
{{div col end}}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ Township Numbers and Range Numbers<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.earthpoint.us/TownshipsSearchByDescription.aspx|title=Earth Point}}</ref>
|-
||
! scope="col" | Range 57
! scope="col" | Range 56
! scope="col" | Range 55
! scope="col" | Range 54
|-
! scope="col" | Township 148
|| [[Sharon Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Sharon]]
|| [[Westfield Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Westfield]]
|| [[Beaver Creek Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Beaver Creek]]
|| [[Newburgh Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Newburgh]]
|-
! scope="col" | Township 147
|| [[Franklin Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Franklin]]
|| [[Finley Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Finley]]
|| [[Golden Lake Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Golden Lake]]
|| [[Enger Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Enger]]
|-
! scope="col" | Township 146
|| [[Greenview Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Greenview]]
|| [[Easton Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Easton]]
|| [[Sherbrooke Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Sherbrooke]]
|| [[Primrose Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Primrose]]
|-
! scope="col" | Township 145
|| [[Riverside Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Riverside]]
|| [[Melrose Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Melrose]]
|| [[Hugo Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Hugo]]
|| [[Edendale Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Edendale]]
|-
! scope="col" | Township 144
|| [[Willow Lake Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Willow Lake]]
|| [[Carpenter Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Carpenter]]
|| [[Colgate, North Dakota|Colgate]]
|| [[Broadlawn Township, Steele County, North Dakota|Broadlawn]]
|}

==Politics==
Steele County was a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]-leaning swing county in presidential elections until [[2016 United States presidential election in North Dakota|2016]], when [[Hillary Clinton]] lost to [[Donald Trump]] by nearly 20 points, an almost total flip from [[Barack Obama]]'s 20 point win in [[2008 United States presidential election in North Dakota|2008]]. In [[2020 United States presidential election in North Dakota|2020]], [[Joe Biden]] fared even worse despite a national increase for the Democratic Party from 2016. He was the first Democrat to win without the county since [[John F. Kennedy]] in [[1960 United States presidential election in North Dakota|1960]], and had the lowest proportion of the county's vote of any winning Democrat since [[Woodrow Wilson]] in [[1912 United States presidential election|1912]]. Since 1964 Steele County has favored the Democratic presidential candidate in 64% of elections.
{{PresHead|place=Steele County, North Dakota|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 13, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|622|367|26|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|652|392|44|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|538|361|100|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|498|518|26|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|404|614|14|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|586|616|11|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|655|475|80|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|486|620|119|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|503|598|269|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|690|895|10|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|941|781|18|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|997|617|256|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|835|1,066|25|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,063|892|15|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|952|991|88|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|796|1,404|3|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|1,209|1,173|0|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,188|1,148|1|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,513|911|10|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,052|1,163|123|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,042|1,320|12|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|1,328|1,434|22|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|724|1,444|705|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|695|1,925|65|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,574|1,152|19|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,247|85|1,031|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,222|337|50|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|676|515|77|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1912|Bull Moose|237|253|515|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|881|366|35|North Dakota}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|817|69|55|North Dakota}}
{{PresFoot|1900|Republican|724|214|35|North Dakota}}

==Education==
Steele County has the following school districts:<ref name=CensusSchoolDistList2020>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st38_nd/schooldistrict_maps/c38091_steele/DC20SD_C38091.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815145234/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st38_nd/schooldistrict_maps/c38091_steele/DC20SD_C38091.pdf |archive-date=August 15, 2021 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Steele County, ND|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 24, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st38_nd/schooldistrict_maps/c38091_steele/DC20SD_C38091_SD2MS.txt Text list] - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st38_nd/c38091_steele/DC10SD_C38091_001.pdf 2010 map] and [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st38_nd/c38091_steele/DC10SD_C38091_SD2MS.txt 2010 list]</ref>
* [[Dakota Prairie Public School District 1]]
* [[Finley-Sharon Public School District 19]]
* [[Griggs County Central School District 18]]
* [[Hatton Public School District 7]]
* [[Hope-Page School District]] (merger of [[Hope Public School District 10]] and [[Page Public School District 80]])
* [[May-Port CG Public School District 14]]
* [[Northwood Public School District 129]]

Former districts:
* [[Hope Public School District 10]]<ref name=CensusSchoolDistList2020/> - Consolidated with Page district in 2020<ref name=Enrollmenthist>{{cite web|url=https://www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/documents/Data/EnrollmentHistoryPublicSchoolDistrict.xlsx|title=Enrollment History Public School Districts 2009-2021|publisher=[[North Dakota Department of Public Instruction]]|accessdate=August 19, 2021}} - Check the 2020-2021 spreadsheet, which lists a single "Hope Page" school district, and compare with all previous sheets which show them as two separate school districts.</ref>
* [[Page Public School District 80]]<ref name=CensusSchoolDistList2020/> - Consolidated with Hope district in 2020<ref name=Enrollmenthist/>

In 1964 the county had 992 students in four schools; at the time there were five school districts but Colgate was not operating any schools as its school closed in 1964.<ref>{{cite news|title=Per Pupil Costs Are Analyzed For County|newspaper=[[Steele County Press]]|place=[[Finley, North Dakota]]|page=10}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83526302/for-colgate-nd/ Clipping] from [[Newspapers.com]]</ref>

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in North Dakota#Steele County|National Register of Historic Places listings in Steele County, North Dakota]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.dot.nd.gov/docs/maps/base-maps/counties/steele.pdf Steele County map], ''North Dakota DOT''

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Steele County, North Dakota
|North     = [[Grand Forks County, North Dakota|Grand Forks County]]
|Northeast = [[Nelson County, North Dakota|Nelson County]]
|East      = [[Traill County, North Dakota|Traill County]]
|Southeast = [[Cass County, North Dakota|Cass County]]
||Southwest = [[Barnes County, North Dakota|Barnes County]]
|West      = [[Griggs County, North Dakota|Griggs County]]
}}

{{Steele County, North Dakota}}
{{North Dakota}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|47.46|-97.72|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-ND_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Steele County, North Dakota| ]]
[[Category:1883 establishments in Dakota Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1883]]