Editing Vergas, Minnesota

{{Short description|City in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Vergas
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 
<!-- Images --------------->
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|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
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|image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps ----------------->
|image_map                = Otter_Tail_County_Minnesota_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Vergas_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Vergas, 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        = [[Otter Tail County, Minnesota|Otter Tail]]
<!-- Government ----------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         = 1903
<!-- 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>
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|area_total_km2           = 4.16
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|area_water_km2           = 0.10
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.61
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.57
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.04
<!-- Population ----------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 348
|pop_est_as_of            = 2021
|pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="USCensusEst2021"/>
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
|population_total         = 348
|population_density_km2   = 85.81
|population_density_sq_mi = 222.22
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone|CST]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1411
|coordinates              = {{coord|46|39|17|N|95|48|11|W|region:US-MN|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 56587
|area_code                = [[Area code 218|218]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 27-66766<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              = 2397125<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2397125}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.cityofvergas.com|cityofvergas.com}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Vergas''' is a city in northern [[Otter Tail County, Minnesota|Otter Tail County]], [[Minnesota]], United States. The population was 348 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=1600000US2766766 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 8, 2022}}</ref>

Vergas claims it is home of the ''World's Largest Loon'', actually a {{convert|20|ft|m|adj=mid|-high}} sculpture of a [[loon]], the Minnesota state bird.

[[File:Vergas Minnesota welcome sign.jpg |thumb|right|alt=brightly painted sign reading "all roads lead to Vergas, home of the world's largest loon. Welcome!"|Sign welcoming visitors to Vergas]]

==History==
The community was platted in 1903 as Altona, but quickly changed its name to match the name of its [[Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad|Soo Line Railroad]] station, which had been named after a series of [[sleeping car]]s that traveled between [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]] and [[Winnipeg]], [[Manitoba]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Minnesota Place Names - Township and Village Information|url=http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/city.cfm?PlaceNameID=3138&BookCodeID=6&County=56&SendingPage=Results.cfm|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|access-date=April 18, 2011}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.50|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|1.46|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<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 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Vergas is located at the [[Junction (traffic)|junction]] of County Highway 4, County Highway 17, and former [[Minnesota State Highway 228|State Highway 228]].

The community is at the west end of Long Lake.

[[Loon Lake (Otter Tail County, Minnesota)|Loon Lake]] is immediately southwest of Vergas.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 237
|1920= 361
|1930= 323
|1940= 351
|1950= 301
|1960= 292
|1970= 281
|1980= 287
|1990= 287
|2000= 311
|2010= 331
|2020= 348
|estyear=2021
|estimate=348
|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 24, 2022|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=June 24, 2022}}</ref>
|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|df=mdy-all}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 331 people, 176 households, and 88 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|226.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 202 housing units at an average density of {{convert|138.4|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 99.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.3% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.3% of the population.

There were 176 households, of which 14.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 3.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 50.0% were non-families. 42.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.88 and the average family size was 2.55.

The median age in the city was 52.5 years. 13.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.6% were from 25 to 44; 30.8% were from 45 to 64; and 27.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 311 people, 143 households, and 78 families living in the city.  The population density was {{convert|213.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 165 housing units at an average density of {{convert|113.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 97.75% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.32% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.32% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 1.61% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.96% of the population.

There were 143 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,344, and the median income for a family was $37,250. Males had a median income of $23,214 versus $17,222 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,461.  About 4.7% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including none of those under age 18 and 19.7% of those age 65 or over.

[[File:Vergas_Minnesota_loon.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=20-foot tall concrete sculpture of a black and white bird|The world's largest loon decorated for Christmas]]

==The Loon==
The [[loon]] statue overlooks Long Lake. Standing 20 feet tall, the sculpture was built in the 1960s and paid for by the Vergas Fire Department, who dedicated it to a deceased town postmaster.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cityofvergas.com Official City of Vergas Website]
* [http://www.vergasmn.com Vergas web page]
* [http://www.govergas.com/History.html Brief Vergas history]

{{Otter Tail County, Minnesota}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Otter Tail County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Cities in Minnesota]]