Editing Wadena County, Minnesota

{{short description|County in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Wadena County
 | state                = Minnesota
 | ex image             = Nimrod Fire Tower.jpg
 | ex image size        = 220px
 | ex image cap         = 1928 Nimrod Fire Tower, [[Nimrod, Minnesota]].
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = June 11, 1858 (created)<br>February 21, 1873 (organized)
 | seat wl              = Wadena
 | largest city wl      = Wadena
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 543
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 536
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 7.0
 | area percentage      = 1.3%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 14065
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 14241 {{increase}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | web                  = www.co.wadena.mn.us
 | named for            = A trading post
 | district             = 8th
}}

'''Wadena County''' ({{IPAc-en|w|ə|ˈ|d|iː|n|ə}} {{respell|wə|DEEN|ə}}) is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Minnesota]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 14,065.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/wadenacountyminnesota/PST045222 |access-date=April 20, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Wadena, Minnesota|Wadena]].
[[File:Wadena MN County Fairgrounds.jpg|thumb|right|Wadena County Fairgrounds]]
[[File:Wadena MN County Fairgrounds Grandstands.jpg|thumb|right|The grandstands at the Wadena County Fairgrounds]]

==History==
[[File:Wadena County Historical Society Museum entrance, Wadena, Minnesota.jpg|thumb|left|Wadena County Historical Society Museum]]The newly organized [[Minnesota Legislature]] created the county on June 11, 1858. A settlement began at the future city of [[Wadena, Minnesota|Wadena]] in 1871,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Upham |first=Warren |url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog |title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society |year=1920 |page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n579 562]}}</ref> and by 1873 a post office was in operation there.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wadena County |url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MN&county=Wadena |access-date=August 11, 2015 |publisher=Jim Forte Postal History}}</ref> The settlement was designated the county seat when the state legislature organized the county on February 21, 1873. The town took the name of a trading post {{convert|15|mi|km}} to the east, which had flourished for several years but was largely abandoned by that time. The trading post was named for Chief Wadena, an [[Ojibwe]] Indian chief of the late 19th century in northwestern Minnesota.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wadena's Namesake |url=http://wadenacountyhistory.org/wadena-town-history/general-history |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529113611/http://wadenacountyhistory.org/wadena-town-history/general-history/ |archive-date=May 29, 2016 |access-date=July 14, 2011 |publisher=Wadena County Historical Society}}</ref>

Wadena County comprises 15 townships, first surveyed in 1863. Each township is six miles square and contains 36 sections of land (with the exception of Bullard and Thomastown, which have a slightly different configuration because their boundaries are aligned with the Leaf and Crow Wing Rivers, respectively). In 1857 Augustus Aspinwall laid out a town site in what is now Section 15, Thomastown township, at the junction of the Crow Wing and Partridge rivers, and named it Wadena. When the railroad went through the area in 1872, it ran about three miles south of this site and the town quickly withered away.

During the last part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th, there were two railroads in the county. The Northern Pacific main line running east to west through Wadena was built in 1872, while the Great Northern branch or "K" line which ran from Sauk Centre to Bemidji, via Sebeka and Menahga, was completed in 1891. The line from Park Rapids to Long Prairie was abandoned in 1984 while the rest was abandoned in the early 1970s with the northern section from Park Rapids to Cass Lake since converted to the Heartland Trail.

Wadena used to be served by the Greyhound Bus Line, Elliott Bros. Transportation Co., Northwest Transportation Co., Red Bus Line, Gray Bus Line, Liederbach Bus Co. and Mercury Bus line.

There are four historical societies in the county, including the Wadena County Historical Society, the Verndale Historical Society, the Sebeka Finnish American Historical Society and the Menahga Historical Society.

In 2010 there were four organized school districts in the county: Wadena, Verndale, Sebeka and Menahga. In 1906 there were 52 school districts in the county, most of which were rural schools.

Sebeka once had Minnesota's second-largest creamery. Over the years there have been approximately ten creameries in the county and ten cheese factories.<ref>[http://www.wadenacountyhistory.org Wadena County Historical Society]</ref>

==Geography==
The [[Crow Wing River]] flows south through the east-central part of the county and forms the lower part of the county's eastern border as it turns to flow southeast. The [[Partridge River (Crow Wing River tributary)|Partridge River]] flows east through the southern part of the county, discharging into the Crow Wing in the county's southeast corner. The [[Leaf River (Minnesota)|Leaf River]] flows east through the central part of the county, discharging into the Crow Wing in the county's eastern portion. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, carved by drainages, devoted to agriculture wherever possible.<ref name="WCM">[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wadena+County,+MN/@46.5667329,-95.0538916,30432m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x52b638337b4f3b5f:0xb30eb4c255d1c02!8m2!3d46.6415934!4d-94.936044 Wadena County MN Google Maps (accessed April 21, 2019)]</ref> The terrain slopes to the east and south, with its highest point near its northwest corner, at {{convert|1,460|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.<ref>[https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm "Find an Altitude/Wadena County MN"  Google Maps (accessed April 21, 2019)]</ref> The county has a total area of {{convert|543|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|536|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.0|sqmi}} (1.3%) 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/20141006102023/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |access-date=October 25, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Wadena is one of 17 Minnesota counties with more savanna soils than prairie or forest soils.
[[File:Wadena Co Pie Chart Newest No Text Version.pdf|thumb|right|Soils of Wadena County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). ''Savanna Soils of Minnesota.'' Minnesota: Self. pp. 53-56. {{ISBN|978-0-615-50320-2}}.</ref>]]

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* [[Image:US 10.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 10]]
* [[Image:US 71.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 71]]
* [[Image:MN-29.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 29]]
* [[Image:MN-87.svg|20px]] [[Minnesota State Highway 87]]
{{div col end}}

===Airports<ref name=WCM/>===
* [[List of airports in Minnesota|Staples Municipal Airport (SAZ)]] - north of [[Staples, Minnesota|Staples]]

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[Hubbard County, Minnesota|Hubbard County]] - north
* [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]] - east
* [[Todd County, Minnesota|Todd County]] - south
* [[Otter Tail County, Minnesota|Otter Tail County]] - southwest
* [[Becker County, Minnesota|Becker County]] - northwest
{{div col end}}

===Protected areas<ref name=WCM/>===
{{div col}}
* Burgen Lake Prairie Wildlife Management Area
* Dry Sand State Wildlife Management Area
* [[Huntersville State Forest]]
* [[Lyons State Forest]]
* Old Wadena County Park
** [[Old Wadena Historic District]]
{{div col end}}

===Lakes<ref name=WCM/>===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* Bill Lake
* Blueberry Lake
* Burgen Lake
* Duck Lake (part)
* Finn Lake
* Granning Lake
* Jim Cook Lake
* Lily Lake
* Lovejoy Lake
* Lower Twin Lake
* Mud Lake
* Radabaugh Lake
* Rice Lake
* Round Lake
* Simon Lake
* Spirit Lake
* Stocking Lake
* Strike Lake]
* Thomas Lake
* Upper Twin Lake (part)
* Yaeger Lake
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 6
|1880= 2080
|1890= 4058
|1900= 7921
|1910= 8652
|1920= 10699
|1930= 10990
|1940= 12772
|1950= 12806
|1960= 12199
|1970= 12412
|1980= 14192
|1990= 13154
|2000= 13713
|2010= 13843
|2020= 14065
|estyear=2023
|estimate=14241
|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 25, 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 25, 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 25, 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 25, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

===2020 Census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Wadena 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) – Wadena County, Minnesota |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Wadena%20County,%20Minnesota&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|13,044
|92.7%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|118
|0.82%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|73
|0.52%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|54
|0.38%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|9
|0.06%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] (NH)
|494
|3.5%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|273
|1.94%
|}

===2000 census===
[[File:WadenaCountyMn2022PopPyr.png|thumb|right|2022 US Census [[population pyramid]] for Wadena County, from [[American Community Survey|ACS]] 5-year estimates]]
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 13,713 people, 5,426 households, and 3,608 families in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|25.6|/mi2|/km2}}. There were 6,334 housing units at an average density of {{convert|11.8|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.89% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.48% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.55% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.18% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.27% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.59% from two or more races. 0.93% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 37.5% were of [[German people|German]], 14.0% [[Norwegian people|Norwegian]], 12.5% [[Finnish people|Finnish]], 9.0% [[United States]] or American and 5.3% [[Swedish people|Swedish]] ancestry.

There were 5,426 households, out of which 30.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 29.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.02.

The county population contained 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 19.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,651, and the median income for a family was $38,618. Males had a median income of $28,424 versus $21,027 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $15,146. About 9.70% of families and 14.10% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==
===Cities===
{{div col}}
* [[Aldrich, Minnesota|Aldrich]]
* [[Menahga, Minnesota|Menahga]]
* [[Nimrod, Minnesota|Nimrod]]
* [[Sebeka, Minnesota|Sebeka]]
* [[Staples, Minnesota|Staples]] (part)
* [[Verndale, Minnesota|Verndale]]
* [[Wadena, Minnesota|Wadena]] (county seat; partly in [[Otter Tail County, Minnesota|Otter Tail County]])
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Bluegrass, Minnesota|Bluegrass]]
* [[Huntersville, Minnesota|Huntersville]]
* [[Oylen, Minnesota|Oylen]]

===Ghost towns===
* [[Leaf River, Minnesota|Leaf River]]
* [[Shell City, Minnesota|Shell City]]

===Townships===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Aldrich Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Aldrich Township]]
* [[Blueberry Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Blueberry Township]]
* [[Bullard Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Bullard Township]]
* [[Huntersville Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Huntersville Township]]
* [[Leaf River Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Leaf River Township]]
* [[Lyons Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Lyons Township]]
* [[Meadow Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Meadow Township]]
* [[North Germany Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|North Germany Township]]
* [[Orton Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Orton Township]]
* [[Red Eye Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Red Eye Township]]
* [[Rockwood Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Rockwood Township]]
* [[Shell River Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Shell River Township]]
* [[Thomastown Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Thomastown Township]]
* [[Wadena Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Wadena Township]]
* [[Wing River Township, Wadena County, Minnesota|Wing River Township]]
{{div col end}}

==Government and politics==
Wadena County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024). The 2016, 2020 and 2024 elections each subsequently showed the strongest Republican support in the county since 1920.<ref>https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/</ref>
{{PresHead|place=Wadena 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=April 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|6,028|1,898|121|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,520|2,023|134|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|4,837|1,684|413|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,143|2,492|156|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|4,128|2,882|159|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,214|2,791|88|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|3,733|2,251|398|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|2,696|2,480|864|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|2,492|2,340|1,566|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,733|2,484|82|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,306|2,454|32|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|4,089|2,635|379|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|3,048|3,164|212|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,408|2,430|136|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,912|2,198|276|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,418|2,908|8|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,082|2,240|7|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,028|1,733|6|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|3,662|1,665|16|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|2,272|2,556|89|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|2,653|1,868|16|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|2,898|2,405|37|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,898|2,605|146|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,585|2,300|145|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,592|1,343|109|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,900|182|1,383|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,635|503|349|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|938|651|138|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1912|Progressive|278|336|716|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|991|467|101|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,159|190|55|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|949|448|48|Minnesota}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|874|534|33|Minnesota}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Republican|454|332|215|Minnesota}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+County Board of Commissioners<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commissioner Districts {{!}} Wadena County, MN - Official Website |url=http://www.co.wadena.mn.us/230/Commissioner-Districts |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=www.co.wadena.mn.us}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!District
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Ron Noon
|District 1
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Michael Weyer
|District 2
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Bill Stearns
|District 3
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Murlyn Kreklau
|District 4
|-
|
|Commissioner
|John Kangas
|District 5
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+State Legislature (2018–2020)
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!Affiliation
!District
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |
|Senate
|[[Paul Utke]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=MN State Senate |url=https://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?member_id=1218 |access-date=June 26, 2020 |website=www.senate.mn |language=en}}</ref>
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|District 2
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |
|Senate
|[[Paul Gazelka]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=MN State Senate |url=https://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?member_id=1169 |access-date=June 26, 2020 |website=www.senate.mn |language=en}}</ref>
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|District 9
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |
|House of Representatives
|[[Steve Green (politician)|Steve Green]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rep. Steve Green (02B) - Minnesota House of Representatives |url=https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15395 |access-date=June 26, 2020 |website=www.house.leg.state.mn.us}}</ref>
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|District 2B
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |
|House of Representatives
|[[John Poston (politician)|John Poston]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rep. John Poston (09A) - Minnesota House of Representatives |url=https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15471 |access-date=June 26, 2020 |website=www.house.leg.state.mn.us}}</ref>
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|District 9A
|}
{| 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]]
|[[Pete Stauber]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Representative Pete Stauber |url=https://stauber.house.gov/ |access-date=June 26, 2020 |website=Representative Pete Stauber |language=en}}</ref>
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|[[Minnesota's 8th congressional district|8th]]
|-
| 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>
|[[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party|Democrat]]
|N/A
|}

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

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.co.wadena.mn.us/ Wadena County government’s website]
* [http://www.wadenacountyhistory.org Wadena County Historical Society]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Wadena County, Minnesota
|North     = [[Hubbard County, Minnesota|Hubbard County]]
|East      = [[Cass County, Minnesota|Cass County]]
|South     = [[Todd County, Minnesota|Todd County]]
|Southwest = [[Otter Tail County, Minnesota|Otter Tail County]]
|Northwest = [[Becker County, Minnesota|Becker County]]
}}

{{Wadena County, Minnesota}}
{{Minnesota}}

{{coord|46.58|-94.96|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Wadena County, Minnesota| ]]
[[Category:Minnesota counties]]
[[Category:Minnesota placenames of Native American origin]]
[[Category:1873 establishments in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1873]]