Editing Watson, Minnesota

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

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|image_map = Chippewa_County_Minnesota_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Watson_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Watson, 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        = [[Chippewa County, Minnesota|Chippewa]]

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<!-- 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           = 0.45
|area_land_km2            = 0.45
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.17
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.17
|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         = 182
|population_density_km2   = 401.47
|population_density_sq_mi = 1040.00

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
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|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1030
|coordinates              = {{coord|45|00|36|N|95|47|59|W|region:US-MN|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 56295
|area_code                = [[Area code 320|320]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 27-68656<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              = 2397218<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2397218}}</ref>
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'''Watson''' is a city in [[Chippewa County, Minnesota|Chippewa County]], [[Minnesota]], United States. The population was 205 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name="2010 Census (City)">{{cite web|title=2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table|work=American FactFinder|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=27 April 2011}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> [[Lac Qui Parle State Park|Lac qui Parle State Park]] is nearby.

==History==
Watson was [[plat]]ted in 1879 when the railroad was extended to that point.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EStJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bgYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2309%2C4032151 | title=Old-timers say automobiles changed growing hamlets into ghost towns | work=The Hour | date=Nov 23, 1984 | access-date=28 October 2015 | pages=55}}</ref><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/n124 105]}}</ref> The city took its name from the Watson Farmers Elevator, a local [[grain elevator]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Heim|first=Michael|title=Exploring America's Highways: Minnesota Trip Trivia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qpdxhqewliAC&pg=PA234|date=March 2004|publisher=Exploring America's Highway|isbn=978-0-9744358-1-7|page=234}}</ref> A post office has been in operation in Watson since 1879.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MN&county=Chippewa | title=Chippewa County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=19 April 2015}}</ref>

In 2024, a Watson man named Joseph M. Rongstad was arrested for threatening to kill [[University of Minnesota]] students. Rongstad, who had previously served as mayor of Watson, said he only made the threats because he wanted to talk to the [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]].<ref name=rongstad>{{cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/charges-man-who-threatened-to-kill-u-students-said-he-really-only-wanted-to-talk-to-secret-service/600336697/|title=Former rural mayor charged with threatening to kill U students said he just wanted to talk to Secret Service}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.18|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}}</ref>

[[U.S. Route 59#Minnesota|U.S. Route 59]] and [[Minnesota State Highway 7]] ([[Concurrency (road)|co-signed]]) serves as a main route in the community.

Watson is known as "The Goose Capitol of the USA" due to the large number of Canada geese which migrate through and inhabit nearby [[Lac qui parle|Lac Qui Parle]] every fall.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 167
|1910= 152
|1920= 215
|1930= 246
|1940= 290
|1950= 284
|1960= 267
|1970= 228
|1980= 238
|1990= 211
|2000= 209
|2010= 205
|2020= 182
|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 205 people, 90 households, and 50 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1138.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 102 housing units at an average density of {{convert|566.7|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.0% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.5% of the population.

There were 90 households, of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.4% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 3.08.

The median age in the city was 41.2 years. 28.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.5% were from 25 to 44; 30.8% were from 45 to 64; and 12.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 56.1% male and 43.9% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 209 people, 86 households, and 52 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|1,186.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 98 housing units at an average density of {{convert|556.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 95.69% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.96% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 3.35% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]]. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.35% of the population.

There were 86 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,688, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $25,781 versus $21,250 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,617.  About 7.1% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.3% of those under the age of eighteen and 32.0% of those 65 or over.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{HAER |survey=MN-49 |id=mn0212 |title=Watson Farmer's Elevator, U.S. Highway 59, Watson, Chippewa County, MN |photos=3 |cap=1}}

{{Chippewa County, Minnesota}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Chippewa County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Cities in Minnesota]]