Lake County, Minnesota

Lake County, Minnesota
Map of Minnesota highlighting Lake County
Location in the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location in the U.S.
Founded March 1, 1856[1]
Named for Lake Superior
Seat Two Harbors
Largest city Two Harbors
Area
 • Total 2,991 sq mi (7,747 km2)
 • Land 2,109 sq mi (5,462 km2)
 • Water 881 sq mi (2,282 km2), 29%
Population (est.)
 • (2016) 10,625
 • Density 5.2/sq mi (2.0/km2)
Congressional district 8th
Time zone Central: UTC−6/−5
Website www.co.lake.mn.us

Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,866.[2] Its county seat is Two Harbors.[3]

History

Lake County was founded on February 20, 1855, as Superior County, though its name was changed on March 3, of that year to Saint Louis County. On March 1, 1856, Saint Louis County became Lake County, while Newton County to the west was renamed Saint Louis County.

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area had long been inhabited by Native American groups. At the time of European contact, the principal Native American groups in the region were the Dakota (Sioux) and Ojibwe (also called Anishinabe or Chippewa). The economy of these groups was based on hunting, fishing and gathering, with wild rice being of particular importance. The first Europeans to explore the area were the French in the late 17th century[4] who were followed by trappers, fur traders, missionaries, and explorers. Beaver Bay was the first city in Lake County in 1855.

In 1868, iron ore was discovered on the Vermilion Range by George Stuntz. In 1884, the first shipment of ore left Agate Bay, marking Minnesota's entry into the iron ore industry. During the late 1880s, commercial fishing began on Lake Superior with the coming of Swedish and Norwegian immigrants to the North Shore. In 1890, the Merritt brothers discovered the Mesabi Range. The Two Harbors Lighthouse was built on Agate Bay in 1892. Ten years later, five Two Harbors businessmen signed the articles of incorporation for a new mining company named 3M. Today, 3M Corporation has over 70,000 employees worldwide and produces more than 50,000 adhesive household products, now has its headquarters in Saint Paul.

In 1906, the Court House, which stands to this day, was built. In 1907, one of the nation's first steel ore docks was built in Two Harbors. In 1944, one of the first HMOs in the United States was created in Lake County to serve railroad employees. A second iron ore boom took place in the 1950s with the development of the taconite beneficiation process for turning lean, low-grade iron ore into a shippable product.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,991 square miles (7,750 km2), of which 2,109 square miles (5,460 km2) is land and 881 square miles (2,280 km2) (29%) is water.[5] It is the fifth-largest county in Minnesota by area.

Lake County is located in the Arrowhead Region of Northeastern Minnesota covering 2,062 miles. Within the county's boundaries are four state parks and a National Forest. Lake County offers hiking, camping, fishing and winter recreational activities. Lake County has Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world at its side. With its natural environment and shoreline, Lake County offers recreational opportunities as well as historical shipwrecks, two operating lighthouses and two public marinas. Lake County is home to mining, logging, wood products, lumbering, shipping and transportation, manufacturers, health care and tourism.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1860248—
1870135−45.6%
1880106−21.5%
18901,2991,125.5%
19004,654258.3%
19108,01172.1%
19208,2513.0%
19307,068−14.3%
19406,956−1.6%
19507,78111.9%
196013,70276.1%
197013,351−2.6%
198013,043−2.3%
199010,415−20.1%
200011,0586.2%
201010,866−1.7%
Est. 201610,625[6]−2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2016[2]
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data

As of the 2000 census[11], there were 11,058 people, 4,646 households, and 3,140 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 6,840 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.99% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. 0.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.3% were of Norwegian, 17.8% German, 14.3% Swedish, 8.4% Finnish, 6.3% Irish and 5.4% English ancestry.

There were 4,646 households out of which 27.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.80% were married couples living together, 6.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.70% 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 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out with 22.30% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 24.50% from 25 to 44, 26.70% from 45 to 64, and 20.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,402, and the median income for a family was $46,980. Males had a median income of $39,719 versus $26,500 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,761. About 5.50% of families and 7.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.40% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Lake County has a historic Democratic/Labor lean. It was the top county for Socialist Party of America candidate Eugene V. Debs in 1908,[12] 1912,[13] and 1920.[14] The last Republican to carry the county was Herbert Hoover’s failed run for re-election in 1932,[15] although in the 1932 election Socialist Norman Thomas received 19.32% of the county’s vote, one of the highest percentages in the country.[16] Ironically, Lake County was the only county in Minnesota to vote for Hoover in 1932. In 2016, Lake County was the whitest county in the entire country to vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton over Republican Donald Trump.[17] Trump, however, got the highest percentage of the vote of any Republican since 1928.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[18]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 45.0% 2,932 47.2% 3,077 7.9% 512
2012 38.3% 2,610 59.3% 4,043 2.5% 167
2008 37.8% 2,636 59.9% 4,174 2.3% 159
2004 39.2% 2,769 59.6% 4,212 1.3% 90
2000 37.6% 2,465 54.5% 3,579 7.9% 519
1996 27.9% 1,684 56.2% 3,388 15.9% 957
1992 23.1% 1,465 53.7% 3,415 23.2% 1,477
1988 31.8% 1,838 67.3% 3,887 0.9% 50
1984 30.7% 2,003 68.4% 4,468 0.9% 58
1980 34.8% 2,414 55.8% 3,864 9.4% 653
1976 35.1% 2,313 60.2% 3,973 4.7% 313
1972 40.7% 2,575 57.5% 3,640 1.8% 112
1968 22.9% 1,351 72.4% 4,266 4.7% 274
1964 20.3% 1,205 79.4% 4,704 0.3% 16
1960 36.8% 2,276 62.9% 3,888 0.3% 16
1956 40.0% 2,055 59.9% 3,079 0.2% 9
1952 33.8% 1,451 65.6% 2,814 0.6% 24
1948 24.8% 924 68.5% 2,555 6.7% 250
1944 24.5% 792 74.1% 2,401 1.4% 46
1940 25.0% 933 73.7% 2,750 1.3% 50
1936 18.2% 617 80.2% 2,717 1.7% 56
1932 43.0% 1,290 35.3% 1,059 21.8% 653
1928 72.8% 2,014 22.4% 618 4.8% 133
1924 46.6% 1,251 2.2% 60 51.1% 1,372
1920 40.9% 990 24.6% 594 34.5% 835
1916 30.2% 401 38.1% 506 31.7% 420
1912 14.4% 182 15.4% 195 70.2% 889
1908 51.2% 584 13.3% 152 35.4% 404
1904 67.5% 603 8.6% 77 23.9% 214
1900 67.0% 639 29.1% 278 3.9% 37
1896 64.1% 595 34.5% 320 1.5% 14
1892 60.0% 290 26.1% 126 13.9% 67

Communities

Cities

Townships

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

Unorganized territories

Ghost towns

  • Avon
  • Avoy
  • Beaver
  • Britton
  • Buell
  • Case
  • Clark
  • Crystal
  • Darby Junction
  • Drummond
  • Eclfo
  • Emetta
  • Fernburg Tower
  • Forest Center
  • Freedom
  • Green
  • Greenwood Junction
  • Howlett
  • Jordan
  • Kent
  • London
  • Malmota (Marmata)
  • Maple
  • Marble Lake
  • Moose
  • Morris
  • Murfin
  • Nigadoo
  • Norshore Junction
  • North Branch
  • Riblet
  • Scott Junction
  • Silver
  • Splitrock
  • Stafford
  • Summit
  • Swift
  • Thomas
  • Waldo
  • Wanless
  • Westover
  • Whyte
  • Wolf
  • York

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. ↑ http://events.mnhs.org/TimePieces/Timeline.cfm
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  11. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  12. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of US Presidential Elections for 1908". Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  13. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of US Presidential Elections for 1912". Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  14. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of US Presidential Elections for 1920". Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  15. ↑ "Presidential election of 1932 - Map by counties". geoelections.free.fr. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  16. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of US Presidential Elections for 1932". Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  17. ↑ "Election Day 2016 by the numbers - News, Sports, Jobs - Adirondack Daily Enterprise". www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  18. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 19 September 2018.

Coordinates: 47°32′N 91°23′W / 47.53°N 91.39°W / 47.53; -91.39

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