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Blue Earth County, Minnesota facts for kids

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Blue Earth County
Blue Earth County Courthouse
Map of Minnesota highlighting Blue Earth County
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Minnesota
Founded March 5, 1853
Named for Blue Earth River
Seat Mankato
Largest city Mankato
Area
 • Total 766 sq mi (1,980 km2)
 • Land 748 sq mi (1,940 km2)
 • Water 18 sq mi (50 km2)  2.3%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 69,112
 • Estimate 
(2023)
70,006 Increase
 • Density 90.22/sq mi (34.836/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 1st

Blue Earth County is a county in the State of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 69,112. Its county seat is Mankato. The county is named for the Blue Earth River and for the deposits of blue-green clay once evident along the banks of the Blue Earth River. Blue Earth County is part of the Mankato-North Mankato metropolitan area.

History

Dakota people lived and hunted in the area of Blue Earth County, particularly the Sisseton. French explorer Pierre-Charles Le Sueur was an early European explorer in this area, arriving where the Minnesota and Blue Earth rivers meet. He made an unsuccessful attempt to mine copper from the blue-green clay the Dakota used as paint. The area remained under French control until 1803 when it passed to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase.

Minnesota River, Mankato, Minnesota
Minnesota River, Mankato, Minnesota

When Minnesota became a territory in 1849, the territorial government became interested in settling the river valley. In 1850 the first steamboat trip, starting in St. Paul, traveled on the Minnesota River and came to the Blue Earth River. The first Euro-American settlers, P. K. Johnson and Henry Jackson, debarked and settled in present-day Mankato. The ratification of the Mendota and Traverse des Sioux treaties in 1851 effectively forced the eastern Dakota to move to nearby reservations.

The county of Blue Earth was created after a division of the Minnesota Territory on March 5, 1853, from portions of Dakota County and free territory. It was named for the Blue Earth River. The first government officials were appointed by Alexander Ramsey, the territorial governor. That October the first election was held, with 22 ballots being taken.

On February 27, 1855, the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) ceded 897,900 acres of their reservation near Long Prairie in exchange for 200,000 acres on the Blue Earth River. On May 24, 1855, they relocated and became so successful at farming that neighboring American settlers coveted their land.

Blue Earth County is near the Lower Sioux reservation, which was created in 1858. Starvation on the reservation and the lack of timely arrival of government annuities led to the Dakota War of 1862, followed by removal of all Native Americans from the county. In 1868 the railroad's arrival promoted the county's growth and development by bringing immigrants and goods to the area.

Geography

The Minnesota River flows southeasterly along the western part of the county's northern boundary line. It is joined by the Blue Earth River, which flows northerly through the western central part of the county. The Watonwan River flows northwesterly through the northeastern part of the county, discharging into the Blue Earth. The Little Cobb River flows northwesterly through the southeastern part of the county, meeting with the Cobb River which flows northerly through the lower part of the county into the Blue Earth River. The Le Sueur River also flows west-northwesterly through the SE part of the county, discharging into the Blue Earth River.

The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, with the area (except around built-up zones, and in areas carved by runoff) devoted to agriculture. It slopes generally to the north. Its southwest corner is 1,086 ft (331 m) above sea level.

The county has an area of 766 square miles (1,980 km2), of which 748 square miles (1,940 km2) is land and 18 square miles (47 km2) (2.3%) is water. The Blue Earth River and Le Sueur River flow through a part of the county. The land surface is relatively flat with over 30 lakes in the county. There are many "closed forest savannas" that some call the big woods in the county's northeast. The rivers that flow out of the northeast are surrounded by these big woods. Most of the county is grassland prairie but scattered parts are wet prairie. Some spots that surround the rivers are oak openings and barren brushland.

Major highways

  • US 14.svg U.S. Highway 14
  • US 169 (MN).svg U.S. Highway 169
  • MN-22.svg Minnesota State Highway 22
  • MN-30.svg Minnesota State Highway 30
  • MN-60.svg Minnesota State Highway 60
  • MN-68.svg Minnesota State Highway 68
  • MN-83.svg Minnesota State Highway 83

Lakes

  • Crystal Lake
  • Albert Lake
  • Alice Lake
  • Armstrong Lake
  • Ballantyne Lake
  • Born Lake
  • Cottonwood Lake
  • Duck Lake
  • Eagle Lake
  • George Lake
  • Gilfillin Lake
  • Ida Lake
  • Indian Lake
  • Knights Lake
  • Lake Crystal
  • Lieberg Lake
  • Lily Lake
  • Long Lake
  • Loon Lake
  • Lura Lake (part)
  • Madison Lake
  • Mennenga Lake
  • Mills Lake
  • Minnesota Lake (part)
  • Mud Lake
  • Perch Lake
  • Porter Lake
  • Rice Lake
  • Severson Lake
  • Strom Lake
  • Wita Lake

Adjacent counties

Climate and weather

Weather chart for Mankato, Minnesota
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
0.9
 
24
5
 
 
0.8
 
30
10
 
 
2
 
42
22
 
 
3.1
 
58
35
 
 
3.5
 
70
47
 
 
5.1
 
79
57
 
 
4.3
 
83
62
 
 
4.2
 
81
59
 
 
3.2
 
73
49
 
 
2.3
 
60
37
 
 
1.9
 
43
24
 
 
1.1
 
28
11
temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches
source: The Weather Channel

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mankato have ranged from a low of 5 °F (−15 °C) in January to a high of 83 °F (28 °C) in July, although a record low of −35 °F (−37 °C) was recorded in February 1996 and a record high of 107 °F (42 °C) was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.78 inches (20 mm) in February to 5.09 inches (129 mm) in June.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 4,803
1870 17,302 260.2%
1880 22,889 32.3%
1890 29,210 27.6%
1900 32,263 10.5%
1910 29,337 −9.1%
1920 31,477 7.3%
1930 33,847 7.5%
1940 36,203 7.0%
1950 38,327 5.9%
1960 44,385 15.8%
1970 52,322 17.9%
1980 52,314 0.0%
1990 54,044 3.3%
2000 55,941 3.5%
2010 64,013 14.4%
2020 69,112 8.0%
2023 (est.) 70,006 9.4%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020
BlueEarthCountyMn2022PopPyr
2022 US Census population pyramid for Blue Earth County, from ACS 5-year estimates

2020 Census

Blue Earth County Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 57,222 82.8%
Black or African American (NH) 3,873 5.6%
Native American (NH) 208 0.3%
Asian (NH) 1,834 2.7%
Pacific Islander (NH) 24 0.03%
Other/Mixed (NH) 2730 4%
Hispanic or Latino 3,221 4.7%

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Townships

  • Beauford Township
  • Butternut Valley Township
  • Cambria Township
  • Ceresco Township
  • Danville Township
  • Decoria Township
  • Garden City Township
  • Jamestown Township
  • Judson Township
  • Le Ray Township
  • Lime Township
  • Lincoln Township
  • Lyra Township
  • Mankato Township
  • Mapleton Township
  • McPherson Township
  • Medo Township
  • Pleasant Mound Township
  • Rapidan Township
  • Shelby Township
  • South Bend Township
  • Sterling Township
  • Vernon Center Township

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Blue Earth para niños

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