Marshall, Minnesota
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marshall is a city in Lyon County, Minnesota in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 12,735. Marshall is a regional center in southwest Minnesota, and the county seat of Lyon County.GR6 It is the headquarters of the Schwan Food Company and the home of Southwest Minnesota State University.
Contents |
[edit] History
Marshall was founded in 1872 by the Winona & St. Peter Railroad. Lake Marshall Township had been established in the area two years earlier, and included a post office and several farms. Before that, the site was occasionally used as a campground for groups of Dakota, who hunted and travelled throughout the region.
The town grew rapidly. In 1873, the first newspaper was published, the Prairie Schooner. Holy Redeemer Catholic Church was built in 1884, and by 1890, the population was over 1,000 residents. The Weiner Memorial Hospital was built in 1950. Also during the 1950s, Marvin Schwan transformed his dairy into an ice cream home delivery service, which eventually grew into the Schwan Food Company.[1]
The flooding of the Redwood River has always been a problem in Marshall. The city experienced a series of floods in the 1940s and 1950s. Diversion canals were constructed between 1961 and 1963, though occasional flooding still occurs, notably in 1993.
Southwest Minnesota State University was founded in 1963 and opened its doors in 1967. Most of the campus was constructed between 1967 and 1973.
[edit] Geography
Marshall is at latitude 44.47N and longitude -95.78W, with an elevation of 1161 ft above sea level. The city is 90 miles northeast of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and 148 miles west of Minneapolis. It is in the Central Standard time zone and has been assigned the ZIP code of 56258. According to the United States Census Bureau, Marshall has a total area of 21.5 km² (8.3 mi²), entirely on land. It is located in a predominantly rural and agricultural area that was originally an expanse of northern tallgrass prairie. The flood plain of the Redwood River begins in Marshall.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 12,735 people, 4,914 households, and 2,914 families residing in the city. The population density was 593.1/km² (1,537.0/mi²). There were 5,182 housing units at an average density of 241.3/km² (625.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.35% White, 2.79% African American, 0.35% Native American, 1.52% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.61% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.93% of the population.
There were 4,914 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 19.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,950, and the median income for a family was $52,284. Males had a median income of $35,478 versus $21,640 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,588. About 7.8% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.
69.6% of the people in Marshall affiliate with a particular religion. Specifically, 34.5% report that they are Catholic, 31.4% are Protestant, 0.8% are LDS, 2.9% are another Christian faith.[1]
[edit] Economy
The Schwan Food Company, headquartered in Marshall, is one of the largest frozen-food companies in the United States and the second-largest privately held corporation in Minnesota. With approximately 22,000 employees worldwide, The Schwan Food Company has grown to become one of the largest producers of frozen pizza and egg rolls in the nation. The company is also known for its frozen desserts and premium ice cream manufacturing and distribution. Schwans employs approximately 2,500 people in Marshall.
A large corn wet-milling facility operated by Archer Daniels Midland Company is located in Marshall. This was formerly run by a farmer's cooperative, Minnesota Corn Processors, but it merged with ADM in 2002.[2] The plant employs 250 people.
Other major employers in the city are Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center, US Bancorp, Affiliated Community Medical Center, Wal-Mart Supercenter, Hy-Vee Foods, Southwest Minnesota State University, the Marshall school district, and Turkey Valley Farms.
[edit] Government
Marshall has a mayor and city council that meet twice monthly. The city is divided into three wards, with two council members for each ward. The mayor and council members are elected for four year terms. The elected officials govern in coordination with a city administrator and city attorney. The major divisions of city hall are City Administration, Community Services, Economic Development, General Services, Public Safety, and Public Works.
[edit] Education
Public schools in district 413 include Marshall Senior High, Marshall Junior High, Parkside Elementary, West Side Elementary and East Side Elementary. An additional service for grades 7-12 is Marshall East Campus Learning Alternatives. The athletic teams in Marshall are called the Tigers. Private schools include Holy Redeemer, Marshall Area Christian, and Samuel Lutheran School.
The Marshall-Lyon County Library is part of the Plum Creek Library System and contains 75,803 books, 3,142 audio materials, 2,302 video materials, and 205 periodical subscriptions.
Southwest Minnesota State University is a public, four year liberal arts and professional studies institution. It has an enrollment of approximately 3,500 full time students.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Radzilowski, J. (1997). Prairie town: A history of Marshall, Minnesota, 1872-1997. Marshall, MN: Lyon County Historical Society.
