Montevideo, Minnesota

Montevideo, Minnesota
City
Location of Montevideo, Minnesota
Coordinates: 44°56′55″N 95°43′13″W / 44.94861°N 95.72028°W / 44.94861; -95.72028
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Chippewa
Government
• Type	Council – Manager
• Mayor	Debra Lee Fader
Area[1]
• Total	4.85 sq mi (12.56 km2)
• Land	4.76 sq mi (12.33 km2)
• Water	0.09 sq mi (0.23 km2)
Elevation	932 ft (284 m)
Population (2010)[2]
• Total	5,383
• Estimate (2012[3])	5,247
• Density	1,130.9/sq mi (436.6/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	56265
Area code(s)	320
FIPS code	27-43720[4]
GNIS feature ID	0648046[5]

Montevideo /ˌmɒntəˈvɪdi.oʊ/ is a city in Chippewa County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 5,383 at the 2010 census.^[6] It is the county seat of Chippewa County.

History

Restored Milwaukee Road depot, which was featured in the movie Sweet Land

During the 18th century, Europeans established a fur-trading post near the rivers and traded with Native Americans in the area. Later, Montevideo became an agricultural center.

On the edge of Montevideo, just off U.S. Route 212, stands the Camp Release State Monument. The Minnesota River Valley and Montevideo played an integral part in the United States - Dakota Conflict of 1862. At this site in the fall of 1862 the Dakota combatants surrendered and released 269 captives to Colonel Henry Sibley. The Camp Release Monument was dedicated on July 4, 1894.

In 2004 the city was honored with the presentation of the National Civic League's All-America City Award, which is given to only ten cities a year. The award is the oldest and most respected community recognition program in the nation and recognizes communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon results.

Montevideo is a cosmopolitan small town with active industry, commerce and retail areas.

Montevideo's sister city is Montevideo, Uruguay. In 1949 a statue of José Artigas, Uruguay's leader of independence, was given to the Minnesota community by Uruguayan citizens. Each year Montevideo marks Fiesta Days in honor of its association with its sister city. Montevideo continues with a long term relationship with Montevideo, Uruguay.

In 2013 the FBI said it had disrupted a planned terrorist attack in the town, after they arrested a man armed with Molotov cocktails, pipe bombs and firearms.^[7][8]

Geography

Montevideo is located where the Minnesota and Chippewa rivers converge, approximately 140 miles (230 km) west of Minneapolis at the junction of U.S. Routes 59 and 212 with Minnesota State Highways 7 and 29.

The surrounding topography is dominated by farmland and prairies, as well as river valleys with many scenic overlooks and small bluffs.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.85 square miles (12.56 km²), of which, 4.76 square miles (12.33 km²) is land and 0.09 square miles (0.23 km²) is water.^[1]

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census^[2] of 2010, there were 5,383 people, 2,326 households, and 1,404 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,130.9 inhabitants per square mile (436.6 /km²). There were 2,510 housing units at an average density of 527.3 per square mile (203.6 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.0% White, 0.6% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 4.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.4% of the population.

There were 2,326 households of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.6% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.86.

The median age in the city was 41 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.1% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 20.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 5,346 people, 2,353 households, and 1,444 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,190.5 people per square mile (459.7/km²). There were 2,551 housing units at an average density of 568.1 per square mile (219.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.10% White, 0.11% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.00% of the population.

There were 2,353 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,447, and the median income for a family was $44,706. Males had a median income of $30,838 versus $19,013 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,025. About 4.7% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

In popular culture

• Montevideo was featured in the 2005 film Sweet Land as the town Audubon, Minnesota in the 1920s.

Local media

KDMA, KKRC, and KMGM are local radio stations owned by Iowa City Broadcasting Company, Inc. KKRM is owned by Thunderhawk Broadcasting, Inc.

Twin towns and sister cities

Montevideo is twinned with:

• Montevideo, Uruguay

Notable people

• Paul Gruchow (1947–2004), Former professor at St. Olaf and Concordia colleges, and former editor of the Worthington Daily Globe in Worthington. Essayist whose publications include Discovering the Universe of Home and Boundary Waters: The Grace of the Wild. Prior to his suicide, he was a contributing writer to several periodicals including the New York Times and the Hungry Mind Review.
• David Minge (1942–), Former 2nd District congressman (1993–2001) and current judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Montevideo, Minnesota.

Wikisource has the text of a 1905 New International Encyclopedia article about Montevideo, Minnesota.

• Montevideo, MN Chamber of Commerce --- Official site
• City of Montevideo, MN -- Official site
• Montevideo Public Schools -- Official site
• Montevideo Industrial Development Corporation
• Montevideo American-News site
• Milwaukee Road Heritage Center site
• "Verdi Gilbertson History

v t e Municipalities and communities of Chippewa County, Minnesota, United States County seat: Montevideo Cities Clara City Granite Falls‡ Maynard Milan Montevideo Watson Townships Big Bend Crate Grace Granite Falls Havelock Kragero Leenthrop Lone Tree Louriston Mandt Rheiderland Rosewood Sparta Stoneham Tunsberg Woods Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Coordinates: 44°56′33″N 95°43′25″W / 44.94250°N 95.72361°W / 44.94250; -95.72361