Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota

Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota
Map of Minnesota highlighting Lake of the Woods County
Location in the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location in the U.S.
Founded January 1, 1923(formed)
1922 (organized)[1]
Named for Lake of the Woods
Seat Baudette
Largest city Baudette
Area
 • Total 1,775 sq mi (4,597 km2)
 • Land 1,298 sq mi (3,362 km2)
 • Water 477 sq mi (1,235 km2), 27%
Population (est.)
 • (2016) 3,814
 • Density 3.1/sq mi (1/km²)
Congressional district 7th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota

Lake of the Woods County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,045,[2] making it the second-least populous county in Minnesota. Its county seat is Baudette.[3] The county was organized on November 28, 1922, though county functions did not begin until 1923.[4]

The county contains the Northwest Angle, the northernmost point of the Lower 48 States, and includes the U.S. portion of Lake of the Woods, shared with Canada. The county also includes the exclave of Elm Point. Since Alaska does not have any counties, Lake of the Woods is the northernmost county in the United States. It is also the only county in the United States with four words in its name, although there is a parish in Louisiana called St. John the Baptist Parish, and the U.S. Census Bureau treats parishes as county equivalents for census purposes.

History

Lake of the Woods County was named after the lake that covers a large portion of the county. Jacques de Noyon, a Frenchman who came from Trois Rivières, (Quebec), explored this area in 1688 and became the first European to view the lake. He named the lake Lac aux Îles which means "Lake of the Islands" in English.

In 1885 the region of Lake of the Woods got its first settler, Wilhelm Zippel, who was a German immigrant and a fisherman. He settled on the south shore of the lake in a place now called Zippel Bay. Shortly after, Alonzo Wheeler settled on a point on the southwest side of the lake which is now called Wheeler's Point.

A terrible wildfire, which has come to be known as the Baudette Fire of 1910, broke out in October of that year, burning 300,000 acres (1,200 km2) and destroying the towns of Spooner, Baudette, Graceton, Pitt, Williams, and Cedar Spur.[5] Lake of the Woods County was founded January 1, 1923, with Baudette as the original county seat. Lake of the Woods County is also known as Minnesota's youngest county. This county was organized on November 28, 1922, when residents voted to separate the northern Townships.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,775 square miles (4,600 km2), of which 1,298 square miles (3,360 km2) is land and 477 square miles (1,240 km2) (27%) is water.[6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties and districts

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19304,194—
19405,97542.5%
19504,955−17.1%
19604,304−13.1%
19703,987−7.4%
19803,764−5.6%
19904,0768.3%
20004,52210.9%
20104,045−10.5%
Est. 20163,814[7]−5.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2016[2]
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data

As of the 2000 census, there were 4,522 people, 1,903 households, and 1,267 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 3,238 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.21% White/Caucasian, 0.29% Black/African American, 1.13% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. 0.64% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 26.2% were of Norwegian, 22.3% German, 8.9% Swedish, 5.8% American and 5.0% English ancestry.

There were 1,903 households, out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples living together, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 29.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 5.70% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 27.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,861, and the median income for a family was $38,936. Males had a median income of $30,469 versus $24,813 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,976. About 6.70% of families and 9.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 10.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Townships

Although all the townships are named, as of 2001, there are no township governments. All the townships are officially part of unorganized territory.

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

Politics

Presidential Elections Results[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 68.7% 1,540 24.7% 553 6.6% 149
2012 58.5% 1,306 38.5% 859 3.1% 69
2008 55.3% 1,278 42.0% 971 2.8% 64
2004 59.5% 1,428 38.4% 921 2.1% 51
2000 55.6% 1,216 38.8% 848 5.6% 123
1996 40.5% 814 44.2% 888 15.4% 309
1992 34.7% 762 36.1% 794 29.2% 642
1988 54.2% 984 44.0% 798 1.8% 32
1984 56.4% 1,094 42.5% 824 1.1% 22
1980 52.6% 1,052 38.2% 763 9.3% 185
1976 38.5% 757 56.2% 1,105 5.2% 103
1972 55.4% 877 42.5% 672 2.1% 33
1968 39.0% 607 56.2% 875 4.9% 76
1964 27.7% 489 71.7% 1,266 0.6% 10
1960 43.9% 835 55.3% 1,053 0.8% 16
1956 40.7% 723 59.0% 1,048 0.3% 6
1952 44.3% 898 55.1% 1,117 0.6% 12
1948 29.1% 583 64.9% 1,302 6.0% 120
1944 35.5% 642 64.5% 1,168 0.1% 1
1940 33.6% 850 64.8% 1,638 1.6% 40
1936 18.8% 385 76.3% 1,566 4.9% 101
1932 23.6% 369 62.0% 972 14.4% 226
1928 51.8% 781 44.5% 671 3.7% 56
1924 42.7% 703 5.6% 92 51.7% 851

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. ↑ "History of Lake of the Woods County". Lake of the Woods County Historical Society. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  5. ↑ "The Fire of 1910". Lake of the Woods County Historical Society. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  6. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  12. ↑ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS

Coordinates: 48°46′N 94°54′W / 48.77°N 94.90°W / 48.77; -94.90

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