# Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota

Yellow Medicine County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its eastern border is formed by the Minnesota River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,528. Its county seat is Granite Falls.
The Upper Sioux Indian Reservation, related to the historical Yellow Medicine Agency that was here, is entirely within the county. It was established under the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux in 1851, by which the Dakota ceded much territory in the region to the United States.

## History

The county was established by the Minnesota legislature on March 6, 1871, with Granite Falls as the county seat. Its name comes from Yellow Medicine River, which runs through the eastern part of the county to the Minnesota. The river's name derives from the moonseed plant, Menispermum canadense, whose yellow root the native Dakota people used for medicinal purposes.
It was proposed in 1878 to create a new county, taken from the western portions of Yellow Medicine, Lincoln, and Lac qui Parle counties. The state legislature approved the petition (subject to local voter approval), and Governor Pillsbury signed the act on February 27, 1879, but the proposal failed to garner a combined majority of votes in the three counties, and the proposed Canby County did not come into being.

## Geography

Yellow Medicine County lies on the west side of Minnesota. Its west border abuts the state of South Dakota. The Minnesota River flows east-southeast along the county's northeast side on its way to discharge into the Mississippi River. The Yellow Medicine River flows northeast through the eastern part of the county, discharging into the Minnesota near the midpoint of the county's eastern border. The Stony Run Creek flows east through the northeast part of the county; the Florida Creek flows northeast through the west end of the county, and the Lac qui Parle River also flows northeast through the west central part of the county. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, carved by drainages. The area is devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the east and slightly to the north; its highest point is on the west border, near its SW corner, at 1,732 ft (528 m) ASL. The county has an area of 763 square miles (1,980 km$^2$), of which 759 square miles (1,970 km$^2$) is land and 4.1 square miles (11 km$^2$) (0.5%) is water.

### Lakes

* Burton Lake
* Culver Lake (part)
* Curtis Lake
* Highbank Lake
* Kvistid Lake
* Lake Louie
* Lone Tree Lake
* Miedd Lake
* Miller Lake
* Mud Lake
* Spellman Lake
* Timm Lake
* Tyson Lake
* Wood Lake

### Rivers and drainages

* Florida Creek
* Lac qui Parle River
* Minnesota River
* Spring Creek
* Stony Run Creek
* Yellow Medicine River

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 59
* U.S. Highway 75
* U.S. Highway 212
* Minnesota State Highway 23
* Minnesota State Highway 67
* Minnesota State Highway 68
* Minnesota State Highway 167
* Minnesota State Highway 274 (decommissioned in 2022)

### Adjacent counties

* Lac qui Parle County - north
* Chippewa County - northeast
* Renville County - east
* Redwood County - southeast
* Lyon County - south
* Lincoln County - southwest
* Deuel County, South Dakota - west

### Protected areas

* Bigrock State Wildlife Management Area
* Christopherson State Wildlife Management Area
* Clawson State Wildlife Management Area
* Flinks State Wildlife Management Area
* Miller-Richter State Wildlife Management Area
* Mound Springs Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
* Omro State Wildlife Management Area
* Oshkosh State Wildlife Management Area
* Penthole State Wildlife Management Area
* Posen State Wildlife Management Area
* Saint Leo State Wildlife Management Area
* Sioux Nation State Wildlife Management Area
* Stokke State Wildlife Management Area
* Stony Run State Wildlife Management Area
* Swedes Forest Scientific and Natural Area (part)
* Upper Sioux Agency State Park

## Demographics
### 2020 Census

Yellow Medicine County Racial Composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (NH) | 8,408 | 88.3% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 48 | 0.5% |
| Native American (NH) | 276 | 3% |
| Asian (NH) | 28 | 0.3% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 319 | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 448 | 4.7% |

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,080 people, 4,439 households, and 2,974 families in the county. The population density was 14.6 per square mile (5.6/km$^2$). There were 4,873 housing units at an average density of 6.42 per square mile (2.48/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 96.09% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 2.04% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.92% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. 1.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 36.5% were of Norwegian and 34.6% German ancestry.
There were 4,439 households, out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were married couples living together, 5.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 29.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.01.
The county population contained 25.80% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 24.20% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 20.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,393, and the median income for a family was $42,002. Males had a median income of $27,770 versus $20,870 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,120. About 7.10% of families and 10.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.40% of those under age 18 and 10.60% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Canby
* Clarkfield
* Echo
* Granite Falls (county seat; partly in Chippewa County)
* Hanley Falls
* Hazel Run
* Porter
* St. Leo
* Wood Lake

### Unincorporated communities

* Burr (original name Stanley)
* Lorne
* Normania
* Spring Creek

### Townships

* Burton Township
* Echo Township
* Florida Township
* Fortier Township
* Friendship Township
* Hammer Township
* Hazel Run Township
* Lisbon Township
* Minnesota Falls Township
* Norman Township
* Normania Township
* Omro Township
* Oshkosh Township
* Posen Township
* Sandnes Township
* Sioux Agency Township
* Stony Run Township
* Swede Prairie Township
* Tyro Township
* Wergeland Township
* Wood Lake Township

## Government and politics

Yellow Medicine County has recently been a swing county in national elections. Since 1980, the county has selected the Republican Party candidate in 56% of national elections (as of 2020). The county gave a majority to Barack Obama in 2008, but has trended more Republican in recent cycles.
United States presidential election results for Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 3,738 | 69.09% | 1,548 | 28.61% | 124 | 2.29% |
| 2020 | 3,734 | 67.55% | 1,688 | 30.54% | 106 | 1.92% |
| 2016 | 3,382 | 64.10% | 1,524 | 28.89% | 370 | 7.01% |
| 2012 | 2,806 | 51.83% | 2,465 | 45.53% | 143 | 2.64% |
| 2008 | 2,579 | 46.31% | 2,816 | 50.57% | 174 | 3.12% |
| 2004 | 2,878 | 49.98% | 2,799 | 48.61% | 81 | 1.41% |
| 2000 | 2,598 | 47.11% | 2,528 | 45.84% | 389 | 7.05% |
| 1996 | 2,006 | 35.67% | 2,741 | 48.74% | 877 | 15.59% |
| 1992 | 1,909 | 30.83% | 2,593 | 41.87% | 1,691 | 27.31% |
| 1988 | 2,925 | 46.59% | 3,282 | 52.28% | 71 | 1.13% |
| 1984 | 3,819 | 55.22% | 3,018 | 43.64% | 79 | 1.14% |
| 1980 | 4,004 | 53.95% | 2,833 | 38.18% | 584 | 7.87% |
| 1976 | 2,946 | 39.48% | 4,337 | 58.12% | 179 | 2.40% |
| 1972 | 3,683 | 50.32% | 3,462 | 47.30% | 174 | 2.38% |
| 1968 | 3,060 | 43.34% | 3,587 | 50.81% | 413 | 5.85% |
| 1964 | 2,751 | 36.86% | 4,707 | 63.06% | 6 | 0.08% |
| 1960 | 3,800 | 50.84% | 3,649 | 48.82% | 26 | 0.35% |
| 1956 | 3,594 | 51.21% | 3,416 | 48.67% | 8 | 0.11% |
| 1952 | 4,322 | 57.73% | 3,143 | 41.99% | 21 | 0.28% |
| 1948 | 2,693 | 38.41% | 4,164 | 59.38% | 155 | 2.21% |
| 1944 | 3,337 | 50.68% | 3,214 | 48.81% | 34 | 0.52% |
| 1940 | 3,964 | 50.89% | 3,786 | 48.61% | 39 | 0.50% |
| 1936 | 2,029 | 30.38% | 3,921 | 58.71% | 729 | 10.91% |
| 1932 | 1,739 | 27.01% | 4,580 | 71.14% | 119 | 1.85% |
| 1928 | 3,302 | 52.96% | 2,861 | 45.89% | 72 | 1.15% |
| 1924 | 2,278 | 38.70% | 151 | 2.56% | 3,458 | 58.74% |
| 1920 | 4,225 | 72.48% | 814 | 13.96% | 790 | 13.55% |
| 1916 | 1,501 | 50.08% | 1,238 | 41.31% | 258 | 8.61% |
| 1912 | 352 | 14.24% | 737 | 29.81% | 1,383 | 55.95% |
| 1908 | 1,745 | 65.06% | 786 | 29.31% | 151 | 5.63% |
| 1904 | 1,947 | 83.42% | 258 | 11.05% | 129 | 5.53% |
| 1900 | 1,743 | 65.95% | 763 | 28.87% | 137 | 5.18% |
| 1896 | 1,578 | 58.92% | 1,015 | 37.90% | 85 | 3.17% |
| 1892 | 911 | 49.11% | 364 | 19.62% | 580 | 31.27% |
County Board of Commissioners :
| Position | Name | District |
| Commissioner | Greg Renneke | District 1 |
| Commissioner | John Berends | District 2 |
| Commissioner | Mitch Kling | District 3 |
| Commissioner | Ron Antony | District 4 |
| Commissioner | Glen Kack | District 5 |
State Legislature (2018-2020) :
| Position | Position | Name | Affiliation | District |
| | Senate | Gary Dahms | Republican | District 16 |
| | House of Representatives | Chris Swedzinski | Republican | District 16A |
U.S Congress (2018-2020) :
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District |
| House of Representatives | Michelle Fischbach | Republican | 7th |
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar | Democratic | N/A |
| Senate | Tina Smith | Democratic | N/A |