# Cottonwood County, Minnesota

Cottonwood County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,517. Its county seat is Windom.

## History

The county was created on May 23, 1857, named for the river in Germantown Township ("cottonwood" is the English meaning of the Dakota Sioux word "Waraju"). Minnesota Governor Horace Austin appointed three county commissioners when the county was established. They met at a home about six miles northwest of Windom on the Des Moines River at Big Bend. During this meeting, they designated the commissioners' districts and changed various county officers. The county organization was completed on July 29, 1870. The first general election was held in the county that November. The first deed of record was filed on January 10, 1870. The first land assessments were made in 1871, and the first taxes were paid in 1872.

### County NRHP listings

* The Cottonwood County Courthouse (1904), an example of Neoclassical architecture, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
* Mountain Park, southeast of Mountain Lake, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973. A 1976 archeological dig unearthed evidence of a Meskwaki habitation there circa 500 B.C., the oldest human habitation to be discovered in Minnesota.
* The Jeffers Petroglyphs, near Jeffers, contain pre-European Native American rock carvings. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

## Geography

The Heron Lake Outflow flows east through the lower part of Cottonwood County. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, devoted to agriculture. The terrain generally slopes to the east, with the northern portion also sloping north and the lower portion sloping south. The highest point is on the midpoint of the west border, at 1,535 ft (468 m) ASL. The county has an area of 649 square miles (1,680 km$^2$), of which 639 square miles (1,660 km$^2$) is land and 10 square miles (26 km$^2$) (1.5%) is water.

### Watersheds

The northeastern part of the county drains north to the Minnesota River through numerous small creeks, the Cottonwood River and Watonwan River. The southwestern part drains south through the Des Moines River. These two watersheds come together at the Mississippi River near Keokuk, Iowa. Most wetlands in the county have been drained for agricultural use.

### Lakes

Source:
| Des Moines River Watershed | Minnesota River Watershed |
| Clear Lake: in Lakeside Township Clear Lake South and North: North is drained and South is mostly in Southbrook Township, but the far southern side stretches into Jackson County Cottonwood Lake: eastern two thirds in Lakeside Township; western third in Great Bend Township Harder Lake: in Dale Township Lenhart Lake (Drained): Dale Township Talcot Lake: mostly in Southbrook Township, but the far western side stretches into Murray County Oaks Lake: mostly in Southbrook Township, but the northern quarter is in Rose Hill Township String Lakes: mostly in Great Bend Township, but the southern tip is in Jackson County Warren Lake: in Great Bend Township Wilson Lake (Drained): Dale Township Wolf Lake: in Lakeside Township | Arnolds Lake: in Dale Township Augusta Lake: in Amo Township Bartsh Lake: in Carson Township Bat Lake (see Rat Lake) Bean Lake: in Westbrook Township Bennett Slough: Lakeside Township Berry Lake (Drained): Rose Hill Township Bingham Lake: in Lakeside Township Bolstad Slough: Lakeside Township Carey Lake: in Rose Hill Township Clear Lake: there is a third Clear Lake in Westbrook Township Double Lake: in Westbrook Township Eagle Lake: in Carson Township Fish Lake: northern third in Lakeside Township; southern two thirds in Jackson County Fowlers Slough (Drained): Rose Hill Township Hurricane Lake: mostly in Highwater Township but the far western tip is in Westbrook Township and the southern third is in Storden Township Long Lake: in Carson Township Long Lake: there is another Long Lake in Rose Hill Township Maiden Lake: in Carson Township Mountain Lake: in Midway Township Mountain Lake (Drained): Mountain Lake Township Mud Lake (Drained): Rose Hill Township Parso Lake: in Lakeside Township Rat Lake: in Carson Township Rat Lake (Drained): Westbrook Township Regehr Slough: Mountain Lake Township Unnamed Lake: Westbrook Township 13 Round Lake: Rose Hill Township Swan Lake: in Dale Township Zorn Lake (Drained): Rose Hill Township |

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 71
* Minnesota State Highway 30
* Minnesota State Highway 60
* Minnesota State Highway 62

### Adjacent counties

* Redwood County - north
* Brown County - northeast
* Watonwan County - east
* Jackson County - south
* Nobles County - southwest
* Murray County -west

### Protected areas

Source:
* Arnolds Lake WMA
* Banks WMA
* Bennett WMA
* Blixseth WPA
* Budolfson WMA
* Carpenter WMA
* Clear Lake WPA
* Cottonwood Lake WPA
* Delft State Wildlife Management Area
* Des Moines River WPA
* Dynamite Park
* Expandere WMA
* Farhagen WMA
* Harder Lake WPA
* Hurricane Lake WMA
* Lady Bird County Park
* Lake Augusta WPA
* Little Swan Lake State Wildlife Management Area
* Long Lake WPA
* Mound Creek County Park
* Mountain County Park
* Mountain Lake WMA
* Mountain Lake WPA
* Pats Grove County Park
* Pats Pasture WMA
* Pennington Prairie SNA
* Regehr State Wildlife Management Area
* Red Rock Falls County Park
* Rock Ridge Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
* Rock Ridge WMA
* South Dutch Charlie County Park
* String Lakes WMA
* Storden WPA
* Talcot County Park
* Talcot Lake WMA
* Typhoon WMA
* Voit WMA
* Watonwan WPA
* Wolf Lake WPA

## Demographics
### 2020 Census

Cottonwood County Racial Composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (NH) | 9,418 | 82% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 135 | 1.2% |
| Native American (NH) | 25 | 0.22% |
| Asian (NH) | 361 | 3.13% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 80 | 0.7% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 383 | 3.33% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,115 | 9.7% |

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 12,167 people, 4,917 households, and 3,338 families in the county. The population density was 19.0 per square mile (7.3/km$^2$). There were 5,376 housing units at an average density of 8.41 per square mile (3.25/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 95.23% White, 0.34% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.63% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.35% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 50.2% were of German and 18.6% Norwegian ancestry.
There were 4,917 households, out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.90% 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 2.94.
The county population contained 25.00% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 22.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,943, and the median income for a family was $40,237. Males had a median income of $28,993 versus $19,934 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,647. About 7.40% of families and 11.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.40% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.

## Government and politics

Cottonwood County reliably votes Republican. In only one presidential election since 1964 has it selected the Democratic candidate.
United States presidential election results for Cottonwood County, Minnesota :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 4,157 | 69.42% | 1,705 | 28.47% | 126 | 2.10% |
| 2020 | 4,165 | 68.20% | 1,834 | 30.03% | 108 | 1.77% |
| 2016 | 3,679 | 64.31% | 1,678 | 29.33% | 364 | 6.36% |
| 2012 | 3,316 | 56.57% | 2,433 | 41.50% | 113 | 1.93% |
| 2008 | 3,157 | 52.30% | 2,759 | 45.71% | 120 | 1.99% |
| 2004 | 3,557 | 55.85% | 2,726 | 42.80% | 86 | 1.35% |
| 2000 | 3,369 | 54.51% | 2,503 | 40.50% | 309 | 5.00% |
| 1996 | 2,633 | 42.66% | 2,737 | 44.35% | 802 | 12.99% |
| 1992 | 2,481 | 37.30% | 2,382 | 35.81% | 1,788 | 26.88% |
| 1988 | 3,390 | 51.80% | 3,095 | 47.29% | 60 | 0.92% |
| 1984 | 4,275 | 57.89% | 3,073 | 41.61% | 37 | 0.50% |
| 1980 | 4,258 | 54.26% | 2,958 | 37.70% | 631 | 8.04% |
| 1976 | 3,906 | 49.70% | 3,813 | 48.52% | 140 | 1.78% |
| 1972 | 4,396 | 60.19% | 2,802 | 38.37% | 105 | 1.44% |
| 1968 | 4,050 | 54.80% | 3,046 | 41.21% | 295 | 3.99% |
| 1964 | 3,423 | 45.47% | 4,090 | 54.33% | 15 | 0.20% |
| 1960 | 5,087 | 64.62% | 2,768 | 35.16% | 17 | 0.22% |
| 1956 | 4,619 | 66.29% | 2,344 | 33.64% | 5 | 0.07% |
| 1952 | 5,488 | 71.51% | 2,130 | 27.76% | 56 | 0.73% |
| 1948 | 3,222 | 48.58% | 3,333 | 50.26% | 77 | 1.16% |
| 1944 | 3,916 | 62.08% | 2,354 | 37.32% | 38 | 0.60% |
| 1940 | 4,228 | 58.28% | 2,991 | 41.23% | 36 | 0.50% |
| 1936 | 2,509 | 37.88% | 3,929 | 59.32% | 185 | 2.79% |
| 1932 | 1,921 | 39.40% | 2,877 | 59.00% | 78 | 1.60% |
| 1928 | 3,405 | 67.45% | 1,604 | 31.77% | 39 | 0.77% |
| 1924 | 2,722 | 56.99% | 217 | 4.54% | 1,837 | 38.46% |
| 1920 | 3,882 | 86.27% | 451 | 10.02% | 167 | 3.71% |
| 1916 | 1,425 | 60.23% | 762 | 32.21% | 179 | 7.57% |
| 1912 | 325 | 16.11% | 511 | 25.33% | 1,181 | 58.55% |
| 1908 | 1,240 | 65.82% | 526 | 27.92% | 118 | 6.26% |
| 1904 | 1,536 | 84.44% | 213 | 11.71% | 70 | 3.85% |
| 1900 | 1,368 | 68.50% | 547 | 27.39% | 82 | 4.11% |
| 1896 | 1,242 | 58.72% | 810 | 38.30% | 63 | 2.98% |
| 1892 | 727 | 52.38% | 202 | 14.55% | 459 | 33.07% |
County Board of Commissioners :
| Position | Name | District |
| Commissioner | Larry Anderson | District 1 |
| Commissioner and Chairperson | Kevin Stevens | District 2 |
| Commissioner | Donna Gravley | District 3 |
| Commissioner | Norman Holven | District 4 |
| Commissioner | Tom Appel | District 5 |
State Legislature (2018-2020) :
| Position | Position | Name | Affiliation | District |
| | Senate | Bill Weber | Republican | District 22 |
| | House of Representatives | Rod Hamilton | Republican | District 22B |
U.S Congress (2021-2023) :
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District |
| House of Representatives | Brad Finstad | Republican | 1st |
| House of Representatives | Michelle Fischbach | Republican | 7th |
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar | Democrat | N/A |
| Senate | Tina Smith | Democrat | N/A |

## Communities
### Cities

* Bingham Lake
* Comfrey (partial)
* Jeffers
* Mountain Lake
* Storden
* Westbrook
* Windom (county seat)

### Unincorporated community

* Delft

### Townships

* Amboy Township
* Amo Township
* Ann Township
* Carson Township
* Dale Township
* Delton Township
* Germantown Township
* Great Bend Township
* Highwater Township
* Lakeside Township
* Midway Township
* Mountain Lake Township
* Rose Hill Township
* Selma Township
* Southbrook Township
* Springfield Township
* Storden Township
* Westbrook Township