Murray County, Minnesota

Murray County, Minnesota
Murray County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 8,179 at the 2020 census. Its county seat is Slayton.
History
In 1853 the Minnesota Territory legislature created Blue Earth County from unorganized Dakota Territory lands. In 1855 the legislature partitioned a portion of western Blue Earth to create Brown County. Then on May 23, 1857, a portion of Brown was partitioned off to create Murray County, although it was not organized at that time. On June 17, 1872, the county government was effected, with Currie, which had been founded that same year, as county seat. The county was named for William Pitt Murray (1825-1910), a prominent civic and political figure in Minnesota during its nascent era.
Also in 1872 the township of Center was platted (so named for its central position in the county). This settlement grew rapidly, and its residents soon began agitating to have the county seat moved there. In 1882 the town was renamed as Slayton, and a county vote changed the county seat to Slayton effective June 1, 1889.
In the history of record keeping, Minnesota has been struck by two F-5 tornadoes, and both occurred in Murray County: the Chandler-Lake Wilson Tornado (June 16, 1992) and the Tracy Tornado (June 13, 1968) that began in Murray County before crossing north into Lyon County.
Geography
The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds, with all available area devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the south and east. However, its highest elevation occurs on Buffalo Ridge, a promontory extending about two miles along the crest of the Coteau des Prairies in central Chanarambie Township. The bluff rises a few hundred feet above the adjacent valleys. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.1%) is water.
The Mississippi-Missouri watershed divide runs through the western part of the county, near Chandler, along Buffalo Ridge. The county's highest point is on that ridge, at 1,920' ASL.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 59
Minnesota State Highway 30
Minnesota State Highway 62
Minnesota State Highway 91
Minnesota State Highway 267
Airports
Slayton Municipal Airport (DVP) - southwest of Slayton, Minnesota
Adjacent counties
Lyon County - north
Redwood County - northeast
Cottonwood County - east
Nobles County - south
Rock County - southwest
Pipestone County - west
Protected areas
Badger Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Bergman State Wildlife Management Area
Big Slough State Wildlife Management Area
Buffalo Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Chandler State Wildlife Management Area
County Line State Wildlife Management Area
Current Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Great Oasis State Wildlife Management Area
Haberman State Wildlife Management Area
Hjermstad Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Irruption State Wildlife Management Area
Klinker State Wildlife Management Area
Lake Shetek State Park
Lange State Wildlife Management Area
Leeds State Wildlife Management Area
Lowville State Wildlife Management Area
Mason State Wildlife Management Area
McCord-Laible State Wildlife Management Area
Nelson State Wildlife Management Area
Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge
Peters State Wildlife Management Area
Phelan State Wildlife Management Area
Reinhold State Wildlife Management Area
Rupp State Wildlife Management Area
Ruthton State Wildlife Management Area
Schoeberl State Wildlife Management Area
Shetek State Wildlife Management Area
Sweetman State Wildlife Management Area
Tutt State Wildlife Management Area
Van Eck State Wildlife Management Area
Lakes
Bear Lake (drained)
Bloody Lake
Buffalo Lake
Corabelle Lake
Current Lake
Fox Lake
Fulda First Lake
Iron Lake
Julia Lake (part)
Lake Louisa
Lake Maria
Lake Sarah
Lake Shetek
Lake Wilson
Lime Lake (formerly known as Lizzard Lake and Lake St. Rose)
Long Lake (part)
North Badger Lake
Round Lake
Smith Lake
South Badger Lake
Summit Lake
Talcot Lake (part)
Demographics
2020 Census
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,165 people, 3,722 households, and 2,601 families in the county. The population density was . There were 4,357 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 98.34% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 1.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 47.3% were of German, 12.9% Norwegian, 12.5% Dutch and 5.1% Swedish ancestry.
There were 3,722 households, out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.50% were married couples living together, 4.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.30% 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 2.94.
The county population contained 25.00% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 23.30% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 21.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,966, and the median income for a family was $40,893. Males had a median income of $27,101 versus $19,636 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,936. About 6.30% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Avoca
Chandler
Currie
Dovray
Fulda
Hadley
Iona
Lake Wilson
Slayton (county seat)
Census-designated place
The Lakes
Unincorporated communities
Current Lake
Lime Creek
Lowville
Owanka
Wirock
Townships
Belfast Township
Bondin Township
Cameron Township
Chanarambie Township
Des Moines River Township
Dovray Township
Ellsborough Township
Fenton Township
Holly Township
Iona Township
Lake Sarah Township
Leeds Township
Lime Lake Township
Lowville Township
Mason Township
Moulton Township
Murray Township
Shetek Township
Skandia Township
Slayton Township
Government and politics
The county matched the national outcome every year from 1964 until 2008 except 1988, when during the farm crisis it voted for Michael Dukakis. However, like most other rural heavily white areas of the country, it has swung heavily Republican since 2016. In 60% of presidential elections since 1980, the county selected the Republican Party candidate (as of 2020).
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Murray County, Minnesota
References
External links
Murray County government's website
Minnesota counties
1872 establishments in Minnesota
Populated places established in 1872