Cottonwood County, Minnesota

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 Fox Indian 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 ASL. The county has an area of , of which is land and (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
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
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
Moutain 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
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 . There were 5,376 housing units at an average density of . 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.
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
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Cottonwood County, Minnesota
Footnotes
Further reading
John A. Brown (ed.), History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota: Their People, Industries, and Institutions: With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families. In Two Volumes. Indianapolis, IN: B.F. Bowen and Company, 1916. Volume 1|Volume 2
Cottonwood County Minnesota Highway Map, Cottonwood County Highway Department, 2003.
DeLorme's Minnesota Atlas and Gazetteer.
External links
Cottonwood County website
Minnesota counties
1870 establishments in Minnesota
Populated places established in 1870