Big Stone County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,166. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

is Ortonville.

History

The county was formed in 1862, and was organized in 1874.

Geography

Big Stone County lies on the western side of Minnesota. Its southwest boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state of

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

. The

Little Minnesota River The Little Minnesota River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed October 5, 2012 headwaters tributary of the Minnesota River in northeastern South Dakota and west-centra ...

flows along the county's southwestern boundary. Since 1937, a dam ( Big Stone Lake Dam) has impounded the river's waters, creating Big Stone Lake. Water flowing out from this lake flows along the south boundary line of the county, and is known as the

Minnesota River The Minnesota River ( dak, Mnísota Wakpá) is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa. It ris ...

from that point. Fish Creek flows southwesterly through the northwestern part of the county, discharging into Big Stone Lake at the county's southwestern boundary. The terrain of Big Stone County is low rolling hills, wooded or devoted to agriculture.''Big Stone County MN'' Google Maps (accessed March 5, 2019)
/ref> The terrain generally slopes to the south and east, although its southwestern portion slopes to the river valley. Its highest point is on its north line near the northwestern corner, 2.9 miles (4.6 km) east of Lagoona Beach, at 1,201' (366m) ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.5%) is water.

Lakes

* Artichoke Lake - south edge in Akron Township, vast majority in Artichoke Township * Barry Lake - Toqua Township * Bentsen Lake - east half in Otrey Township, west half in Big Stone Township *

Big Stone Lake Big Stone Lake ( dak, Íŋyaŋ Tháŋka Bdé) is a long, narrow freshwater lake and reservoir on the border between western Minnesota and northeastern South Dakota in the United States. Description The lake covers , stretching from end to end ...

- Ortonville Township, Browns Valley Township, Foster Township, Prior Township, Big Stone Township * Clear Lake - Toqua Township * Cup Lake - Almond Township * Deep Lake - Big Stone Township * East Toqua Lake - Graceville Township * Eli Lake - south three-quarters in Almond Township, west quarter in Clinton * Fogarty Lake - Toqua Township * Horseshoe Lake - Odessa Township * Lannon Lake - Graceville Township * Lindgren Lake - Ortonville Township * Lake Leo - Graceville Township * Lone Tree Lake - east three-quarters in Malta Township, west quarter in Almond Township * Long Lake - Artichoke Township * Long Tom Lake - northeast edge in Otrey Township, vast majority in Odessa Township * Lysing Lake - vast majority in Almond Township, south edge in Big Stone Township * Marsh Lake - Akron Township * Moonshine Lake - Moonshine Township * Moulton Lake - Big Stone Township * Mundweiler Lake - Big Stone Township * Munnwyler Lake - Ortonville Township * Olson Lake - Big Stone Township * Olson Lake - Otrey Township * Otrey Lake - Otrey Township * Peterson Lake - Odessa Township * South Rothwell Lake - north edge in Graceville Township, vast majority in Almond Township * Smithwicks Lake - Graceville Township * Swenson Lake - Big Stone Township * Twin Lakes - Big Stone Township * West Toqua Lake - Graceville Township * Walter Lake - Ortonville Township Source: United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles

Major highways

* U.S. Highway 12 *

U.S. Highway 75 U.S. Route 75 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that extends in the central United States. The highway's northern terminus is in Noyes, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it once continued as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other sid ...

Minnesota State Highway 7 Minnesota State Highway 7, or Trunk Highway 7, (MN 7, TH 7) is a state highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with MN 28 near Beardsley and continues east to its terminus with MN 100 and County Road&nb ...

Minnesota State Highway 28 Minnesota State Highway 28 (MN 28) is a state highway in west-central and central Minnesota, which travels from South Dakota Highway 10 at the South Dakota state line near Browns Valley and continues east to its intersection with ...

Adjacent counties

* Traverse County - north * Stevens County - northeast * Swift County - southeast * Lac qui Parle County - south *

Grant County, South Dakota Grant County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 7,556. The county seat is Milbank. The county was founded in 1873 and organized in 1878. It is named for Ulysses S. Grant, 18th ...

- southwest *

Roberts County, South Dakota Roberts County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 10,280. Its county seat is Sisseton. The county was named either for S. G. Roberts of Fargo, North Dakota, or for Solomon Robar ...

- northwest

Protected areas

* Big Stone Lake State Park *

Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge Straddling the headwaters of the Minnesota River in west-central Minnesota, Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge is within the heart of the tallgrass prairie's historic range. Today, less than one-percent of tallgrass prairie remains. Big Stone Ref ...

(part) * Big Stone Wildlife Management Preserve (part) * Clinton Prairie Scientific and Nature Area * Dismal Swamp State Wildlife Management Area * Freed State Wildlife Management Area * Lac qui Parle State Wildlife Management Area * Otrey State Wildlife Management Area * Reisdorph State Wildlife Management Area * Victor State Wildlife Management Area

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Ortonville have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in February 1994 and a record high of was recorded in July 1966. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in December to in July.

Demographics

2000 Census

As of the 2000 census, there were 5,820 people, 2,377 households, and 1,611 families in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 11.7/sqmi (4.50/km²). There were 3,171 housing units at an average density of 6.35/sqmi (2.45/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.44%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.17%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.52% Native American, 0.41%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.12% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.34% from two or more races. 0.34% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. 45.7% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, 21.0%

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

, 8.0%

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

and 6.3%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

ancestry. There were 2,377 households, out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.60% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.97. The county population contained 24.80% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 21.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 24.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 94.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,721, and the median income for a family was $37,354. Males had a median income of $27,857 versus $20,123 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $15,708. About 7.80% of families and 12.00% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

Communities

Cities

Barry Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 19 ...

* Beardsley * Clinton * Correll * Graceville *

Johnson Johnson is a surname of Anglo-Norman origin meaning "Son of John". It is the second most common in the United States and 154th most common in the world. As a common family name in Scotland, Johnson is occasionally a variation of ''Johnston'', a ...

Odessa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...

* Ortonville

Unincorporated communities

Artichoke The globe artichoke (''Cynara cardunculus'' var. ''scolymus'' ),Rottenberg, A., and D. Zohary, 1996: "The wild ancestry of the cultivated artichoke." Genet. Res. Crop Evol. 43, 53–58. also known by the names French artichoke and green articho ...

* Big Stone Colony * Bonanza Grove * Foster * Lagoona Beach * Yankeetown

Townships

* Akron Township * Almond Township * Artichoke Township * Big Stone Township * Browns Valley Township * Foster Township * Graceville Township * Malta Township * Moonshine Township * Odessa Township * Ortonville Township * Otrey Township * Prior Township * Toqua Township

Government and politics

Big Stone County voters have tended to vote down the middle for several decades. In recent elections the vote has been more Republican than Democratic. In 2016

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

expanded the thin margin

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...

won the county by in 2012 as Democratic candidate

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

registered only 33% of the vote to Trump's 58%.

References

External links

Big Stone County website
{{Coord, 45.43, -96.41, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990 Minnesota counties 1874 establishments in Minnesota Populated places established in 1874