Goodhue County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 47,582. Its county seat is Red Wing, Minnesota, Red Wing. Nearly all of Prairie Island Indian Community is within the county. Goodhue County comprises the Red Wing, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota, St. Paul, MN-Wisconsin, WI Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Combined Statistical Area.

History

The county was created on March 5, 1853, with territory partitioned from Wabasha County, Minnesota, Wabasha County. It was named for James Madison Goodhue (1810–1852), who published the first newspaper in the territory, ''The Minnesota Pioneer''. The county was originally settled exclusively by "Yankee" settlers, meaning that they both came to Goodhue County either directly from the six New England states or from upstate New York, where they were born to parents who had moved to that region from the six New England states in the immediate aftermath of the American Revolution, and that they were descended from the English Puritans who emigrated to North America during the early 1600s. Because of the prevalence of New Englanders and New England transplants from upstate New York the county was said to have a "distinctly New England character". While this was true of many neighboring counties it was considered exceptionally true of Goodhue County. The New Englanders brought with them many of their New England values, including a love of education and fervent support of the abolitionist movement. When the New Englanders arrived, they laid out farms, established post routes, and built schools and government buildings out of locally available materials. The New Englanders and their descendants made up the great majority of Goodhue County's inhabitants until the late 19th and early 20th century, when immigrants from Germany and Norway began arriving in the Minnesota-Wisconsin border region in large numbers. There were small numbers of immigrants from Germany, Norway and Sweden during the first several decades of Goodhue County's history as well. Hamline University, Minnesota's first college of higher learning, was started in Red Wing, Minnesota, Red Wing in 1854. It closed during the American Civil War, Civil War, and reopened in 1869 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Saint Paul. The county was a leading producer of wheat during the mid-19th century, and for several years the county boasted the highest wheat production in the country. Fires at two of Red Wing's mills in the 1880s and developing railroad routes across Minnesota encouraged farmers from neighboring counties to begin sending their wheat to Minneapolis mills, reducing the county's importance in the wheat trade around the start of the 20th century. The first municipal swimming pool in the state was built in Goodhue County. In October 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited the county for a bridge dedication ceremony. The Hiawatha Bridge had been built to replace the Old High Bridge that spanned the Mississippi River since 1895. This visit drew 20,000 people. Eisenhower hoped his visit would help in the elections, swaying Minnesota voters to vote for Richard Nixon in the 1960 United States presidential election, 1960 presidential election in the coming month. But John F. Kennedy carried the state on his way to being elected the next president.

Geography

Goodhue County lies on Minnesota's border with Wisconsin (across Lake Pepin). The Cannon River flows eastward through the northern part of the county on its way to discharge into Lake Pepin. The Little Cannon River flows northward through the west-central part of the county, discharging into the Cannon River at Cannon Falls. The Zumbro River#Course, North Fork of the Zumbro River flows eastward through the lower part of the county. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, etched with drainages and gullies, and with high bluffs against the river valleys.''Goodhue County MN'' Google Maps (accessed March 9, 2019)
/ref> The terrain slopes to the east and north; its highest point is near its southwest corner at 1,260' (384m) ASL. The county has an area of , of which is land and (3.0%) is water. Goodhue is one of 17 Minnesota counties with more savanna soils than either prairie or forest soils.

Lakes

* Birch Lake * Brewer Lake * Cannon Lake * Clear Lake * Devils Lake * Espen Lakes * Goose Lake * Lake Byllesby * Larson Lake * Nelson Lake * North Lake * Rattling Springs Lake * Spring Banks Lake * Spring Creek Lake * Sturgeon Lake * Twin Lakes

Major highways

* U.S. Route 52 in Minnesota, U.S. Highway 52 * U.S. Route 61 in Minnesota, U.S. Highway 61 * U.S. Route 63 in Minnesota, U.S. Highway 63 * Minnesota State Highway 19 * Minnesota State Highway 20 * Minnesota State Highway 56 * Minnesota State Highway 57 * Minnesota State Highway 58 * Minnesota State Highway 60 * Minnesota State Highway 246 * Minnesota State Highway 292 * Minnesota State Highway 316 * ''County roads in Goodhue County, Minnesota, List of county roads''

Adjacent counties

* Pierce County, Wisconsin - north * Pepin County, Wisconsin - northeast * Wabasha County, Minnesota, Wabasha County - east * Olmsted County, Minnesota, Olmsted County - southeast * Dodge County, Minnesota, Dodge County - south * Rice County, Minnesota, Rice County - west * Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County - northwest

Protected areas

* Cannon River Turtle Preserve Scientific and Natural Area * Frontenac State Park * Miesville Ravine Park Reserve (part) * North Fork Zumbro Woods Scientific and Natural Area * Spring Creek Prairie Scientific and Natural Area * Woodbury State Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, 2000 census, there were 44,127 people, 16,983 households, and 11,905 families in the county. The population density was 58.3/sqmi (22.5/km²). There were 17,879 housing units at an average density of 23.6/sqmi (9.12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.57% Race (United States Census), White, 0.63% Race (United States Census), Black or Race (United States Census), African American, 0.98% Race (United States Census), Native American, 0.57% Race (United States Census), Asian, 0.03% Race (United States Census), Pacific Islander, 0.53% from Race (United States Census), other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 1.07% of the population were Race (United States Census), Hispanic or Race (United States Census), Latino of any race. There were 16,983 households, out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were Marriage, married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.04. The county population contained 26.50% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $46,972, and the median income for a family was $55,689. Males had a median income of $36,282 versus $25,442 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,934. About 3.70% of families and 5.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.20% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

Communities

Cities

* Bellechester, Minnesota, Bellechester (part) * Cannon Falls, Minnesota, Cannon Falls * Dennison, Minnesota, Dennison (part) * Goodhue, Minnesota, Goodhue * Kenyon, Minnesota, Kenyon * Lake City, Minnesota, Lake City (part) * Pine Island, Minnesota, Pine Island (part) * Red Wing, Minnesota, Red Wing (county seat) * Wanamingo, Minnesota, Wanamingo * Zumbrota, Minnesota, Zumbrota

Census-designated place

* Frontenac, Minnesota, Frontenac

Unincorporated communities

* Belle Creek, Minnesota, Belle Creek * Belvidere Mills, Minnesota, Belvidere Mills * Bombay, Minnesota, Bombay * Claybank, Minnesota, Claybank * Forest Mills, Minnesota, Forest Mills * Hader, Minnesota, Hader * Hay Creek, Minnesota, Hay Creek * Roscoe, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Roscoe * Ryan, Minnesota, Ryan * Skyberg, Minnesota, Skyberg * Sogn, Minnesota, Sogn * Stanton, Minnesota, Stanton * Vasa, Minnesota, Vasa * Wacouta, Minnesota, Wacouta * Wangs, Minnesota, Wangs * Wastedo, Minnesota, Wastedo * Welch, Minnesota, Welch * White Rock, Minnesota, White Rock

Ghost towns

* Central Point Township, Minnesota, Central Point Township * Fairpoint, Minnesota, Fairpoint * Florence, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Florence * Belvidere Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota#Thoten/Belvidere, Thoten/Belvidere

Townships

* Belle Creek Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Belle Creek Township * Belvidere Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Belvidere Township * Cannon Falls Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Cannon Falls Township * Cherry Grove Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Cherry Grove Township * Featherstone Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Featherstone Township * Florence Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Florence Township * Goodhue Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Goodhue Township * Hay Creek Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Hay Creek Township * Holden Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Holden Township * Kenyon Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Kenyon Township * Leon Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Leon Township * Minneola Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Minneola Township * Pine Island Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Pine Island Township * Roscoe Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Roscoe Township * Stanton Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Stanton Township * Vasa Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Vasa Township * Wacouta Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Wacouta Township * Wanamingo Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Wanamingo Township * Warsaw Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Warsaw Township * Welch Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Welch Township * Zumbrota Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Zumbrota Township

Government and politics

Goodhue County usually leans Republican. It has selected the Republican nominee in nine of the eleven presidential elections since 1980.

References

External links

Goodhue County Government's website
{{Coord, 44.41, -92.72, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990 Goodhue County, Minnesota, Minnesota counties Minnesota counties on the Mississippi River 1853 establishments in Minnesota Territory Populated places established in 1853