Todd 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 central part of 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 25,262. 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 Long Prairie.

History

The county was created by the Minnesota Territorial legislature on February 20, 1855, although the county government was not organized until January 1, 1867, with Long Prairie as the county seat. It was named for

John Blair Smith Todd John Blair Smith Todd (April 4, 1814 – January 5, 1872) was a Delegate from Dakota Territory to the United States House of Representatives and a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Early life, education, and family T ...

, who was a delegate from

Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of No ...

to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

, and general in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Geography

The

Crow Wing River The Crow Wing River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed November 29, 2012 tributary of the Mississippi River in Minnesota, United States. The river rises at an elevation ...

flows southeastward along the northeastern border of Todd County. The

Long Prairie River The Long Prairie River is a tributary of the Crow Wing River, long, in central Minnesota in the United States. Via the Crow Wing River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of in a generally rural region. His ...

flows east-northeast through the central part of the county, discharging into the Crow Wing on the county's northeastern border. The Wing River, northwest of the Long Prairie River, also flows into the Crow Wing. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, dotted with lakes and etched with drainages. The area is devoted to agriculture.''Todd County MN'' Google Maps (accessed March 14, 2019)
/ref> The terrain slopes to the east and south, with its highest point on the west border at 1,483' (452m) ASL. The county has a total area of 980 sq mi (2538 km²), of which 945 sq mi (2448 km²) is land and 35 sq mi (90.7 km²)(3.5%) is water.

Major highways

Interstate 94 Interstate 94 (I-94) is an east–west Interstate Highway connecting the Great Lakes and northern Great Plains regions of the United States. Its western terminus is just east of Billings, Montana, at a junction with I-90; its eastern ter ...

U.S. Highway 10 U.S. Route 10 or U.S. Highway 10 (US 10) is an east–west United States highway located in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the United States. Unlike most U.S. routes with "0" as the last digit of its route number, US 10 ...

* U.S. Highway 52 *

U.S. Highway 71 U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstat ...

Minnesota State Highway 27 Minnesota State Highway 27 (MN 27) is a state highway in west-central and east-central Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with MN 28 in Browns Valley and continues east to its interchange with Interstate 35 (I-35) in M ...

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 ...

Minnesota State Highway 210 Minnesota State Highway 210 (MN 210) is a state highway in west-central, central, and northeast Minnesota, which runs from North Dakota Highway 210 (ND 210) at the North Dakota state line (at Breckenridge), and continues east to its east ...

Minnesota State Highway 287 Minnesota State Highway 287 (MN 287) is a highway in west-central Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 28 in Grey Eagle and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S. 71 / State Highw ...

Adjacent counties

* Wadena County (north) * Cass County (northeast) *

Morrison County Morrison County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,010. Its county seat is Little Falls. Camp Ripley Military Reservation occupies a significant area in north-central Morrison County. His ...

(east) * Stearns County (south) * Douglas County (west) * Otter Tail County (northwest)

Lakes

* Bass Lake * Beauty Lake * Big Birch Lake (part) * Big Lake * Big Swan Lake * Buckhorn Lake * Bunker Lake * Cedar Lake * Charlotte Lake * Coal Lake * Fairly Lake * Fawn Lake * Felix Lake * Goose Lake * Guernsey Lake * Hayden Lake * Juergens Lake * Keller Lake * Lady Lake * Lake Osakis (part) * Latimer Lake * Lawrence Lake * Little Birch Lake (part) * Little Sauk Lake * Long Lake (Birchdale Twp.) * Long Lake (Burnhamville Twp.) * Maple Lake * Mary Lake (part) * McCarrahan Lake * Mill Lake * Mud Lake * Pauley Lake * Pendergast Lake * Pine Island Lake * Rice Lake * Sauk Lake (part) * Schreiers Lake * Sheet Lake * Trace Lake * Twin Lakes (part) * West Union Lake

Protected areas

* Aurzada Wildlife Management Area * Buckhorn Lake State Wildlife Management Area * Burleene State Wildlife Management Area * Dower State Wildlife Management Area * Elgin Woods Wildlife Management Area * Iona Wildlife Management Area * Ireland State Wildlife Management Area * Long Prairie River Wildlife Management Area * Oak Ridge State Wildlife Management Area * Ojakis Wildlife Management Area (part) * Owen-Hinz Wildlife Management Area * Quistorff Wildlife Management Area * Randall State Wildlife Management Area * Santer Wildlife Management Area * Sheet Lake Wildlife Management Area * West Union Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 24,426 people, 9,342 households, and 6,511 families in Todd 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 25.8/sqmi (9.98/km²). There were 11,900 housing units at an average density of 12.6/sqmi (4.86/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.54%

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 ...

, 0.11%

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 ...

, 0.48% Native American, 0.31%

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 ...

, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.72% 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 0.82% from two or more races. 1.90% 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. 52.1% 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 **Ge ...

, 11.3%

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 ...

and 5.6%

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

ancestry. There were 9,342 households, out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% 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, 6.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.14. The county population contained 27.40% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 101.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.00 males. The median income for a household in the county was $32,281, and the median income for a family was $39,920. Males had a median income of $28,630 versus $20,287 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 $15,658. About 9.60% of families and 12.90% 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 14.60% of those under age 18 and 13.50% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

Amish

Todd County has a large concentration of

Amish The Amish (; pdc, Amisch; german: link=no, Amische), formally the Old Order Amish, are a group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christian church fellowships with Swiss German and Alsatian origins. They are closely related to Mennonite churches ...

, about the same population size as the Amish settlement at

Harmony In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...

. It is home to five different Amish communities, with altogether seven church districts in 2013, which indicates a total population of about 1000 people.

Communities

Cities

Bertha Bertha is a female Germanic name, from Old High German ''berhta'' meaning "bright one". It was usually a short form of Anglo Saxon names ''Beorhtgifu'' meaning "bright gift" or ''Beorhtwynn'' meaning "bright joy". The name occurs as a theonym, s ...

* Browerville * Burtrum *

Clarissa ''Clarissa; or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life. And Particularly Shewing, the Distresses that May Attend the Misconduct Both of Parents and Children, In Relation to Marriage'' is an epist ...

* Eagle Bend * Grey Eagle * Hewitt * Long Prairie (county seat) * Osakis (partly in Douglas County) * Staples (partly in Wadena County) * West Union

Unincorporated communities

Philbrook Philbrook is a locational surname of British origin. An alternative spelling is Philbrick. The surname spread to America when Thomas Philbrick emigrated to Massachusetts in 1633. Retrieved 25 January 2014. The name may refer to: *Frank Philbrook ...

* Pillsbury * Ward Springs

Townships

* Bartlett *

* Birchdale *

Bruce The English language name Bruce arrived in Scotland with the Normans, from the place name Brix, Manche in Normandy, France, meaning "the willowlands". Initially promulgated via the descendants of king Robert the Bruce (1274−1329), it has been a ...

* Burleene * Burnhamville * Eagle Valley * Fawn Lake *

Germania Germania ( ; ), also called Magna Germania (English: ''Great Germania''), Germania Libera (English: ''Free Germania''), or Germanic Barbaricum to distinguish it from the Roman province of the same name, was a large historical region in north- ...

Gordon Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Clan Gordon, ...

* Grey Eagle *

Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

Iona Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: �iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there ...

* Kandota * Leslie * Little Elk * Little Sauk * Long Prairie * Moran *

Reynolds Reynolds may refer to: Places Australia *Hundred of Reynolds, a cadastral unit in South Australia *Hundred of Reynolds (Northern Territory), a cadastral unit in the Northern Territory of Australia United States * Reynolds, Mendocino County, Calif ...

* Round Prairie * Staples * Stowe Prairie * Turtle Creek *

Villard Villard may refer to: People * Villard (surname) Places France * Villard, Creuse * Villard, Haute-Savoie * Villard-Bonnot, in the Isère department *Villard-de-Lans, in the Isère department * Villard-d'Héry, in the Savoie department * Villard- ...

Ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

* West Union * Wykeham

Government and Politics

Todd County voters tend to vote Republican. In 71% of national elections since 1960, the county selected the Republican Party candidate (as of 2020).

References

External links

Todd County government’s website
{{Coord, 46.07, -94.90, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990 Minnesota counties 1867 establishments in Minnesota Populated places established in 1867