Beltrami County ( ) is a

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

in the northern 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 sove ...

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 46,228. 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 ...

Bemidji Bemidji ( ) is a city and the county seat of Beltrami County, Minnesota, Beltrami County, in northern Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,574 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. According to 2021 census estimates, the city ...

. The county's name comes from Italian adventurer

Giacomo Beltrami Giacomo Costantino Beltrami (1779 – January 6, 1855) was an Italian jurist, author, and explorer, known for claiming to have discovered the headwaters of the Mississippi River in 1823 while on a trip through much of the United States (later exp ...

from Bergamo, who explored the area in 1825. The county was created in 1866 and organized in 1896. Beltrami County comprises the Bemidji, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area. Portions of the

Leech Lake Leech Lake is a lake located in north central Minnesota, United States. It is southeast of Bemidji, located mainly within the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, and completely within the Chippewa National Forest. It is used as a reservoir. The lake ...

and Red Lake Indian reservations are in the county. The northernmost portion of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

flows through the southern part of the county, through Bemidji. Beltrami, Renville, and Stearns are Minnesota's only counties that abut nine other counties.

Geography

Beltrami County's southwest corner is considered part of the headwaters of the

, which flows easterly and northeasterly from

Lake Itasca Lake Itasca is a small glacial lake, approximately in area. Located in southeastern Clearwater County, in the Headwaters area of north central Minnesota, it is notable for being the headwater of the Mississippi River. The lake is in Itasca Sta ...

through the southern part of the county. Much of the middle and upper county is taken up with the two sections of Red Lake. The county terrain consists of rolling low tree-covered hills, dotted with lakes and ponds.''Beltrami County MN'' Google Maps (accessed March 4, 2019)
/ref> The terrain slopes to the east and north. Its highest point is a small hill 1.3 mile (2.1 km) northwest of Wolf Lake, at 1,511' (460m) ASL; otherwise the terrain high point is near its southwest corner, at 1,457' (444m) ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (18%) is water. It is the fourth-largest county in Minnesota by area.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 2 U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada. Unlike some routes, whi ...

* U.S. Highway 71 *

Minnesota State Highway 1 Minnesota State Highway 1 (MN 1) is a state highway across northern Minnesota, United States, which runs from North Dakota Highway 54 (ND 54) at the North Dakota state line (at the Red River in Oslo) and continues east to its eastern termi ...

Minnesota State Highway 72 Minnesota State Highway 72 (MN 72) is a highway in northwest Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with U.S. 71 in Blackduck and continues north to its northern terminus at the Canada–US border in Baudette. The road cont ...

Minnesota State Highway 89 Minnesota State Highway 89 (MN 89) is a highway in northwest Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with U.S. Highway 2 at Eckles Township, just north of Wilton (near Bemidji) and continues north to its northern terminus at the Canadia ...

Minnesota State Highway 197 Minnesota State Highway 197 (MN 197) is a highway in northwest Minnesota, which runs from its first interchange with U.S. Highways 2 and 71 on the southeast edge of Bemidji and continues north and then west to its second interchange with U ...

Adjacent counties

Lake of the Woods County Lake of the Woods County is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,763, making it the second-least populous county in Minnesota. Its county seat is Baudette. The county co ...

- north *

Koochiching County Koochiching County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,062. Its county seat is International Falls. A portion of the Bois Forte Indian Reservation is in the county. A small part of Voya ...

- northeast *

Itasca County Itasca County (pronounced eye-ta-ska) is located in the U.S. state, State of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 45,014. Its county seat is Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Grand Rapids. The county is named af ...

- east * Cass County - southeast * Hubbard County - south * Clearwater County - southwest * Pennington County - west * Marshall County - west *

Roseau County Roseau County () (pronounced row - so) is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota, along the Canada–US border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,331. Its county seat is Roseau. Roseau County borders the C ...

- northwest

Protected areas

* Bagley Lake State Wildlife Management Area (part) * Buena Vista State Forest *

Chippewa National Forest Chippewa National Forest is a National Forest located in north central Minnesota, United States, in the counties of Itasca, Cass and Beltrami. Forest headquarters are located in Cass Lake, Minnesota. There are local ranger district offices i ...

(part) * Lake Bemidji State Park * Long Lake State Wildlife Management Area * Mississippi Headwaters State Forest (part) * Pine Island State Forest (part) * Red Lake Peatland Scientific and Natural Area (part) * Three Island Lake County Park

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Bemidji have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1950 and a record high of was recorded in July 1975. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in July.

Demographics

As of the 2000 census, there were 39,650 people, 14,337 households, and 9,749 families in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was 15.8/sqmi (6.11/km²). There were 16,989 housing units at an average density of 6.78/sqmi (2.62/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.66%

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 o ...

, 0.36%

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 ...

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 ...

, 20.36% Native American, 0.57%

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 ...

, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.21% 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 1.84% from two or more races. 0.99% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties forme ...

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. 21.6% 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 ...

, 19.7%

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%

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 ...

ancestry. 95.1% spoke

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and 2.4% Ojibwa as their first language. There were 14,337 households, out of which 34.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.30% were married couples living together, 13.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.13. The county population contained 28.70% under the age of 18, 13.90% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $33,392, and the median income for a family was $40,345. Males had a median income of $30,434 versus $22,045 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 $15,497. About 12.90% of families and 17.60% 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 21.70% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over. Over half the children in the county are born out of wedlock. About a third are born to teenaged mothers. The county has about twice the state average in terms of high school dropouts.

2020 Census

Crime

Between 1990 and 2005, the county had a suicide rate four times higher than the state. The county exceeds the state and national rates in both violent and property crimes.

Communities

Cities

(county seat) * Blackduck * Funkley * Kelliher * Solway * Tenstrike * Turtle River * Wilton

Townships

* Alaska Township * Battle Township * Bemidji Township * Benville Township * Birch Township * Buzzle Township * Cormant Township * Durand Township * Eckles Township * Frohn Township * Grant Valley Township * Hagali Township * Hamre Township * Hines Township * Hornet Township * Jones Township * Kelliher Township * Lammers Township * Langor Township * Lee Township * Liberty Township * Maple Ridge Township * Minnie Township * Moose Lake Township * Nebish Township * Northern Township * O'Brien Township * Port Hope Township * Quiring Township * Roosevelt Township * Shooks Township * Shotley Township * Spruce Grove Township * Steenerson Township * Sugar Bush Township * Summit Township * Taylor Township * Ten Lake Township * Turtle Lake Township * Turtle River Township * Waskish Township * Woodrow Township

Unorganized territories

* Brook Lake * Lower Red Lake * North Beltrami * Shotley Brook *

Upper Red Lake Upper Red Lake is an unorganized territory in Beltrami County, Minnesota, U.S. It is a part of the Red Lake Indian Reservation. The population was 25 at the 2000 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the unorganized t ...

Census-designated places

Little Rock ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

* Ponemah * Red Lake * Redby

Unincorporated communities

* Andrusia * Aure * Carmel * Debs * Four Town * Hines * Jelle * Pennington * Pinewood * Puposky * Quiring * Saum * Secluded Acres * Shooks * Waskish * Werner

Government and politics

From the New Deal realignment in

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort to assassinate Emperor Hiro ...

through 1996, Beltrami County leaned Democratic, selecting the Democratic nominee in every presidential election save

Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

's landslides in

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, becomes m ...

and

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming, ar ...

and

Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

's in

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using mean solar tim ...

. In

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

became the first Republican to carry the county since 1972. Bush fell short of a majority, with third parties (particularly

Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combi ...

nominee

Ralph Nader Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes. The son of Lebanese immigrants to the U ...

) doing well statewide, but his 48.5% vote share was higher than any Republican's from 1964 to 1996 save Nixon in 1972 and

Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

. Beltrami returned to the Democratic column in the next three elections, but in

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...

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 P ...

became the second Republican since 1972 to carry the county, winning a bare majority; in

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...

, he won it again, but the margin of victory shrank. On January 7, 2020, in response to Trump's executive order, the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners voted to prohibit refugees from resettling in the area.

Education

School districts include:
Text list
/ref> * Bemidji Public School District * Blackduck Public School District * Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools * Kelliher Public School District * Red Lake Public School District * Grygla Public School District

References

External links

Official website

360 Degree Virtual Tour
of 2011 Beltrami County Fair {{Coord, 48.02, -94.92, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990 Minnesota counties 1896 establishments in Minnesota Populated places established in 1896 Minnesota counties on the Mississippi River