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Cokato is a city in Wright County,
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 List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...
, United States. The population was 2,799 at the 2020 census.


History

Cokato was founded in 1869 when the First Division of the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad was extended to that point. The city was named after a Siouan word meaning "amid". Cokato was incorporated as a
village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...
in 1878.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy An economy is an area of th ...
, the city has an area of , all land.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2010, there were 2,694 people in 1,000 households, including 652 families, in the city. The population density was . There were 1,103 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.0% White, 0.3% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 2.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.3%. Of the 1,000 households 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.8% were non-families. 30.1% of households were one person and 15.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.29. The median age was 32.5 years. 31.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 20.6% were from 45 to 64; and 15.2% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.


2000 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, there were 2,727 people in 990 households, including 663 families, in the city. The population density was . There were 1,035 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.81% White, 0.15% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.25% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.68%. 29.5% 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 ...
, 24.2% Finnish, 15.3%
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 9.8% Norwegian ancestry. Of the 990 households 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 29.7% of households were one person and 17.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.33. The age distribution was 31.8% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 16.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males. The median household income was $39,613 and the median family income was $51,645. Males had a median income of $35,362 versus $21,484 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,149. About 7.1% of families and 7.7% 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 ...
, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 14.9% of those age 65 or over.


Arts and culture

Cokato is home to the
Cokato Museum & Gust Akerlund Studio The Cokato Museum & Gust Akerlund Studio is a local history museum in Cokato, Minnesota, United States, focused on the city of Cokato and the surrounding townships of southwest Wright County. The museum comprises two adjacent buildings, the mod ...
. The museum is a local history museum chronicling the story of the people of Cokato and the surrounding townships in southwest Wright County. The Akerlund Studio is a restored photography studio, and home of Gust Akerlund, who operated it during the early 20th century. Since 1950, Cokato has hosted the Cokato Corn Carnival annually during the second week of August in Peterson Park, near Cokato Elementary School. The festival's highlight is the serving of free corn-on-the-cob, along with a parade, midway and carnival rides, musical entertainment, the Miss Cokato coronation, and other events. The Aho family of Cokato was featured by journalist
Steve Hartman Stephen Robert Hartman (born April 14, 1963) is an American broadcast journalist. Hartman earned a degree in broadcast journalism at Bowling Green State University, graduating in 1985. Hartman lives with his wife, Andrea, and their three chil ...
on CBS News Sunday Morning on December 9, 2012, for having 12 sons who all played football at the local high school over more than two decades


Government


Education

Cokato is part of the Dassel-Cokato School District, ISD #466.


Infrastructure

U.S. Route 12 in Minnesota, U.S. Highway 12 serves as a main route in the city. The BNSF Railway serves the community as a part of the Wayzata Subdivision.


Notable people

*
Sydney Eckman Ahlstrom Sydney Eckman Ahlstrom (1919–1984) was an American historian. He was a Yale University professor and a specialist in the history of religion, religious history of the United States. Biography Ahlstrom was born on December 16, 1919, in Cokato, ...
– university professor and historian of American religion. Graduate of
Gustavus Adolphus College Gustavus Adolphus College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in St. Peter, Minnesota. It was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans led by Eric Norelius and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Gustavus gets its n ...
(B.A., 1941), the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...
(M.A., 1946), and
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
(Ph.D., 1952). Joined the history faculty of
Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
in 1954, where he taught until his retirement in 1984. In 1972 he published ''
A Religious History of the American People ''A Religious History of the American People'' (1st edition 1972, 2nd edition 2004) is a book by Sydney E. Ahlstrom and published by Yale University Press. The first edition was 1,158 pages in length, the second 1,192. The book has been widely rev ...
''; this landmark study won the
National Book Award The National Book Awards are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. The N ...
for Philosophy and Religion in 1973. Made a fellow of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, ...
in 1978. Born in Cokato 1919; Cokato High School class of 1937. * David Bromstad – interior designer and television personality. In 2006 he won the first season of '' HGTV Design Star''. He is the host of '' Color Splash with David Bromstad'', which debuted in 2007 on
HGTV HGTV (an initialism for Home & Garden Television) is an American pay television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The network primarily broadcasts reality programming related to home improvement and real estate. As of February 2015, ...
. He has also hosted HGTV's ''Color Splash Miami'' and ''My Lottery Dream Home''. Born in Cokato 1973. *
George August Borg George August Borg (July 3, 1888 – October 27, 1968) was an American businessman and politician. Borg was born in Carver County, Minnesota and was raised on a farm. He served in the United States Army in the Officers Reserve Corps. Borg went ...
- businessman and Minnesota state legislator * Steve Knapp – driver on the USF2000 and IndyCar circuits. USF2000 season champion in 1996. Competed in the
Indianapolis 500 The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of India ...
from 1998 to 2000. As one of only three drivers to complete all 200 laps of the 1998 Indianapolis 500, Knapp finished behind only Eddie Cheever and Buddy Lazier and won rookie of the year. Owns and operates Elite Engines, designer and manufacturer of customized racing power plants, in
West Bend, WI West Bend is the county seat of Washington County, Wisconsin, Washington County, Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 31,752. History Early history and settlement Northeastern Washington County's earliest known inhabitants wer ...
. Cokato High School class of 1982.


References


External links


City of Cokato Minnesota

{{authority control Cities in Minnesota Cities in Wright County, Minnesota Populated places established in 1869 1869 establishments in Minnesota