Lake Lillian is a city in Kandiyohi County,

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, United States. The population was 246 at the 2020 census.

History

The town of Lake Lillian formed in February 1923 when railroad tracks were laid for the Luce Line Railroad. The name Lake Lillian came from the nearby lake Lake Lillian. The lake was named after Lillian Whitefield, wife of Edwin Whitefield who explored this area in 1856. The town was incorporated on February 25, 1926. The first school was built in Lake Lillian in 1913. In 1926, there was a report of oil being discovered in the city limits. During World War II, a hemp processing plan was built near Lake Lillian to help the war effort. In 1955, a new school was built. In 1965, Lake Lillian voted to approve the sale of liquor.

Lake Lillian Farmers Cooperative Elevator explosion

On Friday, May 11, 1984, an explosion occurred at the Lake Lillian Farmers Cooperative Elevator in Minnesota. The blast killed two men and injured four others. The explosion was attributed to grain dust ignited by a spark, possibly from a small rock or piece of concrete or metal in the grinding and mix room. Among the victims, Lawrence Fuchs and Steve Nelson suffered fatal burns, while David Garberich and others endured severe injuries. The structure sustained significant damage, but its design prevented total collapse by allowing pressure from the explosion to escape through large windows on the upper floors. OSHA officials conducted an investigation and identified grain dust as the primary hazard. This incident prompted changes in safety practices at the facility, including the installation of dust vacuum systems during grain unloading. The tragedy led to increased awareness of the dangers of grain dust, influencing workplace safety regulations and prompting federal hearings on the issue. The elevator building stands today but is no longer in use.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land. Minnesota State Highway 7 serves as a main route in the community. Directly to the north is Lake Lillian which has a total area of 1,149 acres.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 238 people, 121 households, and 61 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...

was . There were 136 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.4%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.4% Asian, and 0.8% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population. There were 121 households, of which 19.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.6% were non-families. 43.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.72. The median age in the city was 46.6 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.5% were from 25 to 44; 28.2% were from 45 to 64; and 25.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.1% male and 47.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 257 people, 124 households, and 71 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 135 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 99.22%

, 0.78% from other races.

or Latino of any race were 4.28% of the population. There were 124 households, out of which 22.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were

living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.75. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,458, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $29,205 versus $19,500 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,881. About 9.7% of families and 14.6% 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 21.7% of those under the age of eighteen and 12.7% of those 65 or over.

Notable people

* Jake Nordin, professional football player

Gallery

Lakeview Street at Milkiway Avenue-Lake Lillian, Minnesota.jpg, Lakeview Street at Milkiway Avenue City Hall-Lake Lillian, Minnesota.jpg, City Hall Post Office-Lake Lillian, Minnesota.jpg, Post Office Lake Lillian, Minnesota.jpg, Lake Lillian Public Library-Lake Lillian, Minnesota.jpg, Fire Department-Municipal Building-Lake Lillian, Minnesota.jpg, Fire Department-Municipal Building

References

External links

City website

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column that discusses Lake Lillian {{authority control Cities in Minnesota Cities in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota