Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the state of

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 ...

. The population was 44,488 according to the 2020 census, making it the 21st-largest city in Minnesota, and the 5th-largest outside of the

Minneapolis–Saint Paul Minneapolis–Saint Paul is a metropolitan area in the Upper Midwestern United States centered around the confluence of the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix rivers in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is commonly known as the Twin Citi ...

metropolitan area. It is along a large bend of the

Minnesota River The Minnesota River ( dak, Mnísota Wakpá) is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles (534 km) long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa. It ris ...

at its

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river ( main stem); ...

with the Blue Earth River. Mankato is across the Minnesota River from

North Mankato North Mankato ( ) is a city in Nicollet and Blue Earth counties in the State of Minnesota. The population was 14,275 at the 2020 census. Most of North Mankato is in Nicollet County, but a small part extends into Blue Earth County. It is neig ...

. Mankato and North Mankato have a combined population of 58,763 according to the 2020 census. It completely encompasses the town of

Skyline A skyline is the outline or shape viewed near the horizon. It can be created by a city’s overall structure, or by human intervention in a rural setting, or in nature that is formed where the sky meets buildings or the land. City skyline ...

. North of

Mankato Regional Airport Mankato Regional Airport is a public airport located five miles (8 km) northeast of the central business district of Mankato, a city in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, United States. This airport is publicly owned by the city of Mankato. ...

, a tiny non-contiguous part of the city lies within Le Sueur County. Most of the city is in Blue Earth County. Mankato is the larger of the two principal cities of the Mankato-North Mankato metropolitan area, which covers Blue Earth and Nicollet Counties and had a combined population of 103,566 at the 2020 census. The U.S. Census Bureau designated Mankato a Metropolitan Statistical Area in November 2008. In 2017, Schools.com named Mankato the second-best small college town in the United States.

History

Execution of 38 Sioux Indians at Mankato Minnesota 1862

Mankato Township was not settled by European Americans until

Parsons King Johnson Parsons King Johnson (May 8, 1816 – November 23, 1907) was an American pioneer. Born in Brandon, Vermont, he settled in St. Paul, Minnesota Territory in 1849. He was the first person to settle in what is now Mankato, Minnesota. He serv ...

in February 1852, as part of the 19th-century migration of people from the east across the Midwest. New residents organized the city of Mankato on May 11, 1858, the day Minnesota became a state. The city was organized by Johnson, Henry Jackson,

Daniel A. Robertson Daniel A. Robertson (May 13, 1812 – March 16, 1895) was a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician, newspaper proprietor, and lawyer who served in local and state politics in Ohio and Minnesota. Robertson served in the Ohio Consti ...

, Justus C. Ramsey, and others. A popular story says that the city was supposed to have been named ''Mahkato'', but a typographical error by a clerk established the name as Mankato. According to

Warren Upham Warren Upham (March 8, 1850 – January 29, 1934) was an American geologist, archaeologist, and librarian who is best known for his studies of glacial Lake Agassiz. Biography Warren Upham was born in Amherst, New Hampshire and attended Dartmout ...

, quoting historian Thomas Hughes of Mankato, "The honor of christening the new city was accorded to Col. Robertson. He had taken the name from Nicollet's book, in which the French explorer compared the 'Mahkato' or Blue Earth River, with all its tributaries, to the water nymphs and their uncle in the German legend of

Undine Undines (; also ondines) are a category of elemental beings associated with water, stemming from the alchemical writings of Paracelsus. Later writers developed the undine into a water nymph in its own right, and it continues to live in modern li ...

...No more appropriate name could be given the new city, than that of the noble river at whose mouth it is located." While it is uncertain that the city was intended to be called Mahkato, the Dakota called the river ''Makato Osa Watapa'' ("the river where blue earth is gathered"). The Anglo settlers adapted that as "Blue Earth River". Frederick Webb Hodge, in the ''Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico'', said the town was named after the older of the two like-named chiefs of the

Mdewakanton The Mdewakanton or Mdewakantonwan (also spelled ''Mdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ'' and currently pronounced ''Bdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ'') are one of the sub-tribes of the Isanti (Santee) Dakota (Sioux). Their historic home is Mille Lacs Lake ( Dakota: ''Mde ...

nation of the Santee Dakota, whose village stood on or near the site of the present town. '' Ishtakhaba'', also known as Chief Sleepy Eye, of the Sisseton band, was said to have directed settlers to this location. He said the site at the confluence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth Rivers was well suited to building and river traffic, and yet safe from flooding. On December 26, 1862,

United States Volunteers United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Volunteer Army, or other variations of these, were military volunteers called upon during wartime to assist the United States Army but who were separate from both the Regular Army and t ...

of the State of Minnesota carried out the largest mass execution in U.S. history at Mankato after the

Dakota War of 1862 The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, the Dakota Uprising, the Sioux Outbreak of 1862, the Dakota Conflict, the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, or Little Crow's War, was an armed conflict between the United States and several ban ...

. Companies of the 7th,

8th 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. In mathematics 8 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2. * a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number ...

9th 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...

, 10th Minnesota Infantry Regiments, and Minnesota Cavalry oversaw the hanging of 38 men: 35 Santee Sioux and 3 biracial French/native American, for their involvement in the war crimes committed during the uprising. 9th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, The Civil War - Battle Unit Details, Union Minnesota Volunteers, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior websit

/ref>10th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Battle Unit Details, Union Minnesota Volunteers, National Park Service, Department of the Interior websit

/ref> The crimes included intentional killings, mutilations and rapes of hundreds of unarmed civilians. A USV military tribunal reviewed nearly 500 cases, of which 303 received a death sentence, but Abraham Lincoln, President Lincoln requested the court files. He reviewed them, placing the rape cases at the top, and pardoning 265.

Episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

Bishop

Henry Benjamin Whipple Henry Benjamin Whipple (February 15, 1822 – September 16, 1901) was the first Episcopal bishop of Minnesota, who gained a reputation as a humanitarian and an advocate for Native Americans. Summary of his life Born in Adams, New York, he was ...

urged leniency to which Lincoln responded that he had to take a balanced approach. His position and dismissals were unpopular in Minnesota. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the event a large granite marker was erected that stood at the site until 1971, when the city took it down. Today, a different monument marks the execution site. Across the street are two monuments to the indigenous people in what it called Reconciliation Park. The Blue Earth County Library, Main street and Reconciliation Park cover the immediate vicinity of the execution site. In 1880, Mankato was Minnesota's fourth-most populous city, with 5,500 residents. Former Vice President

Schuyler Colfax Schuyler Colfax Jr. (; March 23, 1823 – January 13, 1885) was an American journalist, businessman, and politician who served as the 17th vice president of the United States from 1869 to 1873, and prior to that as the 25th Speaker of the United ...

died while traveling through Mankato on January 13, 1885.

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 a total area of , of which is land and is water. The

, Blue Earth, and Le Sueur rivers all flow through or near the city.

Climate

Mankato has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

, type ''Dfa'' (hot summer subtype). Winters are cold, with snow cover (continuous most winter seasons) beginning typically between mid-November and mid-December, ending in March most years. However, Mankato often receives less snow than areas to its north and east. For example,

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with list of lakes in Minneapolis, thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. ...

, northeast of Mankato, averages over of snow per winter season, compared to Mankato's seasonal average of . The coldest month, January, has an average monthly temperature around . Dangerously low wind-chill temperatures are a significant hazard during the winter months, as Arctic air outbreaks rush into the area from Canada, borne on high winds; this can bring about ground blizzard conditions, especially in nearby rural areas. Summers are warm, with occasional but usually brief hot, humid periods, often interspersed with pushes of cooler air from Canada, often preceded by showers and thunderstorms. The hottest month, July, has an average monthly temperature around . Precipitation falls year round, but falls mostly as snow from December to February, sometimes March, and as showers and thunderstorms during the warmer season, from May to September. Mankato's average wettest months are from June to August, with frequent thunderstorm activity. Mankato lies on the northern fringe of the central United States’ main tornado belt, with lower risk than in Iowa and Missouri to the south. The highest-risk months for severe thunderstorms and (rarely) tornadoes, are May through July. However, a very unusual early tornado outbreak affected areas within of Mankato on March 29, 1998, when an F3 tornado hit St. Peter, to Mankato's north. On August 17, 1946, tornadoes struck southwestern areas of Mankato and the town of Wells to the southeast, killing 11 people.

Demographics

2020 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 2020, there were 44,693 people and 17,196 households residing in the city. The city's racial makeup was 85.7%

White White is the lightness, 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 diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 6.9%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.1% Native American, 3.4% Asian, 1.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races.

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 for ...

or Latino people of any race were 4.4% of the population. The city's gender makeup was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 39,309 people, 14,851 households, and 7,093 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 15,784 housing units at an average density of . The city's racial makeup was 89.9%

, 4.0%

, 0.3% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 2.9% of the population. There were 14,851 households, of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 52.2% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age in the city was 25.4 years. 16.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 32.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 16.6% were from 45 to 64; and 10.6% were 65 years of age or older. The city's gender makeup was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 32,427 people, 12,367 households, and 6,059 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,132.5 people per square mile (823.2/km). There were 12,759 housing units at an average density of 839.1 per square mile (323.9/km). The city's racial makeup was 92.55%

, 1.90%

, 0.34% Native American, 2.81% Asian, 0.10%

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 Ocea ...

, 0.94% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 2.22% of the population. There were 12,367 households, of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.0% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.90. 16.9% of the city's residents were under the age of 18; 32.5% were between age 18 and 24; 23.9% were from 25 to 44; 15.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11.3% were age 65 or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males. The city's median household income was $33,956, and the median family income was $47,297. Males had a median income of $30,889 versus $22,081 for females. The city's per capita income in 2010 was $25,772. About 8.5% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over. In 2010, the

unemployment rate Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the refer ...

was 5.7%.

Economy

Top employers

According to the City's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture

Major events

*Minnesota State University was home to the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansio ...

summer training camp for 52 years. The Vikings announced their training camp would move to Eagan starting in 2018.

Places of interest

*The Betsy & Tacy Houses * Blue Earth County Courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places (

NRHP The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

) * Federal Courthouse and Post Office (NRHP) * First National Bank of Mankato (NRHP) * First Presbyterian Church (NRHP) *

Good Counsel Hill Good Counsel Hill is a notable location in Mankato, Minnesota. This hill is located off US Highway 14 and is home to Loyola Catholic School and a motherhouse for the School Sisters of Notre Dame School Sisters of Notre Dame is a worldwide reli ...

* Happy Chef original restaurant and company headquarters; Mankato also is home to the last surviving 36-foot Happy Chef statue *The Hubbard House Blue Earth County Historical Society – French Second Empire style built in 1871 (NRHP) * ISG Field, home of the Mankato Moondogs of the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league *The Cray Mansion (NRHP) * River Hills Mall *

Sibley Park Sibley Park is a city park located at the convergence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth Rivers in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. The park was established in 1887 and was named for the state's first governor Henry Hastings Sibley. The park is ...

is a city park along the river in Mankato. *The

Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center The Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center is a 5,280-seat (8,200 for concerts) multi-purpose arena in Mankato, Minnesota, built in 1994 and opened in early 1995. It is home to the Minnesota State Mavericks men's ice hockey team and women's ice h ...

, an arena in downtown Mankato formerly operated under the names Mankato Civic Center, Midwest Wireless Civic Center, Alltel Center, Verizon Wireless Center, and Verizon Center

Government and politics

Mankato is in

Minnesota's 1st congressional district Minnesota's 1st congressional district extends across southern Minnesota from the border with South Dakota to the border with Wisconsin. It is a primarily rural district built on a strong history of agriculture, though this is changing rapidly d ...

, represented by Brad Finstad. It is in

Minnesota Senate The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are h ...

district 19, represented by Nick Frentz, and

Minnesota House The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. There are 134 members, twice as many as the Minnesota Senate. Floor sessions are held in the north wing of the State Capitol in Saint P ...

district 19B, represented by Luke Frederick. Mankato voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.

Education

The Mankato Area Public Schools are consolidated to include the cities of Mankato, North Mankato, Eagle Lake, and Madison Lake. There are ten elementary schools (Franklin, Eagle Lake, Kennedy, Washington, Roosevelt, Jefferson, Monroe, Hoover, Rosa Parks, and Bridges); two middle schools (Dakota Meadows Middle School and Prairie Winds Middle School); and two high schools ( Mankato West High School and

Mankato East High School Mankato East High School is a four-year public high school in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. The present school opened in 1973. Athletics The Mankato East Cougars are part of the Big 9 Conference. Notable alumni * Greg Orman - American busin ...

). Mankato has four parochial schools:

Loyola Catholic School Loyola Catholic School is located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester and serves students in PreK-Grade 12. History The first Catholic school in Mankato was started at Saints Peter and Paul ...

, Immanuel Lutheran Grade School and High School (K–12), Mount Olive Lutheran School (K–8) and Risen Savior Lutheran School (K–8). There is also a public

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

, Kato Public Charter School. The alternative school Central High, on Fulton Street, is another educational option. The Blue Earth County Library, part of the Traverse des Sioux Library System, serves the city.

Higher education institutions

* Minnesota State University was opened as the second state normal school in 1868 and is the second largest university in the state of Minnesota by enrollment. With an annual operating budget of over $200 million, Minnesota State provides a net economic benefit of over $452 million annually to Minnesota's south-central region. It is one of the largest employers in the Mankato area. *

South Central College South Central College (SCC) is a public community college in Faribault and North Mankato, Minnesota North Mankato ( ) is a city in Nicollet and Blue Earth counties in the State of Minnesota. The population was 14,275 at the 2020 census. M ...

Bethany Lutheran College Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) is a private Christian liberal arts college in Mankato, Minnesota. Founded in 1927, BLC is operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The campus overlooks the Minnesota River valley in a community of 53,000. ...

Rasmussen University Rasmussen University is a private for-profit university with multiple locations throughout the United States. It offers associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees at 23 campuses in Minnesota, Illinois, North Dakota, Florida, Wisconsin ...

Media

The major daily newspaper in the area is the '' Mankato Free Press''.

Television

KMNF-LD KMNF-LD (channel 7) is a low-power television station in Mankato, Minnesota, United States, affiliated with NBC and The CW Plus. It is owned by Gray Television alongside dual CBS/Fox affiliate KEYC-TV (channel 12). Both stations share studio ...

(

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters ...

) * KEYC-TV ( CBS)

Radio

FM

* 89.1 FM, KTIS (AM), Christian talk and teaching * 89.7 FM, KMSU, college radio * 90.5 FM, KNGA,

Minnesota Public Radio Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), is a public radio network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, YourClassical MPR and The Current, MPR operates a 46-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest. MPR ha ...

* 91.5 FM, KGAC, classical * 93.1 FM,

KATO-FM KATO-FM (93.1 MHz) is a radio station in Mankato ( licensed to New Ulm) and serving the Minnesota River Valley. The station airs a classic hits radio format. KATO is owned by Linder Radio Group. History This station was originally KNUJ-FM, an ...

, classic hits * 94.1 FM, KXLP, classic rock * 94.9 FM, KTIS-FM, contemporary Christian music * 95.3 FM,

KCMP KCMP (89.3 FM, 89.3 The Current) is a radio station owned by Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) that broadcasts a AAA music format including a significant rotation of songs by local artists. Licensed to Northfield, Minnesota and covering the Minneapo ...

, adult album alternative * 95.7 FM, KMKO-FM, active rock * 96.7 FM, KDOG, top 40 * 99.1 FM, KEEZ-FM, adult contemporary * 100.5 FM, KXAC, country * 101.5 FM,

KEMJ KEMJ (101.5 FM, "101-5 The Emoji") is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format serving the St. James/ Fairmont, Minnesota area. The station is currently owned by Linder Radio Group {{unreferenced, date=November 2021 Linder Ra ...

, adult contemporary * 101.7 FM, KMKO-FM, active rock * 102.7 FM, KTOE, news/talk * 103.1 FM, KFSP, sport talk * 103.5 FM, KYSM-FM, country * 104.5 FM,

KJLY KJLY (104.5 FM) is a radio station located in Blue Earth, Minnesota. The station airs a Christian-based religious format. KJLY also uses a number of low-powered translators throughout the southern Minnesota and northern Iowa regions, in t ...

, Christian * 105.1 FM,

, adult album alternative * 105.5 FM, KRBI-FM, adult contemporary * 107.1 FM,

, Christian

AM

* 860, KNUJ (AM), news/talk * 1230, KFSP, sports talk * 1420, KTOE, news/talk

Notable people

* Barry Anderson, Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court * Walter Jackson Bate, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, born in Mankato in 1918 * Daniel Buck, Minnesota jurist and politician *

Con Bunde Conley Ralph "Con" Bunde (born August 4, 1938) was an American educator and politician. He was born in Mankato, Minnesota. Bunde graduated from Mankato High School in 1956. He then served in the United States Army for three years. Bunde received h ...

, Alaska state legislator and educator *

Frederick Russell Burnham Frederick Russell Burnham DSO (May 11, 1861 – September 1, 1947) was an American scout and world-traveling adventurer. He is known for his service to the British South Africa Company and to the British Army in colonial Africa, and for teac ...

, "father of the international scouting movement" born near Mankato in 1861 * Joseph Francis Busch, Roman Catholic prelate, Diocese of Rapid City,

Diocese of Saint Cloud The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud ( la, Dioecesis Sancti Clodoaldi) is a Roman Catholic diocese in Minnesota, United States. This diocese covers Benton, Douglas, Grant, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Pope, Sherb ...

, Minnesota * Howard Burnham, mining engineer, born near Mankato in 1870 *

Jimmy Chin Jimmy Chin (born ) is an American professional mountain athlete, photographer, film director, and author. Chin has been a professional climber and skier on The North Face Athlete team for over 20 years. In 2006, Chin achieved the first succe ...

, professional climber and mountaineer, Academy Award winner for Best Documentary * George Contant, outlaw of the American West, brother of John Sontag * Marvel Cooke, journalist, writer and civil rights activist * David R. Cummiskey, Minnesota legislator * Craig Dahl, NFL safety, New York Giants * Adolph Olson Eberhart, seventeenth

Governor of Minnesota The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty people have been governor of Minnesota, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. ...

William S. Ervin William S. Ervin (September 4, 1886 – April 2, 1951) was an American attorney and politician from Minnesota. A member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party, he is most notable for his service as Attorney General of Minnesota from 1936 to 1939 ...

, Attorney General of Minnesota * Ronald G. Evans, Minnesota legislator and businessman *

Cliff Fagan Clifford B. Fagan (March 3, 1911 – January 18, 1995) was a high school basketball referee who became executive director of the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations (NFHS) and eventually president of the Basketball Hall ...

, basketball referee, Basketball Hall of Fame * Sal Frederick, Minnesota legislator and businessman *

Kelly Gage Fred Kelton Gage, Jr. (June 20, 1925 – October 5, 2017) was an American lawyer and politician. Kelly Gage was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. Gage received his law degree from Universi ...

, Minnesota legislator and lawyer * Albert P. Halfhill, tuna packing industry * Milton Hanna,

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polic ...

veteran,

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...

recipient * Justin Hartwig, former NFL center * Geoff Herbach, novelist * Robert Louis Hodapp, Roman Catholic bishop * Ron Johnson, Republican U.S. Senator * Jack Kodell, stage magician *

Sinclair Lewis Harry Sinclair Lewis (February 7, 1885 – January 10, 1951) was an American writer and playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States (and the first from the Americas) to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, which wa ...

, author * Mike Lindell, founder of MyPillow and conspiracy theorist * Maud Hart Lovelace, author of the Betsy-Tacy series of books * Bob Paffrath, professional football player * Mark Piepho, Minnesota politician and businessman *

Mike Ploog Michael G. Ploog (; born July 13, 1940 or 1942) is an American storyboard and comic book artist, and a visual designer for films. In comics, Ploog is best known for his work on Marvel Comics' 1970s '' Man-Thing'' and '' The Monster of Frankenste ...

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. ...

and film-production artist * Edmund Mann Pope, United States military officer, businessman, and Minnesota state senator * Dudley Riggs, Brave New Workshop, graduated from Minnesota State University Mankato * Joseph Rosser, Secretary of

Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Minnesota and west ...

and lawyer *

Daniel L. Ryan Daniel Leo Ryan (September 28, 1930 – December 31, 2015) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Latin Church diocese of Springfield in Illinois from 1984 to 1999. He previously served as an auxiliary bisho ...

, Roman Catholic bishop *

Ervin Harold Schulz Ervin Harold Schulz (April 21, 1911 – February 25, 1978) was an American newspaper editor, businessman, and politician. Schulz was born in Mankato, Blue Earth, Minnesota. He lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota and went to the Saint Paul Mechanic A ...

, businessman, newspaper editor, and Minnesota politician * Roy F. Schulz, farmer and Minnesota politician *

Julia Sears Julia Sears (1839–1929) was a pioneering academic and suffragist, achieving a milestone early in her career as she became the first woman to head a public college in the United States, in 1872. The school was Mankato Normal School, now Minnesota ...

, pioneering feminist and suffragette * John Sontag, outlaw, born in Mankato; crimes in Minnesota and California *

Steven B. Szarke Steven B. Szarke (born February 27, 1944) is an American former politician and lawyer. Szarke was born in Mankato, Minnesota. He received his bachelor's degree in economics from St. Cloud State University and his Juris Doctor degree from William ...

, born in Mankato, Minnesota state legislator and lawyer * Glen Taylor, owner of the

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...

and

Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team won the WNBA title in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. Founded ...

basketball teams * John Eaton Tourtellotte, lawyer, Civil War general * Adam Thielen, NFL wide receiver,

, graduated from Minnesota State University *

Arthur S. Thomas Arthur Sam Thomas (July 15, 1935 – January 19, 2001) was a Roman Catholic priest and the Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force from 1995 to 1997. Biography A native of Mankato, Minnesota, Thomas was a Roman Catholic priest. He was ...

, Chief of Chaplains of the

US Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

Alma Wagen Alma Wagen (1878 – December 7, 1967) was an American mountain guide on Mount Rainier. She was the first female guide employed by Mount Rainier National Park. Biography Wagen was born in 1878 and raised in Mankato, Minnesota. She began climbing ...

, first female guide at

Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier National Park is an American national park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. The park was established on March 2, 1899, as the fourth national park in the United States, preservin ...

Tim Walz Timothy James Walz ( ; born April 6, 1964) is an American politician and retired educator. A member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he has served as the 41st governor of Minnesota since 2019. Born in West Point, Nebraska, Wal ...

, 41st

, former US Representative for

* Cedric Yarbrough, actor, graduated from Minnesota State University *

Steve Zahn Steven James Zahn (; born November 13, 1967) is an American actor and comedian. His film roles include '' Reality Bites'' (1994), '' That Thing You Do!'' (1996), '' Stuart Little'' (1999), '' Shattered Glass'' (2003), ''Sahara'' (2005), '' Chicken ...

, actor and comedian, was raised in Mankato

Infrastructure

Transportation

Public transportation in Mankato is provided by the Mankato Transit System. The city is served by

which has no commercial flights. Under MnDOT's 2015 State Rail Plan, Mankato is listed as a Tier 1 Corridor for regional rail service from Minneapolis and/or St. Paul. U.S. Highways 14 and

169 Year 169 ( CLXIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Senecio and Apollinaris (or, less frequently, year 922 ''Ab urbe co ...

and Minnesota State Highways 22 and 60 are four of the main routes in Mankato.

Major highways

The following routes are within the city of Mankato. * U.S. Highway 14 *

U.S. Highway 169 U.S. Route 169 (US 169) is a north-south U.S highway that currently runs for 966 miles (1,555 km) from the city of Virginia, Minnesota to Tulsa, Oklahoma at Memorial Drive. Route description Oklahoma US 169 is a major north–south ...

Minnesota State Highway 22 Minnesota State Highway 22 (MN 22) is a highway in south-central and central Minnesota, which runs from Winnebago County Road R50 at the Iowa state line near Kiester and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with St ...

Minnesota State Highway 60 Trunk Highway 60 (MN 60) is a highway in southern Minnesota, which runs from Iowa Highway 60 at the Iowa state line (at Bigelow) and continues east-northeast to its eastern terminus at the Wisconsin state line (at Wabasha), where the route ...

In popular culture

Mankato was the basis for Deep Valley in Maud Hart Lovelace's '' Betsy-Tacy'' series of children's books and novels. The children's/young adult wing of the Blue Earth County Library is named in her honor. In

's 1920 novel '' Main Street'', heroine Carol Milford is a former Mankato resident. Lewis describes Mankato as follows: "In its garden-sheltered streets and aisles of elms is white and green New England reborn", alluding to its many migrants from New England, who brought their culture with them. Lewis wrote a substantial portion of the novel while staying at the J.W. Schmidt House at 315 South Broad Street, as now marked by a small plaque in front of the building. In the '' Little House on the Prairie'' television series, Mankato is a trading town that the citizens of Walnut Grove visit. It does not appear in the

Laura Ingalls Wilder Laura Elizabeth Ingalls Wilder (February 7, 1867 – February 10, 1957) was an American writer, mostly known for the ''Little House on the Prairie'' series of children's books, published between 1932 and 1943, which were based on her childhood ...

books. The 1972 film ''

The New Land ''The New Land'' ( sv, Nybyggarna) is a 1972 Swedish film directed and co-written by Jan Troell and starring Max von Sydow, Liv Ullmann, Eddie Axberg, Allan Edwall, Monica Zetterlund, and Pierre Lindstedt. It and its 1971 predecessor, ''The ...

,'' a sequel to '' The Emigrants'' (1971), both by Swedish director

Jan Troell Jan Gustaf Troell (born 23 July 1931) is a Swedish writer-director, and cinematographer. His realistic films, with a lyrical photography in which nature is prominent, have placed him in the first rank of modern Swedish film directors along with I ...

, depicts the mass execution of 38 Dakota Indians at the end of the 1862 Dakota War. In 1996, Don Descy created city-mankato.us as a teaching tool and example that not everything on the Internet should be believed.

References

External links

City of Mankato official websiteMankato Chamber of CommerceGreater Mankato Convention & Visitors Bureau
{{Authority control Cities in Blue Earth County, Minnesota Cities in Le Sueur County, Minnesota Cities in Nicollet County, Minnesota Mankato – North Mankato metropolitan area Cities in Minnesota County seats in Minnesota Dakota toponyms 1852 establishments in Minnesota Territory

History

Geography

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

2000 census

Economy

Top employers

Arts and culture

Major events

Places of interest

Government and politics

Education

Higher education institutions

Media

Television

Radio

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Notable people

Infrastructure

Transportation

Major highways

In popular culture

See also

References

External links