Rutledge is a city in Pine 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, at the confluence of the

Kettle A kettle, sometimes called a tea kettle or teakettle, is a device specialized for boiling water, commonly with a ''lid'', ''spout'', and ''handle''. There are two main types: the ''stovetop kettle'', which uses heat from a cooktop, hob, and the ...

and Pine Rivers. The population was 229 at the 2010 census. Pine County 61 serves as a main route in the community. The Willard Munger Bicycle / Snowmobile Trail also passes through Rutledge.

History

Long before it ever became an incorporated village, a group of Indigenous Americans lived along the banks of the Kettle River from where the community is today to a point about five miles downstream. The Government Road, a.k.a. Military Road, between

St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 311,527, making it Minnesota's second-most populous city a ...

and

Superior, Wisconsin Superior (; ) is a city in Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. The population was 26,751 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located at the western end of Lake Superior in northwestern Wisconsin, the city l ...

passed through that area in the 1860s. A bridge was constructed across the Kettle River at what was called the Rock Dam. On the south side of the river, a station was built, at which stagecoaches stopped to change horses and allow passengers to get out and stretch their legs and have a lunch. It was at this location where the first Europeans settled. In 1870, the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad was completed in this region. A depot was built about two and one half miles upstream from the Rock Dam, named Kettle River Station. The community began to grow near the railroad station. On February 14, 1893, an election was held at the school house to decide whether the settlement should be incorporated as a village. A total of 22 votes were cast, 19 favoring incorporation. The Village of Rutledge was named after local lumberman Edward Rutledge, who had built several mills in the area. James D. McCormack served as the first Mayor of Rutledge.

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 , of which is land and is water.

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 229 people, 94 households, and 65 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 130 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.9%

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 ...

, 1.3%

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 ...

, 0.9% Native American, and 0.9% 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 0.4% of the population. There were 94 households, of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% 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, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.9% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age in the city was 42.1 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.4% were from 25 to 44; 31.5% were from 45 to 64; and 12.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.1% male and 48.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 196 people, 78 households, and 56 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 110 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.94%

, 1.53% Native American, 1.53% from other races.

or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population. There were 78 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were

living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.95. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $47,083. Males had a median income of $25,250 versus $21,667 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 $19,040. About 15.3% of families and 19.6% 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 37.5% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.

References

History Section from a Bicentennial (1976) Article by Todd Liljedahl ''Used with Permission'' {{authority control Cities in Pine County, Minnesota Cities in Minnesota