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Mille Lacs County, Minnesota
Mille Lacs County Courthouse
Mille Lacs County Courthouse
Map of Minnesota highlighting Mille Lacs County
Location in the state of Minnesota
Map of the U.S
Minnesota's location in the U.S.
Founded May 23, 1857
Named for Mille Lacs Lake
Seat Milaca
Largest city Princeton
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

682 sq mi (1,766 km²)
572 sq mi (1,481 km²)
109 sq mi (282 km²), 16%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

26,459
46.3/sq mi (18/km²)
Congressional district 8th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.co.mille-lacs.mn.us

Mille Lacs County ( /ˌmɪl ˈlæks/ mil-_-LAKS) is a county in the East Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,459.[1] Its county seat is Milaca.[2] The county was founded in 1857, and its boundary was expanded in 1860.[3][4]

Mille Lacs County is included in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Statistical Area.

A portion of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is in the county.

Etymology[]

The name Mille Lacs, meaning "thousand lakes" in French, was associated with Mille Lacs Lake in the region. (Its full name in French was Grand lac du pays des mille lacs.) This is the largest lake in the Brainerd Lakes Area, which French colonists and traders called the "Region of the Thousand Lakes" (Pays des mille lacs).[5]

History[]

The US legislature established the Wisconsin Territory effective July 3, 1836. It existed until its eastern portion was granted statehood (as Wisconsin) in 1848. The federal government set up the Minnesota Territory from the remaining territory effective March 3, 1849. The newly organized territorial legislature created nine counties across the territory in October of that year. On May 23, 1857, one of those original counties, Benton, had its eastern portion partitioned off to create Mille Lacs County. The original county consisted of the portion of the contemporary Mille Lacs County east of the west branch of the Rum River and two townships now part of Isanti County, adjacent to Mille Lacs County. In 1858 the 12 townships forming the contemporary southern 10 townships of Mille Lacs County and the two northwestern townships in Isanti County were organized apart from Benton and Mille Lacs Counties to form Monroe County, leaving the northern "Square Top-knot" as Mille Lacs County. In 1860, Monroe and Mille Lacs Counties merged. Shortly thereafter, the two southeastern townships were transferred to Isanti County, forming the county's present boundaries.

Geography[]

The Rum River flows south through the county, originating from Mille Lacs Lake. It is joined by the West Branch of the Rum River, which rises in northwest Mille Lacs County and flows south-southeast to its confluence with the Rum at Princeton. The county terrain consists of wooded rolling hills, carved by drainages, with open areas devoted to agriculture.[6] The terrain slopes to the south and east,[7] with its highest point at one mile (1.6 km) from the southwest shoreline of Mille Lacs Lake, in Mille Lacs Kathio State Park. A hill there measures 1,371' (418m) ASL.[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 682 square miles (1,770 km2), of which 572 square miles (1,480 km2) is land[9] and 109 square miles (280 km2) (16%) is water.[10]

Major highways[]

  • US 169 (MN) U.S. Highway 169
  • MN-18 Minnesota State Highway 18
  • MN-23 Minnesota State Highway 23
  • MN-27 Minnesota State Highway 27
  • MN-47 Minnesota State Highway 47
  • MN-95 Minnesota State Highway 95

Airports[]

  • Milaca Municipal Airport (18Y) - northeast of Milaca
  • Princeton Municipal Airport (PNM) - southwest of Princeton

Adjacent counties[]

Protected areas[6][7][]

  • Father Hennepin State Park
  • Four Brooks State Wildlife Management Area (part)
  • Kunkel State Wildlife Management Area
  • Mille Lacs Kathio State Park
  • Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge
  • Mille Lacs State Wildlife Management Area
  • Rum River State Forest
  • Solana State Forest (part)

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1860 73
1870 1,109 1,419.2%
1880 1,501 35.3%
1890 2,845 89.5%
1900 8,066 183.5%
1910 10,705 32.7%
1920 14,180 32.5%
1930 14,076 −0.7%
1940 15,558 10.5%
1950 15,165 −2.5%
1960 14,560 −4.0%
1970 15,703 7.9%
1980 18,430 17.4%
1990 18,670 1.3%
2000 22,330 19.6%
2010 26,097 16.9%
Est. 2021 26,867 [11] 20.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2020[1]

2000 census[]

USA Mille Lacs County, Minnesota age pyramid

Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 census data

As of the 2000 census, there were 22,330 people, 8,638 households, and 6,003 families in the county. The population density was 39.0/sqmi (15.1/km2). There were 10,467 housing units at an average density of 18.3/sqmi (7.07/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.55% White, 0.27% Black or African American, 4.68% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. 0.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 31.9% were of German, 14.4% Swedish and 14.2% Norwegian ancestry.

There were 8,638 households, out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 25.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03.

The county population contained 27.00% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,977, and the median income for a family was $44,054. Males had a median income of $32,348 versus $22,036 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,656. About 6.70% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.90% of those under age 18 and 11.30% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census[]

Mille Lacs County Racial Composition[16]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 17,947 87.42%
Black or African American (NH) 78 0.3%
Native American (NH) 1,466 5.54%
Asian (NH) 124 0.47%
Pacific Islander (NH) 6 0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH) 1,173 4.43%
Hispanic or Latino 481 1.82%

Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Bock
  • Foreston
  • Isle (Chi-minising)
  • Milaca (county seat)
  • Onamia
  • Pease
  • Princeton (partly in Sherburne County)
  • Wahkon

Census-designated place[]

  • Vineland (Neyaashiing)

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Bayview
  • Cove
  • Estes Brook
  • Long Siding
  • Opstead
  • Page
  • Woodward Brook

Ghost towns[]

  • Brickton[6]
  • Burnhelm Siding
  • Esteville
  • Freer
  • Johnsdale[6]
  • Soule's Crossing
  • Stirling

Townships[]

  • Bogus Brook Township
  • Borgholm Township
  • Bradbury Township
  • Dailey Township
  • East Side Township
  • Greenbush Township
  • Hayland Township
  • Isle Harbor Township
  • Kathio Township
  • Lewis Township
  • Milaca Township
  • Milo Township
  • Mudgett Township
  • Onamia Township
  • Page Township
  • Princeton Township
  • South Harbor Township

Politics[]

Mille Lacs County voters have traditionally voted a balanced ticket, but in the past few decades have become strongly Republican. Since 1980 the county selected the Republican Party candidate in 67% of national elections (as of 2020).

United States presidential election results for Mille Lacs County, Minnesota[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 9,952 67.75% 4,404 29.98% 333 2.27%
2016 8,340 64.07% 3,710 28.50% 967 7.43%
2012 6,951 53.10% 5,829 44.53% 311 2.38%
2008 7,049 52.05% 6,072 44.83% 423 3.12%
2004 7,194 55.06% 5,677 43.45% 194 1.48%
2000 5,223 50.94% 4,376 42.68% 654 6.38%
1996 2,948 33.22% 4,336 48.86% 1,591 17.93%
1992 2,814 30.74% 3,648 39.85% 2,692 29.41%
1988 3,862 46.52% 4,327 52.13% 112 1.35%
1984 4,307 51.45% 4,011 47.92% 53 0.63%
1980 3,860 42.83% 4,443 49.30% 710 7.88%
1976 3,212 37.05% 5,172 59.65% 286 3.30%
1972 4,291 55.83% 3,221 41.91% 174 2.26%
1968 2,990 43.40% 3,494 50.71% 406 5.89%
1964 2,474 36.00% 4,369 63.58% 29 0.42%
1960 3,913 57.29% 2,886 42.25% 31 0.45%
1956 3,315 55.80% 2,619 44.08% 7 0.12%
1952 3,766 58.42% 2,639 40.94% 41 0.64%
1948 2,502 41.43% 3,343 55.36% 194 3.21%
1944 2,798 49.03% 2,872 50.32% 37 0.65%
1940 3,459 48.37% 3,619 50.61% 73 1.02%
1936 2,091 33.62% 3,767 60.56% 362 5.82%
1932 1,986 34.03% 3,538 60.62% 312 5.35%
1928 3,998 72.01% 1,436 25.86% 118 2.13%
1924 2,413 48.79% 167 3.38% 2,366 47.84%
1920 3,521 73.17% 526 10.93% 765 15.90%
1916 1,127 44.58% 1,113 44.03% 288 11.39%
1912 392 19.55% 449 22.39% 1,164 58.05%
1908 1,119 61.96% 427 23.64% 260 14.40%
1904 1,451 83.87% 154 8.90% 125 7.23%
1900 1,072 71.42% 358 23.85% 71 4.73%
1896 977 66.78% 456 31.17% 30 2.05%
1892 463 56.05% 223 27.00% 140 16.95%



See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota

References[]

  1. ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Mille Lacs County, Minnesota" (in en). United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/millelacscountyminnesota/PST045221. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm?SendingPage=Region.cfm&county=48. 
  4. ^ "History of the County". Mille Lacs County. April 1, 2013. http://www.co.mille-lacs.mn.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={D41C9D21-CB97-47A2-9548-B1B83940AE6A}. 
  5. ^ Upham, Warren. (1920; repr. 1991), Minnesota Place Names, St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press.
  6. ^ a b c d Mille Lacs County MN Google Maps (accessed May 3, 2019)
  7. ^ a b ""Find an Altitude/Mille Lacs County MN" Google Maps (accessed May 3, 2019)". https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm. 
  8. ^ Mille Lacs County High Point, Minnesota. PeakBagger.com (accessed May 3, 2019)
  9. ^ The total county area can be accurately calculated using its described boundaries. The quantity of "land", however, is not consistent across all sources. The US Census Bureau lists 572 square miles; the Mille Lacs County website "History" section lists 583 square miles, and the Census Bureas's Quick Facts website lists 574.47 square miles.
  10. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt. 
  11. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021". https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html. 
  12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html. 
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  14. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mn190090.txt. 
  15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  16. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mille Lacs County, Minnesota". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Mille%20Lacs%20County,%20Minnesota&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  17. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

External links[]

Coordinates: 45°56′N 93°38′W / 45.93, -93.63


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Mille Lacs County, Minnesota. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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