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Norman County, Minnesota
Norman County Courthouse
Norman County Courthouse in Ada, Minnesota
Map of Minnesota highlighting Norman County
Location in the state of Minnesota
Map of the U.S
Minnesota's location in the U.S.
Founded February 17, 1881[1]
Named for Norwegian settlers
Seat Ada
Largest city Ada
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

877 sq mi (2,271 km²)
873 sq mi (2,261 km²)
3.9 sq mi (10 km²), 0.4%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

6,441
7.4/sq mi (3/km²)
Congressional district 7th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.co.norman.mn.us

Norman County is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 6,441.[2] Its county seat is Ada.[3] The county is in Minnesota's Red River Valley region.

History[]

The county was created by the Minnesota legislature on March 17, 1881, with Ada (which had been founded in 1874) as county seat. It was named in recognition of the many settlers who came from Scandinavian countries, especially Norway.[4] Another source posits that it was named for Norman Kittson, an early historical figure of the region.[5]

Geography[]

Norman County lies on Minnesota's western border, abutting North Dakota across the Red River, which flows north along (and defines) the county's west line. The Wild Rice River flows west through the lower part of the county, discharging into the Red slightly north of the county's southwest corner. The Marsh River rises in central Norman County and flows northwest into the Red near the county's northwest corner. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, carved by drainages and lightly dotted with lakes and swampy areas. The terrain is devoted to agriculture.[6] The terrain slopes to the north and west with its highest point near its southeast corner, at 1,224' (373m) ASL.[7] The county has an area of 877 square miles (2,270 km2), of which 873 square miles (2,260 km2) is land and 3.9 square miles (10 km2) (0.4%) water.[8] Flom Township contains a prominent, irregular hill of morainic drift known as Frenchman's Bluff. It rises 150' (46m) above the shoreline of the former Lake Agassis, three miles (5 km) to the northwest.[4]

File:Norman Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf

Major highways[]

  • US 75 U.S. Highway 75
  • MN-9 Minnesota State Highway 9
  • MN-32 Minnesota State Highway 32
  • MN-113 Minnesota State Highway 113
  • MN-200 Minnesota State Highway 200

Adjacent counties[]

Protected areas[6][]

  • Agassiz Dunes Scientific and Natural Area (part)
  • Agassiz No. 1 State Wildlife Management Area
  • Agassiz No. 2 State Wildlife Management Area
  • Dalby State Wildlife Management Area
  • Faith State Wildlife Management Area
  • Home Lake State Wildlife Management Area
  • Moccasin State Wildlife Management Area
  • Neal State Wildlife Management Area
  • Prairie Smoke Dunes Scientific and Natural Area
  • Sandpiper Scientific and Natural Area
  • Santee Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
  • Syre State Wildlife Management Area
  • Twin Valley Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
  • Twin Valley State Wildlife Management Area
  • Vangsness State Wildlife Management Area

Lakes[6][]

  • Home Lake
  • Lockhart Swamp

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1890 10,618
1900 15,045 41.7%
1910 13,446 −10.6%
1920 14,880 10.7%
1930 14,061 −5.5%
1940 14,746 4.9%
1950 12,909 −12.5%
1960 11,253 −12.8%
1970 10,008 −11.1%
1980 9,379 −6.3%
1990 7,975 −15.0%
2000 7,442 −6.7%
2010 6,852 −7.9%
Est. 2021 6,416 [10] −13.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[2]
USA Norman County, Minnesota age pyramid

Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 United States Census data

2000 census[]

As of the 2000 census, there were 7,442 people, 3,010 households, and 2,007 families in the county. The population density was 8.52/sqmi (3.29/km2). There were 3,455 housing units at an average density of 3.96/sqmi (1.53/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.30% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 1.73% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 1.13% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 3.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 57.5% were of Norwegian and 21.7% German ancestry.

There were 3,010 households, out of which 30.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.80% were married couples living together, 5.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 31.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.04.

The county population contained 25.70% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 20.90% of over age 64. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,535, and the median income for a family was $41,280. Males had a median income of $28,674 versus $20,619 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,895. About 7.10% of families and 10.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.70% of those under age 18 and 14.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Ada (county seat)
  • Borup
  • Gary
  • Halstad
  • Hendrum
  • Perley
  • Shelly
  • Twin Valley

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Betcher
  • Faith
  • Flom[6]
  • Hadler
  • Lockhart
  • Ranum[6]
  • Syre
  • Waukon[6]

Townships[]

  • Anthony Township
  • Bear Park Township
  • Flom Township
  • Fossum Township
  • Good Hope Township
  • Green Meadow Township
  • Halstad Township
  • Hegne Township
  • Hendrum Township
  • Home Lake Township
  • Lake Ida Township
  • Lee Township
  • Lockhart Township
  • Mary Township
  • McDonaldsville Township
  • Pleasant View Township
  • Rockwell Township
  • Shelly Township
  • Spring Creek Township
  • Strand Township
  • Sundal Township
  • Waukon Township
  • Wild Rice Township
  • Winchester Township

Government and politics[]

Norman County has often voted Democratic. Between 1968 and 2016, the county selected the Democratic candidate in nine of the 12 presidential elections.

United States presidential election results for Norman County, Minnesota[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 1,953 56.76% 1,404 40.80% 84 2.44%
2016 1,699 52.10% 1,264 38.76% 298 9.14%
2012 1,384 43.16% 1,730 53.94% 93 2.90%
2008 1,204 35.06% 2,129 62.00% 101 2.94%
2004 1,794 47.09% 1,954 51.29% 62 1.63%
2000 1,808 49.66% 1,575 43.26% 258 7.09%
1996 1,392 37.40% 1,875 50.38% 455 12.22%
1992 1,541 37.39% 1,784 43.29% 796 19.32%
1988 1,789 45.22% 2,149 54.32% 18 0.46%
1984 2,152 49.17% 2,202 50.31% 23 0.53%
1980 2,192 44.92% 2,253 46.17% 435 8.91%
1976 1,983 39.57% 2,946 58.78% 83 1.66%
1972 2,536 50.51% 2,444 48.68% 41 0.82%
1968 1,981 39.53% 2,828 56.42% 203 4.05%
1964 1,662 31.35% 3,631 68.50% 8 0.15%
1960 2,642 47.30% 2,932 52.49% 12 0.21%
1956 2,338 46.01% 2,740 53.93% 3 0.06%
1952 3,069 55.07% 2,465 44.23% 39 0.70%
1948 1,695 32.87% 3,245 62.92% 217 4.21%
1944 1,884 39.51% 2,846 59.69% 38 0.80%
1940 2,161 36.53% 3,716 62.81% 39 0.66%
1936 1,570 28.54% 3,778 68.67% 154 2.80%
1932 1,313 25.09% 3,601 68.80% 320 6.11%
1928 3,308 67.39% 1,401 28.54% 200 4.07%
1924 1,997 45.77% 171 3.92% 2,195 50.31%
1920 3,451 74.17% 481 10.34% 721 15.50%
1916 1,046 42.11% 1,076 43.32% 362 14.57%
1912 329 14.74% 510 22.85% 1,393 62.41%
1908 1,276 55.26% 661 28.63% 372 16.11%
1904 1,782 78.02% 161 7.05% 341 14.93%
1900 1,492 53.57% 964 34.61% 329 11.81%
1896 1,382 49.61% 1,304 46.81% 100 3.59%
1892 724 38.97% 294 15.82% 840 45.21%



County Board of Commissioners[16]
Position Name District
Commissioner Marvin Gunderson District 1
Commissioner Nathan Redland District 2
Commissioner Steve Jacobson District 3
Commissioner and Chairperson Lee Ann Hall District 4
Commissioner Steve Bommersbach District 5
State Legislature (2018-2020)
Position Name Affiliation District
style="background-color:#3333FF;" width=10px | " |  Senate Kent Eken[17] Democrat District 4
style="background-color:#3333FF;" width=10px | " |  House of Representatives Paul Marquart[18] Democrat District 4B
U.S Congress (2018-2020)
Position Name Affiliation District
style="background-color:#FF3333;" width=10px | " |  House of Representatives Michelle Fischbach[19] Republican 7th
style="background-color:#3333FF;" width=10px | " |  Senate Amy Klobuchar[20] Democrat N/A
style="background-color:#3333FF;" width=10px | " |  Senate Tina Smith[21] Democrat N/A

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Norman County, Minnesota

References[]

  1. ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm. 
  2. ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Norman County, Minnesota" (in en). United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/normancountyminnesota/PST045221. 
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  4. ^ a b Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. pp. 381–384. https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog. 
  5. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Government Printing Office. p. 177. https://archive.org/details/origincertainpl00ganngoog. "Norman County named after Norman Kittson." 
  6. ^ a b c d e f Norman County MN Google Maps (accessed April 17, 2019)
  7. ^ ""Find an Altitude/Norman County MN" Google Maps (accessed April 17, 2019)". https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm. 
  8. ^ "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. 
  9. ^ Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 57-60. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2.
  10. ^ "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. 
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html. 
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  13. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mn190090.txt. 
  14. ^ "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. 
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  16. ^ "Norman County" (in en). https://www.co.norman.mn.us/board_of_commissioners/index.php. 
  17. ^ "MN State Senate" (in en). https://www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1195. 
  18. ^ "Rep. Paul Marquart (04B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/10401. 
  19. ^ "U.S. Representative Michelle Fischbach". https://fischbach.house.gov/. 
  20. ^ "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar". https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/. 
  21. ^ "Home" (in en). https://www.smith.senate.gov/. 

External links[]

Template:Norman County, Minnesota

Coordinates: 47°20′N 96°28′W / 47.33, -96.46

This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Norman 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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