Le Sueur County, Minnesota

Le Sueur County (/ləsʊər/ lə-SOOR)[2] is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,674.[3] Its county seat is Le Center.[4]

Le Sueur County
County
Le Sueur County Courthouse and Jail
Le Sueur County Courthouse and Jail
Map of Minnesota highlighting Le Sueur County
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°22′N 93°44′W
Country United States
State Minnesota
FoundedMarch 5, 1853[1]
Named forPierre-Charles Le Sueur
SeatLe Center
Largest cityLe Sueur
Area
 • Total474 sq mi (1,230 km2)
 • Land449 sq mi (1,160 km2)
 • Water25 sq mi (60 km2)  5.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total28,674
 • Estimate 
(2022)
29,153 Increase
 • Density63.9/sq mi (24.7/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.co.le-sueur.mn.us

Le Sueur County is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The Minnesota Territory legislature established several counties in 1853. This county was created on March 5 of that year. It was named for French explorer Pierre-Charles Le Sueur, who visited the area in 1700.[5]

The settlement of Le Sueur (actually two competing settlements, Le Sueur and Le Sueur City) had sprung up on the east bank of the Minnesota River, both being platted in 1852. The legislature named the combined area as the first county seat. However, its remoteness from most of the county meant hardship for most of the area's residents since the county was covered with dense hardwood forest and existing roads were impassable when wet.

Several efforts were made to acquire a more central location. In the early 1870s, Cleveland (established in 1857, inland from the river in the SW part of the county) held a referendum to become the county seat. The referendum passed, but was challenged due to voting irregularities. In 1875 another referendum made Cleveland the county seat (1875-1876). In 1876, another referendum approved moving the seat to the newly created town of Le Sueur Center; the seat was promptly moved there.[6] In the 1870s, businessmen from Waterville gained ownership of a quarter-section of land near the county's center, cleared the timber, and platted the city of Le Sueur Center (1876). The seat was moved there after a county referendum approved it. The county seat has remained in Le Sueur Center (renamed Le Center in 1930) since 1876.

The first railroad entered the county in 1867. This began the era of greater access and mobility. The first purpose-built courthouse in Le Sueur Center was constructed in 1896–7. It has been extensively remodeled and enlarged two times since.[7]

Soils of Le Sueur County[8]

Geography

The Minnesota River flows northeastward along the west border of Le Sueur County, on its way to discharge into the Mississippi. The terrain consists of low rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds. The soil is rich and black.[7][9] The terrain slopes to the north and east, with its highest point near the midpoint of its east border, at 1,145 ft (349 m) ASL.[10] The county has an area of 474 square miles (1,230 km2), of which 449 square miles (1,160 km2) is land and 25 square miles (65 km2) (5.3%) is water.[11] Le Sueur is one of seven Minnesota savanna region counties where no forest soils exist and one of 17 counties where savanna soils dominate.

Soils of Sakatah Lake State Park area

Lakes

The following lakes are partially or completely within Le Sueur County:[9]

Protected areas

The following protected areas are within Le Sueur County:[9]

  • Bardel State Wildlife Management Area
  • Chadderdon State Wildlife Management Area
  • Chamberlain Woods Scientific and Natural Area
  • Diamond Lake State Wildlife Management Area
  • Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (part)
  • Ottawa State Wildlife Management Area
  • Paddy Marsh State Wildlife Management Area
  • Saint Thomas State Wildlife Management Area
  • Sakatah Lake State Park (part)
  • Seven Mile Creek State Park (part)
  • Shanghai State Wildlife Area
  • Sheas Lake State Wildlife Area

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18605,318—
187011,607118.3%
188016,30340.5%
189019,05716.9%
190020,2346.2%
191018,609−8.0%
192017,870−4.0%
193017,9900.7%
194019,2276.9%
195019,088−0.7%
196019,9064.3%
197021,3317.2%
198023,4349.9%
199023,9292.1%
200025,4266.3%
201027,7039.0%
202028,6743.5%
2022 (est.)29,153[12]1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2020[3]

2020 Census
Le Sueur County Racial Composition[17]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 25,463 88.8%
Black or African American (NH) 262 0.9%
Native American (NH) 67 0.2%
Asian (NH) 134 0.4%
Pacific Islander (NH) 20 0.06%
Other/Mixed (NH) 856 3%
Hispanic or Latino 1,872 6.5%

2000 census
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 census data

As of the census of 2000, the county had 25,426 people, 9,630 households, and 6,923 families. The population density was 56.6 per square mile (21.9/km2). There were 10,858 housing units at an average density of 24.2 per square mile (9.3/km2). The county's racial makeup was 96.56% White, 0.15% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.02% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 3.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 44.9% were of German, 9.0% Czech, 9.0% Norwegian and 8.2% Irish ancestry. 94.0% spoke English, 3.5% Spanish and 1.7% Czech as their first language.

There were 9,630 households, of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.10.

27.40% of the county's population was under age 18, 7.50% was from age 18 to 24, 27.80% was from age 25 to 44, 23.20% was from age 45 to 64, and 14.10% were age 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 100.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.70 males.

The country's median household income was $45,933, and the median family income was $53,000. Males had a median income of $34,196 versus $24,214 for females. The county's per capita income was $20,151. About 4.80% of families and 6.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Former communities

Townships

Politics

Le Sueur County residents usually vote Republican. In 78% of national elections since 1980, the county selected the Republican Party candidate (as of 2020).

United States presidential election results for Le Sueur County, Minnesota[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 10,775 64.07% 5,672 33.73% 371 2.21%
2016 9,182 61.33% 4,623 30.88% 1,166 7.79%
2012 7,715 52.15% 6,753 45.64% 327 2.21%
2008 7,636 50.88% 6,994 46.60% 379 2.53%
2004 7,746 53.70% 6,466 44.83% 212 1.47%
2000 6,138 49.78% 5,361 43.48% 832 6.75%
1996 3,902 34.81% 5,457 48.68% 1,850 16.50%
1992 3,858 32.27% 4,662 39.00% 3,434 28.73%
1988 5,415 49.57% 5,410 49.52% 100 0.92%
1984 6,033 54.10% 5,070 45.47% 48 0.43%
1980 5,478 47.12% 5,161 44.40% 986 8.48%
1976 4,565 40.11% 6,556 57.60% 260 2.28%
1972 5,388 52.50% 4,725 46.04% 149 1.45%
1968 4,189 43.72% 5,094 53.17% 298 3.11%
1964 3,191 34.22% 6,117 65.60% 17 0.18%
1960 4,426 45.77% 5,234 54.13% 10 0.10%
1956 5,026 58.45% 3,556 41.35% 17 0.20%
1952 5,776 63.19% 3,348 36.63% 16 0.18%
1948 3,858 43.70% 4,890 55.39% 80 0.91%
1944 4,560 57.24% 3,358 42.15% 49 0.62%
1940 5,543 59.52% 3,750 40.27% 20 0.21%
1936 2,849 32.14% 5,077 57.27% 939 10.59%
1932 2,121 26.19% 5,878 72.57% 101 1.25%
1928 3,401 42.23% 4,615 57.30% 38 0.47%
1924 2,475 38.19% 1,199 18.50% 2,807 43.31%
1920 4,059 66.22% 1,853 30.23% 218 3.56%
1916 1,430 43.89% 1,723 52.89% 105 3.22%
1912 886 24.93% 1,488 41.87% 1,180 33.20%
1908 1,819 47.86% 1,699 44.70% 283 7.45%
1904 2,086 59.19% 1,251 35.50% 187 5.31%
1900 1,941 49.02% 1,858 46.92% 161 4.07%
1896 2,235 51.16% 2,003 45.85% 131 3.00%
1892 1,465 39.73% 1,821 49.39% 401 10.88%

See also

References
  1. "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  2. "Minnesota Pronunciation Guide". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
  3. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 185.
  6. Upham, Warren. Minnesota Geographic Names, pp. 300-302 (1920). Accessed 16 March 2019
  7. County History (accessed March 16, 2019)
  8. Nelson, Steven (2011)."Savanna Soils of Minnesota."Minnesota:Self.pp43 - 48.ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2
  9. Le Sueur County MN Google Maps (accessed March 16, 2019)
  10. ""Find an Altitude/Le Sueur County MN" Google Maps (accessed March 16, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  11. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  12. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  13. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  14. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  15. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  16. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  17. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Le Sueur County, Minnesota".
  18. Okaman Cemetery MN Google Maps (accessed March 16, 2019)
  19. Minnesota Geographic Names, p. 303 (accessed March 16, 2019)
  20. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
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