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Freeborn County, Minnesota
FreebornCountyMNcourthouse
Freeborn County Courthouse
Map of Minnesota highlighting Freeborn County
Location in the state of Minnesota
Map of the U.S
Minnesota's location in the U.S.
Founded February 20, 1855[1]
Named for William Freeborn
Seat Albert Lea
Largest city Albert Lea
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

722 sq mi (1,870 km²)
707 sq mi (1,831 km²)
15 sq mi (39 km²), 2.1%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

30,895
43.7/sq mi (17/km²)
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.co.freeborn.mn.us

Freeborn County is a county in the state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 30,895.[2] Its county seat is Albert Lea.[3] Freeborn County comprises the Albert Lea Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History[]

Freeborn County was created on February 20, 1855, the territory being separated from Blue Earth and Rice Counties. Twelve other Minnesota counties were created the same day by the Minnesota Territorial Legislature.[4] Freeborn County was named for William Freeborn, an early Minnesota pioneer, merchant, and territorial legislator.[5]

Geography[]

Freeborn County lies on Minnesota's border with Iowa. The Shell Rock River flows southward from Albert Lea Lake in central Freeborn County, crossing into Iowa. Turtle Creek flows eastward through the upper eastern part of the county, crossing into Mower County. The terrain is hilly and etched with drainages and gullies. The Le Sueur River, a tributary of the Minnesota River, begins in the northern part of the county and flows northward into Waseca County. The Cobb River and the Maple River, two other small rivers, begin in the extreme northwest corner of the county, the Cobb from Freeborn Lake and the Maple from Penny Lake. Both run generally northwest, emptying into the LeSueur River, just upstream from where the LeSueur empties into the Minnesota River, on the western edge of Mankato. Most of the available land is devoted to agriculture.[6] The terrain generally slopes to the south and east, although the highest point is near the northeast corner, at 1,296' (395m) ASL.[7] The county has an area of 722 square miles (1,870 km2), of which 707 square miles (1,830 km2) is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) (2.1%) is water.[8]

File:Freeborn Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf

Big Isle MBISP Wiki Version

Soils of Island in Myhre-Big Island State Park

Lakes[6][]

  • Albert Lea Lake
  • Bear Lake
  • Church Lake
  • Everhart Lake
  • Fountain Lake
  • Freeborn Lake
  • Geneva Lake
  • Goose Lake
  • Halls Lake
  • Hickory Lake
  • Lower Twin Lake
  • Penny Lake
  • Pickerel Lake
  • School Section Lake
  • State Line Lake
  • Sugar Lake
  • Trenton Lake (part)
  • Upper Twin Lake
  • White Lake

Protected areas[6][]

  • Bear Lake State Wildlife Management Area
  • Carex State Wildlife Management Area
  • Halls Lake State Wildlife Area
  • Moscow State Game Refuge
  • Myre-Big Island State Park
  • White Woods County Park

Major highways[]

  • I-35 Interstate 35
  • I-90 Interstate 90
  • US 65 U.S. Highway 65
  • US 69 U.S. Highway 69
  • MN-13 Minnesota State Highway 13
  • MN-109 Minnesota State Highway 109
  • MN-251 Minnesota State Highway 251

Adjacent counties[]

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1860 3,367
1870 10,578 214.2%
1880 16,069 51.9%
1890 17,962 11.8%
1900 21,838 21.6%
1910 22,282 2.0%
1920 24,692 10.8%
1930 28,741 16.4%
1940 31,780 10.6%
1950 34,517 8.6%
1960 37,891 9.8%
1970 38,064 0.5%
1980 36,329 −4.6%
1990 33,060 −9.0%
2000 32,584 −1.4%
2010 31,255 −4.1%
Est. 2021 30,749 [10] −5.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[2]
USA Freeborn County, Minnesota age pyramid

Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 census data

2000 census[]

As of the 2000 census, there were 32,584 people, 13,356 households, and 9,015 families in the county. The population density was 46.1/sqmi (17.8/km2). There were 13,996 housing units at an average density of 19.8/sqmi (7.64/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.22% White, 0.24% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.92% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 6.29% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.8% were of Norwegian, 26.2% German and 5.8% Danish ancestry.

There were 13,356 households, of which 29.1% had children under age 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92.

The county population contained 24.0% under 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females 18 and older, there were 95.0 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,964, and the median income for a family was $45,142. Males had a median income of $31,491 versus $21,799 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,325. About 5.6% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under 18 and 9.1% of those over 64.

Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Albert Lea (county seat)
  • Alden
  • Clarks Grove
  • Conger
  • Emmons
  • Freeborn
  • Geneva
  • Glenville
  • Hartland
  • Hayward
  • Hollandale
  • Manchester
  • Myrtle
  • Twin Lakes

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Armstrong
  • Corning (partial)
  • Gordonsville
  • Mansfield
  • Maple Island
  • Moscow
  • Oakland
  • Petran

Townships[]

  • Albert Lea Township
  • Alden Township
  • Bancroft Township
  • Bath Township
  • Carlston Township
  • Freeborn Township
  • Freeman Township
  • Geneva Township
  • Hartland Township
  • Hayward Township
  • London Township
  • Manchester Township
  • Mansfield Township
  • Moscow Township
  • Newry Township
  • Nunda Township
  • Oakland Township
  • Pickerel Lake Township
  • Riceland Township
  • Shell Rock Township

Government and politics[]

United States presidential election results for Freeborn County, Minnesota[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 9,578 56.95% 6,889 40.96% 351 2.09%
2016 8,808 54.88% 6,041 37.64% 1,202 7.49%
2012 6,969 41.72% 9,326 55.82% 411 2.46%
2008 6,955 40.25% 9,915 57.38% 410 2.37%
2004 7,681 43.48% 9,733 55.09% 252 1.43%
2000 6,843 42.40% 8,514 52.75% 782 4.85%
1996 5,166 32.31% 8,458 52.90% 2,364 14.79%
1992 5,089 28.57% 7,759 43.56% 4,965 27.87%
1988 7,226 44.56% 8,836 54.48% 156 0.96%
1984 8,413 47.09% 9,338 52.26% 116 0.65%
1980 8,475 47.65% 8,212 46.17% 1,098 6.17%
1976 8,220 45.62% 9,470 52.56% 328 1.82%
1972 9,747 56.90% 7,163 41.82% 220 1.28%
1968 7,315 44.16% 8,671 52.35% 577 3.48%
1964 6,136 36.72% 10,554 63.16% 19 0.11%
1960 8,970 52.73% 8,018 47.14% 22 0.13%
1956 7,632 51.63% 7,138 48.29% 11 0.07%
1952 8,450 56.25% 6,525 43.44% 46 0.31%
1948 5,238 39.45% 7,825 58.94% 213 1.60%
1944 5,728 46.77% 6,486 52.96% 32 0.26%
1940 6,683 48.85% 6,942 50.75% 55 0.40%
1936 4,653 37.81% 7,378 59.96% 274 2.23%
1932 4,931 44.62% 5,838 52.82% 283 2.56%
1928 7,815 72.70% 2,859 26.60% 76 0.71%
1924 6,139 63.75% 480 4.98% 3,011 31.27%
1920 6,772 81.96% 1,131 13.69% 360 4.36%
1916 2,418 60.07% 1,347 33.47% 260 6.46%
1912 672 17.04% 880 22.31% 2,392 60.65%
1908 2,465 61.14% 976 24.21% 591 14.66%
1904 2,876 78.19% 461 12.53% 341 9.27%
1900 2,934 74.17% 838 21.18% 184 4.65%
1896 3,400 72.25% 1,179 25.05% 127 2.70%
1892 2,004 61.27% 743 22.71% 524 16.02%



County Board of Commissioners[16]
Position Name District Next Election
Commissioner Brad Edwin District 1 2024
Commissioner and Vice Chair Dan Belshan District 2 2022
Commissioner John Forman District 3 2024
Commissioner and Chair Christopher Shoff District 4 2022
Commissioner Ted Herman District 5 2024
State Legislature (2021-2023)
Position Name Affiliation District
style="background-color:#FF3333;" width=10px | " |  Senate Gene Dornink[17] Republican District 27
style="background-color:#FF3333;" width=10px | " |  House of Representatives Peggy Bennett[18] Republican District 27A
style="background-color:#FF3333;" width=10px | " |  House of Representatives Patricia Mueller[19] Republican District 27B
U.S Congress (2021-2023)
Position Name Affiliation District
style="background-color:#FF3333;" width=10px | " |  House of Representatives Jim Hagedorn[20] Republican 1st
style="background-color:#3333FF;" width=10px | " |  Senate Amy Klobuchar[21] Democrat N/A
style="background-color:#3333FF;" width=10px | " |  Senate Tina Smith[22] Democrat N/A

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Freeborn 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: Freeborn County, Minnesota" (in en). United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/freeborncountyminnesota/PST045221. 
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  4. ^ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 198. https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog. 
  5. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off.. p. 131. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ. 
  6. ^ a b c Freeborn County MN Google Maps (accessed March 8, 2019)
  7. ^ "Find an Altitude/Freeborn County MN" Google Maps (accessed March 8, 2019)
  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 43–48. 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. ^ "Board of Commissioners | Freeborn County, MN - Official Website". https://www.co.freeborn.mn.us/122/Board-of-Commissioners. 
  17. ^ Stultz, Sarah (November 5, 2020). "Dornink wins District 27 Senate seat". https://www.albertleatribune.com/2020/11/dornink-wins-27-senate-seat/. 
  18. ^ "Rep. Peggy Bennett (27A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15430. 
  19. ^ "Rep. Patricia Mueller - RELEASE: Mueller Sworn In, Named to House Committees" (in en). https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/Profile/News/15561/44078. 
  20. ^ "Representative Jim Hagedorn" (in en). https://hagedorn.house.gov/. 
  21. ^ "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar". https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/. 
  22. ^ "Home" (in en). https://www.smith.senate.gov/. 

External links[]

Coordinates: 43°40′N 93°21′W / 43.67, -93.35


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