Chippewa County, Minnesota

Chippewa County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,598. Its county seat is Montevideo. The county was formed in 1862, and was organized in 1868.

History
Chippewa County was organized on March 5, 1868, after having been part of Renville County. The northern boundary change separating it from Swift County led to reorganization on February 18, 1870. The first three county commissioners, appointed by the governor, were Daniel S. Wilkins, Ole Thorson and M. Davidson. The county commissioners first met at Wilkins's cabin on January 9, 1869. Wilkins was appointed chairman of the board. The first officers appointed were J.D. Baker as auditor; J.C. Eldred as register of deeds; Samuel J. Sargant as treasurer; George W. Daniels as judge of probate; Edward Alcorn as sheriff; J.D. Baker as superintendent of schools; Horace W. Griggs as coroner; George W. Frink as justice of the peace; and F.W. Palmer and M. Morris as constables.

County seat
Chippewa City was the first village to be laid out in Chippewa County. It was on the west side of the Chippewa River, just north of the confluence with the Minnesota River. Daniel S. Wilkins was the first settler to arrive in 1865, and he laid out Chippewa City in autumn 1868. Wilkins's cabin there was the location of the first county commissioners' meeting.

George W. Frink arrived in Chippewa County in 1867 and made claim to land on the east side of the Chippewa River, where he built a log house in Montevideo. With towns on both sides of the river, there was debate over which should be the county seat. L. R. Moyer reported that some men from Montevideo went to Chippewa City and took the county records, "lock, stock and barrel". They also stole the post office, and G. W. Fink was named postmaster. The state of Minnesota legalized the move and Montevideo remains the county seat.

Geography
The upper part of the county's western boundary is formed by the outline of Lac qui Parle reservoir, which was formed when the Minnesota River was dammed in 1939. The Minnesota River flows southeast from the lake, along the county's southwestern border, while the Chippewa River flows south through the western part of the county to discharge into the Minnesota at the county's southern border. The Dry Weather Creek drains the west-central part of the county into the Chippewa, while the Palmer Creek drains the lower central part of the county into the Minnesota near the county's southernmost point. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, devoted to agriculture. The terrain generally slopes to the south, and locally to the river valleys. The county's highest point is near its southeastern corner, section 23 of Rheiderland Township, at 1,142 ft The county has a total area of 588 sqmi, of which 581 sqmi is land and 6.7 sqmi (1.1%) is water.

Lakes

 * Carlton Lake
 * Long Lake
 * Norboro Lake
 * Round Lake
 * Shakopee Lake
 * Watson Sag

Major highways

 * [[Image:US 59.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 59
 * [[Image:US 212 (MN).svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 212
 * [[Image:MN-7.svg|20px]] Minnesota State Highway 7
 * [[Image:MN-23.svg|20px]] Minnesota State Highway 23
 * [[Image:MN-29.svg|20px]] Minnesota State Highway 29
 * [[Image:MN-40.svg|20px]] Minnesota State Highway 40

Adjacent counties

 * Swift County - north
 * Kandiyohi County - northeast
 * Renville County - southeast
 * Yellow Medicine County - southwest
 * Lac qui Parle County - west

Protected areas

 * Boike State Wildlife Management Area
 * Franko State Wildlife Management Area
 * Gneiss Outcrops Scientific and Natural Area
 * Minnesota River Valley Overlook
 * Spartan State Wildlife Management Area

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Montevideo have ranged from a low of 2 °F in January to a high of 83 °F in July, although a record low of -37 °F was recorded in January 1970 and a record high of 110 °F was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.86 in in December to 4.24 in in June.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,088 people, 5,361 households, and 3,597 families in the county. The population density was 22.5 /mi2. There were 5,855 housing units at an average density of 10.1 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 96.78% White, 0.18% Black or African American, 1.00% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 1.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 37.8% were of Norwegian and 36.8% German ancestry.

There were 5,361 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 6.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.90% were non-families. 29.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.

The county population contained 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 24.50% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 20.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,582, and the median income for a family was $45,160. Males had a median income of $30,556 versus $20,384 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,039. About 4.80% of families and 8.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.80% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

 * Clara City
 * Granite Falls (partial)
 * Maynard
 * Milan
 * Montevideo (county seat)
 * Watson

Unincorporated communities

 * Asbury
 * Big Bend City
 * Bunde
 * Churchill
 * Gracelock
 * Gluek
 * Hagan
 * Louriston
 * Wegdahl

Townships

 * Big Bend Township
 * Crate Township
 * Grace Township
 * Granite Falls Township
 * Havelock Township
 * Kragero Township
 * Leenthrop Township
 * Lone Tree Township
 * Louriston Township
 * Mandt Township
 * Rheiderland Township
 * Rosewood Township
 * Sparta Township
 * Stoneham Township
 * Tunsberg Township
 * Woods Township

Government and politics
Chippewa County voters have tended to vote Democratic in recent decades. As of 2020 the county has selected the Democratic nominee in 67% of presidential elections since 1980. Donald Trump was the first Republican nominee to win the county since George W. Bush in 2000, receiving 60.5% of the vote.