Dawson, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dawson
City
Nickname(s):  Gnometown USA, Dodge
Motto(s):  "The Small City With The Bright Future"
Location of Dawson, Minnesota
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Lac qui Parle
Area
• Total	1.44 sq mi (3.72 km2)
• Land	1.44 sq mi (3.72 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,040 ft (320 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,466
• Density	1,019.47/sq mi (393.63/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	320
FIPS code	27-14968
GNIS feature ID	2394469

Dawson is a city in Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,466 at the 2020 census.

History

The land Dawson sits on was originally home to the Wahpekute, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, and Yanktonai people, three bands of the Dakota. Land was ceded to the US government by the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux in 1851. The treaties were signed on July 23 and August 6 in Traverse des Sioux and Mendota respectively. The land was ceded in exchange for $3,750,000, about 12 cents per acre. Little of the payment was actually received by the Dakota.

Dawson was platted in 1884. The city was named for William Dawson, a former mayor of St. Paul, and one of three partners in the Dawson Townsite Company. A post office has been in operation at Dawson since 1884. The city was incorporated in 1885.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.48 square miles (3.83 km²), all land. The West Branch of the Lac qui Parle River flows through the city. U.S. Route 212 serves as a main route in the city. The BNSF Railway runs through the city.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,540 people, 682 households, and 412 families living in the city. The population density was 1,040.5 inhabitants per square mile (401.7/km²). There were 768 housing units at an average density of 518.9 per square mile (200.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.4% White, 0.4% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.

There were 682 households, of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.6% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.78.

The median age in the city was 47.8 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.5% were from 25 to 44; 28% were from 45 to 64; and 25.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

Notable people

Carrie Tollefson

• Theodore Christianson - 21st Governor of Minnesota from January 6, 1925, until January 6, 1931; publisher of the Dawson Sentinel.
• Theodore Christianson - Minnesota Supreme Court justice and eldest son of Governor Christianson
• Phyllis Gates - Interior decorator and wife of Hollywood actor Rock Hudson (1955–1958)
• James Day Hodgson - United States Secretary of Labor (1970–1973) and United States Ambassador to Japan (1974–1977); born in Dawson
• Edor Nelson - baseball, football, wrestling, and hockey coach at Augsburg University
• Jeff Nordgaard - Second-round NBA draft pick in 1996
• Roger Reinert - mayor of Duluth, Minnesota; raised in Dawson
• Howard Wads Rundquist - businessman, educator, and politician
• Carrie Tollefson - Olympian at 1500 meters in 2004, NCAA cross country champion in 1997

Notable places

Dawson Bank Museum

Armory

Dawson is home to the Dawson Bank Museum, a Carnegie Library building (now a law office), and an armory building (now a public library and apartments). All three of these buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Carnegie Library

In culture

• The movie Sweet Land (2005) was partly filmed in Dawson.

Town culture

Riverfest

Riverfest is Dawson's annual community festival, named after the Lac qui Parle River, which is held the last full weekend every June. Riverfest features events, like live music, sports tournaments, and canoe races, as well as the town's gnome unveiling ceremony.

Gnomes

Theodore Christianson, Governor of Minnesota and first Gnome of Dawson

Dawson, also known as Gnometown USA, commemorates its notable citizens by making them into 3-foot tall gnomes that are placed either in the Dawson Public Library or Gnome Park. The gnomes are revealed to the community during Riverfest. Each gnome gets its own legend. (found here) New gnomes have been added every year since 1989. There are more than 40 gnomes in Gnome Park with more being added every year.

See also

In Spanish: Dawson (Minnesota) para niños