Graceville, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Graceville
|
|
|---|---|
Location of Graceville, Minnesota
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Big Stone |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.58 sq mi (1.50 km2) |
| • Land | 0.58 sq mi (1.50 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,109 ft (338 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 529 |
| • Density | 913.64/sq mi (352.65/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
56240
|
| Area code(s) | 320 |
| FIPS code | 27-24758 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394940 |
Graceville is a small city located in Big Stone County, Minnesota, United States. It's a friendly community with a population of 529 people, according to the 2020 census. Graceville is known for its beautiful natural surroundings and its connection to local history.
Contents
Graceville's Early Days
Graceville was started in the 1870s by a group of Catholic settlers. They named the new town after Thomas Langdon Grace, who was an important religious leader. He was the second Roman Catholic Bishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Native American School in Graceville
In 1885, a school called Covenant of Our Lady of the Lake opened in Graceville. This school was a residential school for Native American girls. The girls came from Sisseton, South Dakota.
The United States government stopped funding the school in 1896. After that, the students returned to Sisseton. The building was then used as a school for local Graceville students for two years. Sadly, it burned down in 1898.
Graceville's Location and Landscape
Graceville is a city that covers about 0.58 square miles (1.50 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the city limits.
Highways and Local Roads
Two main highways pass through Graceville: U.S. Route 75 and Minnesota State Highway 28. The town's main street is called Studdart Avenue.
Toqua Lake and Natural Beauty
Graceville is located on the northeast side of Toqua Lake. This lake is a popular spot for fun activities. You can find two campgrounds, a golf course, and a shooting club around the lake.
The area around Graceville is a special natural place. It's called a wet prairie. This means it's a mix of grassy prairie land, swampy areas, and many small lakes and ponds.
Graceville's Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 40 | — | |
| 1890 | 508 | 1,170.0% | |
| 1900 | 856 | 68.5% | |
| 1910 | 987 | 15.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,022 | 3.5% | |
| 1930 | 969 | −5.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,020 | 5.3% | |
| 1950 | 962 | −5.7% | |
| 1960 | 823 | −14.4% | |
| 1970 | 735 | −10.7% | |
| 1980 | 780 | 6.1% | |
| 1990 | 671 | −14.0% | |
| 2000 | 605 | −9.8% | |
| 2010 | 577 | −4.6% | |
| 2020 | 529 | −8.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
|||
Graceville's Community in 2010
In 2010, the city of Graceville had 577 people living there. There were 263 households, which are groups of people living together. About 135 of these were families.
The population density was about 994.8 people per square mile (384.1 people per square kilometer). Most of the people living in Graceville were White (99.8%). A small number were Asian (0.2%), and 0.7% were Hispanic or Latino.
About 19% of households had children under 18. The average age of people in Graceville was 52.2 years old. About 17% of residents were under 18, and 35% were 65 or older.
Fun and Events in Graceville
Toquatennial Days Celebration
To attract visitors, the Graceville Civic Group started "Toquatennial Days" in 1988. This celebration happens on the first weekend of July. It marked the town's 110th anniversary.
Events included crowning "Miss Toquatennial" and a "Medallion Hunt." There were also a softball tournament and an ice cream social. Two street dances were held: a free "kiddie" dance and a fundraiser dance for the fire department.
The "Graceville Gallop" was a six-kilometer walk/run around Toqua Lake. The celebrations ended with a fireworks show over Toqua Lake. Even though the Civic Group stopped in 1998, many events still happen each year. Local businesses and the Volunteer Fire Department keep them going. They even added a 3-on-3 basketball tournament and fire department "water fights."
Learning and Sports in Graceville
Graceville is part of the Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley School District (Independent School District 2888). This district combines rural schools from Big Stone County. They joined together in 1994.
The school mascot is the Wolverine, and the school newspaper is called the "Paw Press." The high school is in Graceville, and the elementary school is in nearby Clinton.
High School Football Success
The Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley High School football team won the Minnesota State High School League Championship in 9-man football. They won this big game at the H.H.H. Metrodome on November 13, 2012.
In 2009, the team also did very well, reaching the semifinal game. They played against the Stephen-Argyle School District and lost by a close score of 18–21. C-G-B sports teams compete in the Pheasant Conference of the Minnesota State High School League.
Famous People from Graceville
Many interesting people have connections to Graceville:
- Charles A. Berg was a farmer and politician.
- Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo is from Graceville.
- Éamon a Búrc (1866–1942), an Irish language storyteller, lived in Graceville early on.
- Jack Conway, a director, producer, and actor from the early 20th century, was born here.
- Arthur Willard Davis (born 1942), a Major League Baseball first baseman, was born in Graceville.
- Todd Hendricks (born 1968) is a former professional football player.
- Tom Kelly, a former manager for the Minnesota Twins baseball team, was born in Graceville.
- Maureen Owen (born 1943) is a poet, editor, and biographer.
- Charles "Charlie" Ryan, a singer and songwriter famous for "Hot Rod Lincoln", was born here.
- Robert Ernest Strand was a farmer and politician.
See also
In Spanish: Graceville (Minnesota) para niños
