Le Sueur, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Le Sueur, Minnesota
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Le Sueur Historic Mayo House
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| Counties | Le Sueur |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor – Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.44 sq mi (14.09 km2) |
| • Land | 5.20 sq mi (13.46 km2) |
| • Water | 0.24 sq mi (0.63 km2) |
| Elevation | 827 ft (252 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,213 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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4,178 |
| • Density | 810.50/sq mi (312.91/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
56058
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| Area code(s) | 507 |
| FIPS code | 27-36746 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395659 |
Le Sueur (pronounced lə SOOR) is a city in Le Sueur County, Minnesota. It is located between Mankato and the Twin Cities. The city sits along the Minnesota River and U.S. Highway 169. Le Sueur was named after a French explorer, Pierre-Charles Le Sueur. In 2020, about 4,213 people lived there.
Le Sueur is often called the "Valley of the Jolly Green Giant". You can still see a large billboard that says "Welcome to the Valley" with the Green Giant logo. This is true even though the Green Giant company was sold many years ago. The old canning plant in Le Sueur was used until 1995. Today, it is used for research on corn varieties. A special type of pea, the sugar snap pea, was even created by a scientist at this plant!
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Exploring Le Sueur's Past
Le Sueur got its name in 1853. It was named after the French explorer Pierre-Charles Le Sueur. He explored this area between 1683 and 1722. Before this, the French called the area Prairie La Fleche, which means "arrow prairie." People think this name came from the Dakota language. The Dakota people called the area Wahinoge, meaning "flint quarry." Flint was used to make arrowheads.
In 1852, George W. Thompson was the first person to claim land where Le Sueur is now. Soon after, another person, Henry McLean, tried to start his own settlement. This led to two towns with almost the same name: "Le Sueur" and "Le Sueur City." For a while, they acted like separate towns. But in 1867, the Minnesota Legislature decided to join them. They became one single town called Le Sueur.
The Mayo Clinic Connection
William Worrall Mayo was an early resident of Le Sueur. He started his medical practice here. Later, he founded the world-famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He did this with his sons, William and Charles. His old home, the Dr. William W. Mayo House, has been restored. It looks like it did in the mid-1800s and is now a museum. This house and other buildings in Le Sueur are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Story of the Green Giant
The company we know as Green Giant started in 1903. It was first called The Minnesota Valley Canning Company. Fourteen local business owners in Le Sueur created it.
In 1925, the company introduced "Green Giant Great Big Tender Peas." They also created a mascot called "The Jolly Green Giant." He was based on the folk hero Paul Bunyan. Because of this popular mascot, the company changed its name to "Green Giant Co." in 1950.
The canning company did very well in Le Sueur. However, in 1979, Pillsbury bought Green Giant. They moved the company's main office from Le Sueur to Minneapolis. In 1995, Pillsbury closed most of the original Green Giant processing plant. Only a research center stayed open. It's interesting to know that the huge 55-foot Jolly Green Giant statue is not in Le Sueur. It's about 60 miles away in Blue Earth, Minnesota.
Le Sueur's Location and Roads
Le Sueur covers about 5.62 square miles (14.09 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. A tiny section of the city even stretches into Sibley County.
Important roads in Le Sueur include U.S. Highway 169, Minnesota State Highway 93, and County Highway 22.
People of Le Sueur
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,414 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,763 | 24.7% | |
| 1900 | 1,937 | 9.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,755 | −9.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,795 | 2.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,897 | 5.7% | |
| 1940 | 2,302 | 21.3% | |
| 1950 | 2,713 | 17.9% | |
| 1960 | 3,310 | 22.0% | |
| 1970 | 3,745 | 13.1% | |
| 1980 | 3,763 | 0.5% | |
| 1990 | 3,714 | −1.3% | |
| 2000 | 3,922 | 5.6% | |
| 2010 | 4,058 | 3.5% | |
| 2020 | 4,213 | 3.8% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 4,178 | 3.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
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In 2010, there were 4,058 people living in Le Sueur. About 90.6% of the people were White. About 11.9% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in the city was 37.9 years old. About 25% of residents were under 18 years old.
Le Sueur's Economy
Even though Green Giant moved away, Le Sueur has a low unemployment rate. This is because other businesses have grown. These include the Le Sueur Inc. foundry, the Davisco creamery, and Cambria. Cambria makes surfaces from natural quartz. A Mars pet food plant was in Le Sueur for a short time but closed in 2009.
Schools in Le Sueur
The Le Sueur-Henderson School District serves students from Le Sueur and nearby Henderson. This district has about 1,076 students.
- Park Elementary School in Le Sueur teaches Kindergarten to 3rd grade.
- Hilltop Elementary School in Henderson teaches 4th to 5th grade.
- Le Sueur-Henderson Secondary School in Le Sueur teaches 6th to 12th grade.
Besides the public schools, there is also St. Anne's Catholic School. This is a private Catholic elementary school. It teaches students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. St. Anne's welcomes students from all Christian backgrounds.
Places to Worship
Le Sueur has six churches. These include a Catholic church, a Methodist church, an Evangelical church, and three Lutheran churches.
- The Saint Anne's Roman Catholic parish was started in 1862. It was first connected to the French people living in Le Sueur.
- Zion United Church of Christ is the oldest Lutheran church still in Le Sueur. It was formed in 1868 from two other churches. Services were held in German until 1931, when they changed to English.
- The First Lutheran Church was started in 1883. This happened because many Swedish immigrants moved to the area. Services were held in Swedish until 1927.
- Grace Lutheran Church was founded in 1955.
- Word of Life Lutheran Brethren Church was formed in 1978 by a group of Lutheran families.
- Le Sueur also has the Le Sueur United Methodist Church.
In Spanish: Le Sueur (Minnesota) para niños
