Luverne, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luverne
|
|
|---|---|
   |
|
| Motto(s):
"Love the Life!"
|
|
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Rock |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.68 sq mi (9.53 km2) |
| • Land | 3.67 sq mi (9.51 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,463 ft (446 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 4,946 |
| • Density | 1,346.58/sq mi (519.86/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
56156
|
| Area code(s) | 507 |
| FIPS code | 27-38564 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395787 |
| Website | City of Luverne |
Luverne is a city in Rock County, Minnesota, United States. It is the main town in the county, located along the Rock River. In 2020, about 4,946 people lived there.
Luverne was featured in a 2007 documentary called The War by filmmaker Ken Burns. It was also the main setting for the second season of the TV show Fargo.
Contents
History of Luverne
Luverne got its first post office in 1868. The town was officially planned out in 1870. It was named after Luverne Hawes, who was the daughter of one of the early settlers.
Nutcracker Collection
Luverne is famous for its huge collection of nutcrackers. The Rock County Historical Society has over 5,300 nutcrackers on display. These nutcrackers come in many shapes, sizes, and colors from all over the world.
You can see nutcrackers displayed by businesses and people in town all year long. There's even a scavenger hunt to find the names of over 130 nutcrackers hidden around the town. Other fun nutcracker events happen throughout the year.
Geography and Nature
According to the United States Census Bureau, Luverne covers about 3.69 square miles (9.53 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit of water.
Rock County is special because it is one of only four counties in Minnesota that does not have a natural lake.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 679 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,466 | 115.9% | |
| 1900 | 2,223 | 51.6% | |
| 1910 | 2,540 | 14.3% | |
| 1920 | 2,782 | 9.5% | |
| 1930 | 2,644 | −5.0% | |
| 1940 | 3,114 | 17.8% | |
| 1950 | 3,650 | 17.2% | |
| 1960 | 4,249 | 16.4% | |
| 1970 | 4,703 | 10.7% | |
| 1980 | 4,568 | −2.9% | |
| 1990 | 4,382 | −4.1% | |
| 2000 | 4,617 | 5.4% | |
| 2010 | 4,745 | 2.8% | |
| 2020 | 4,946 | 4.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2013 Estimate |
|||
Luverne's Population in 2010
In 2010, Luverne had 4,745 people living in 2,048 homes. About 27.7% of these homes had children under 18. The average age of people in Luverne was 42.1 years.
About 24.4% of residents were under 18 years old. Also, 23% of the population was 65 years or older. The city had slightly more females (53.2%) than males (46.8%).
Education in Luverne
The Luverne Public Schools system teaches students from kindergarten through 12th grade. A new elementary school building opened in 1998. Luverne Senior High School is the high school for the system.
Luverne also has a very active Dollars for Scholars program. This program helps students pay for college. It has a large fund of about $2.9 million to give out scholarships.
Parks and Outdoor Fun
The Blue Mound Biking and Hiking Trail is a 6-mile (10 km) path. It goes from Main Street in downtown Luverne to Blue Mounds State Park. Along the trail, you can see open fields, shady trees, and the Blue Mound cliff line.
A part of the trail goes to the top of the 90-foot (27 m) cliff. From there, you get an amazing view of the whole community. Besides the big City Park by the Rock River, Luverne has 10 smaller neighborhood parks.
Arts and Culture
- Palace Theater
The Palace Theater on Main Street had a big renovation. In 2007, it hosted the world premiere of Ken Burns' documentary The War. Luverne was one of four U.S. cities featured in this film about World War II.
- Carnegie Cultural Center
This historic building was built in 1902 as a Carnegie library. Today, it is home to Luverne Street Music. This group helps connect music teachers with students. The building was updated to create soundproof music studios.
- Rock County History Center
The Rock County History Center shows the history of Rock County. It has displays, old items, and documents. A special permanent display is a collection of over 5,300 nutcrackers. You can also find a research area with historical photos.
- Green Earth Players
This group puts on summer theater shows for children at the Palace Theater.
- Verne Drive-in Movie Theater
You can watch new movies outdoors at the Verne Drive-in Movie Theater.
- Rock County Veterans Memorial
This memorial was opened in 2007. It is on the lawn of the Rock County Courthouse. It honors veterans from Rock County who served in the military. People can also buy special stones to honor individual veterans.
- Brandenburg Gallery
This gallery features photos by Jim Brandenburg. He is a famous nature photographer from Luverne who worked for National Geographic. The gallery shows pictures of wildlife and the outdoors. Money from the gallery helps the Brandenburg Prairie Foundation.
- Herreid Military Museum
The Herreid Military Museum is in the Rock County Veterans Memorial Building. It shares space with the Heritage Gallery. This building used to be the county jail. It is connected by a tunnel to the Rock County Courthouse. Both buildings are made from local Sioux quartzite stone.
Transportation
Roads
Interstate 90 and U.S. Route 75 are the main roads in Luverne. The states of Iowa and South Dakota are very close by. The city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is only a 30-minute drive away on Interstate 90.
Air Travel
Luverne has its own airport called Quentin Aanenson Field. The airport's runway and buildings were updated in 2009. It is named after Quentin C. Aanenson, a World War II pilot.
Famous People from Luverne
- Quentin C. Aanenson – A World War II pilot who flew many missions. Luverne's airport is named after him.
- Jim Brandenburg – A famous nature photographer for National Geographic. He has won many awards for his wildlife photos.
- Jerilyn Britz – A professional golfer who won the U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship in 1979.
- Frederick Manfred – An author who wrote many novels about the American West and Midwest.
- Monti Ossenfort – The General Manager for the NFL team, the Arizona Cardinals.
- Shantel VanSanten – A model and actor known for her role in the TV show One Tree Hill.
- James Russell Wiggins – A former editor of The Washington Post newspaper and an Ambassador to the United Nations.
- Dick Wildung – A college football player who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Luverne (Minnesota) para niños
