Lyon County, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lyon County
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Student Center at Southwest Minnesota State University.
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Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
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 Minnesota's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | March 6, 1868 March 2, 1869 |
| Named for | Nathaniel Lyon |
| Seat | Marshall |
| Largest city | Marshall |
| Area | |
| • Total | 722 sq mi (1,870 km2) |
| • Land | 715 sq mi (1,850 km2) |
| • Water | 7.1 sq mi (18 km2) 1.0%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 25,269 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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25,427  |
| • Density | 35.3/sq mi (13.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
Lyon County is a county located in the state of Minnesota, in the United States. It's a place where many people live, work, and go to school.
In 2020, about 25,269 people called Lyon County home. The main city and the place where the county government is located is Marshall. Lyon County is also part of the Marshall, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which means it's a small urban area with strong ties to Marshall.
Contents
History of Lyon County
Lyon County was officially created by the Minnesota state government. This happened in two steps, first on March 6, 1868, and then again on March 2, 1869. The city of Marshall was chosen to be the county seat right from the start.
The county was named after Nathaniel Lyon. He was an officer in the United States Army. He served in the Dakota and Minnesota territories. Sadly, he was killed in the American Civil War in 1861. By the time he died, he had become a general.
Originally, Lyon County was much bigger. But on March 6, 1873, a law was passed that made the western part of Lyon County into a new county called Lincoln County. This made Lyon County smaller, about 43% of its original size.
Geography of Lyon County
Lyon County is located in a part of Minnesota with gently rolling hills. Several rivers flow through the county. The Yellow Medicine River flows through the northern part. The Redwood River goes through the middle. And the Cottonwood River flows through the southern part. All these rivers generally flow towards the northeast.
The land in Lyon County slopes down towards the north and east. The highest point in the county is near its southwest corner. It's about 1,729 feet (527 meters) above sea level.
The total area of Lyon County is about 722 square miles (1,870 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 715 square miles (1,852 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 7.1 square miles (18 square kilometers), is water. This means about 1% of the county's area is water.
Lakes in Lyon County
Lyon County has several lakes. These lakes are important for the environment and for fun activities.
- Clear Lake
- Cottonwood Lake
- East Twin Lake
- Goose Lake
- Island Lake
- Lady Slipper Lake
- Lake Marshall
- Lake of the Hill
- Lake Yankton
- Lone Tree Lake (part)
- Long Lake (part)
- McKay Lake
- North Twin Lake
- Rock Lake
- School Grove Lake (part)
- Sham Lake
- South Twin Lake
- Swift Lake
- West Twin Lake
- Wood Lake
Major Roads
These are the main highways that pass through Lyon County. They help people travel to and from different communities.
U.S. Highway 14
U.S. Highway 59
Minnesota State Highway 19
Minnesota State Highway 23
Minnesota State Highway 68
Minnesota State Highway 91
Airports in Lyon County
Lyon County has two airports. These airports help people and goods travel by air.
- Southwest Minnesota Regional Airport (MML)
- Tracy Municipal Airport (TKC)
Neighboring Counties
Lyon County shares its borders with five other counties in Minnesota.
- Yellow Medicine County - to the north
- Redwood County - to the east
- Murray County - to the south
- Pipestone County - to the southwest
- Lincoln County - to the west
Protected Natural Areas
Lyon County has several protected areas. These places help preserve nature and wildlife. They are great for outdoor activities like hiking and observing animals.
- Camden State Park
- Gadwall State Wildlife Management Area
- Garvin State Park
- Grandview State Wildlife Management Area
- Greenhead State Wildlife Management Area
- Glynn Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
- Shelburne State Wildlife Management Area
- Vallers State Wildlife Management Area
Population of Lyon County
The population of Lyon County has changed over the years. This chart shows how many people have lived in the county during different census years.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 6,257 | — | |
| 1890 | 9,501 | 51.8% | |
| 1900 | 14,591 | 53.6% | |
| 1910 | 15,722 | 7.8% | |
| 1920 | 18,837 | 19.8% | |
| 1930 | 19,328 | 2.6% | |
| 1940 | 21,569 | 11.6% | |
| 1950 | 22,253 | 3.2% | |
| 1960 | 22,655 | 1.8% | |
| 1970 | 24,273 | 7.1% | |
| 1980 | 25,207 | 3.8% | |
| 1990 | 24,789 | −1.7% | |
| 2000 | 25,425 | 2.6% | |
| 2010 | 25,857 | 1.7% | |
| 2020 | 25,269 | −2.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 25,427 | −1.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |
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2020 Census Information
The 2020 Census collected information about the people living in Lyon County. This table shows the different groups of people who make up the county's population.
| Race | Number of People | Percentage of Total |
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| White (Not Hispanic) | 20,535 | 81.26% |
| Black or African American (Not Hispanic) | 906 | 3.6% |
| Native American (Not Hispanic) | 84 | 0.3% |
| Asian (Not Hispanic) | 1,263 | 5% |
| Pacific Islander (Not Hispanic) | 3 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed (Not Hispanic) | 734 | 2.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,744 | 7% |
Communities in Lyon County
Lyon County has several towns and cities where people live. It also has smaller, unincorporated communities and townships.
Cities in Lyon County
These are the cities located within Lyon County.
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially organized as cities or towns.
Townships in Lyon County
Townships are smaller local government areas within the county.
- Amiret Township
- Clifton Township
- Coon Creek Township
- Custer Township
- Eidsvold Township
- Fairview Township
- Grandview Township
- Island Lake Township
- Lake Marshall Township
- Lucas Township
- Lynd Township
- Lyons Township
- Monroe Township
- Nordland Township
- Rock Lake Township
- Shelburne Township
- Sodus Township
- Stanley Township
- Vallers Township
- Westerheim Township
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Lyon (Minnesota) para niños
