Olivia, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Olivia
City
Renville County Courthouse
Motto(s):  "The Corn Capital of the World"
Location of Olivia within Renville County, Minnesota
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Renville
Area
• Total	2.45 sq mi (6.35 km2)
• Land	2.45 sq mi (6.35 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,070 ft (330 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,363
• Density	955.16/sq mi (368.83/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	56277
Area code(s)	320
FIPS code	27-48256
GNIS feature ID	2396057
Website	www.olivia.mn.us

Olivia is the county seat of Renville County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 2,484 at the 2010 census.

History

Heins Block

Olivia was platted in 1878, and named for a female station agent named Olive, according to local history. A post office has been in operation at Olivia since 1879. The county seat moved from Beaver Falls to Olivia in 1900.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 2.34 square miles (6.06 km²), all land.

U.S. Highways 71 and 212 are two of the main routes in the city.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,484 people, 1,038 households, and 653 families living in the city. The population density was 1,061.5 inhabitants per square mile (409.8/km²). There were 1,142 housing units at an average density of 488.0 per square mile (188.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.9% White, 1.0% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 3.7% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.3% of the population.

There were 1,038 households, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.85.

The median age in the city was 40.8 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.5% were from 45 to 64; and 19.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.

Education

Olivia's school system is partnered with Bird Island and Lake Lillian, and operates under the name BOLD Schools (Bird Island, Olivia, Lake Lillian District). The school mascot is the BOLD Warrior. The BOLD high school is in Olivia and the elementary school is in Bird Island. Bird Island also has a Catholic school.

Corn Capital of the World

The Minnesota Senate has designated Olivia the "Corn Capital of the World". Olivia has been calling itself the "Corn Capital of the World" since 1973, when it erected its well-known 50-foot corn monument in the shape of an ear of corn.

Olivia is the home to nine seed research facilities. It is in the middle of Renville County, Minnesota's leading producer of corn.

Corn Capital Days

Olivia celebrates Corn Capital Days during the last weekend of July. Activities include a parade, corncob toss, corn-lympics, free corn feed, kiddie parade, Lion's walk-in, fly-in, drive-in breakfast, and live music.

Notable people

• Blix Donnelly (1914–1976), baseball player
• Michael J. Dowling (1866–1921), Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
• Darwin Hall (1844–1919), Minnesota state legislator
• Paul F. Heard (1913–1964), producer, director, and scriptwriter of religious films
• Roger Reinert (born 1970), member of the Minnesota Senate
• Thomas Joseph Simmons (1932–2002), Minnesota state legislator and lawyer
• Kathleen Winsor (1919–2003), author of Forever Amber
• Tom Ruud (born 1953), football player

Media

Television

See also

In Spanish: Olivia (Minnesota) para niños