Red Lake County, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Red Lake County
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The Red Lake County Courthouse in Red Lake Falls in 2007
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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 | December 24, 1896 |
| Named for | Red Lake River |
| Seat | Red Lake Falls |
| Largest city | Red Lake Falls |
| Area | |
| • Total | 432 sq mi (1,120 km2) |
| • Land | 432 sq mi (1,120 km2) |
| • Water | 0.09 sq mi (0.2 km2) 0.02% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,935 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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3,911  |
| • Density | 9.1/sq mi (3.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
Red Lake County is a county in the Northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,935, making it the third-least populous county in Minnesota. Its county seat is Red Lake Falls.
Contents
History
Red Lake County was formed on December 24, 1896 from sections of Polk County. It was named for the Red Lake River. Its designated county seat was Red Lake Falls, which had been incorporated (as a village) in 1881.
The county has two sites on the National Register of Historic Places: the courthouse and Clearwater Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Geography
The Red Lake River flows southward into the county from Pennington County. It is joined near Red Lake Falls by the Clearwater River; the combined flow (still known as the Red Lake River) flows southwestward to Huot, where it is augmented by the Black River, which drains the northwestern part of the county. The Red Lake River then flows southwestward into Polk County. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, etched by drainages and gullies. The area is devoted to agriculture. The county terrain slopes to the west, with its highest elevation on its southeastern corner, at 1,201 ft (366 m) ASL. The county has a total area of 432 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 432 square miles (1,120 km2) is land and 0.09 square miles (0.23 km2) (0.02%) is water.
Despite its name, Red Lake County contains only one named lake: Moran Lake, near Huot.
Red Lake County is the only landlocked county in the United States (excluding those on international borders) to border exactly two other counties.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 2
U.S. Highway 59
Minnesota State Highway 32
Minnesota State Highway 92
Minnesota State Highway 222
Adjacent counties
- Pennington County - north
- Polk County - south
Protected areas
- Moran State Wildlife Management Area
- Old Crossing & Treaty County Wayside Park
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 12,195 | — | |
| 1910 | 6,564 | −46.2% | |
| 1920 | 7,263 | 10.6% | |
| 1930 | 6,887 | −5.2% | |
| 1940 | 7,413 | 7.6% | |
| 1950 | 6,806 | −8.2% | |
| 1960 | 5,830 | −14.3% | |
| 1970 | 5,388 | −7.6% | |
| 1980 | 5,471 | 1.5% | |
| 1990 | 4,525 | −17.3% | |
| 2000 | 4,299 | −5.0% | |
| 2010 | 4,089 | −4.9% | |
| 2020 | 3,935 | −3.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 3,911 | −4.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |
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2020 Census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 3,625 | 92.12% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 15 | 0.4% |
| Native American (NH) | 57 | 1.5% |
| Asian (NH) | 5 | 0.13% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 3 | 0.07% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 127 | 3.23% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 103 | 2.62% |
Communities
Cities
- Brooks
- Oklee
- Plummer
- Red Lake Falls (county seat)
Unincorporated communities
- Dorothy
- Garnes
- Huot
- Perault
- Terrebonne
- Wylie
Townships
- Browns Creek Township
- Emardville Township
- Equality Township
- Garnes Township
- Gervais Township
- Lake Pleasant Township
- Lambert Township
- Louisville Township
- Poplar River Township
- Red Lake Falls Township
- River Township
- Terrebonne Township
- Wylie Township
Media attention
The county received mention in the media when a Washington Post reporter, Christopher Ingraham, wrote a story calling Red Lake County "the absolute worst place to live in America" in a ranking of US counties by "scenery and climate". After vigorous objections from local and state inhabitants and legislators, Ingraham subsequently visited the county and not only reversed his position but later moved there with his family and wrote a book about his experience.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Red Lake para niños
