Redwood Falls, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Redwood Falls
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Street in downtown Redwood Falls
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| Motto(s):
The town of redwood trees
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| Counties | Redwood |
| Settlement | 1864 |
| Platted | October 1865 |
| Incorporated (village) | March 9, 1876 |
| Incorporated (city) | April 1, 1891 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.40 sq mi (14.00 km2) |
| • Land | 5.28 sq mi (13.68 km2) |
| • Water | 0.12 sq mi (0.32 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,024 ft (312 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,102 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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5,084 |
| • Density | 966.10/sq mi (372.99/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
56283
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| Area code(s) | 507 |
| FIPS code | 27-53656 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396342 |
Redwood Falls is a city in Redwood County, Minnesota. It is located where the Redwood River meets the Minnesota River. In 2020, about 5,102 people lived there. Redwood Falls is also the main city, or county seat, of Redwood County.
Contents
History of Redwood Falls
Long ago, the area where Redwood Falls is now was home to the Dakota people. They were part of a larger group called the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires). Around the 1700s, the Ojibwe people also moved into Minnesota. They sometimes had conflicts with the Dakota over land.
How Redwood Falls Started
In 1864, a man named Sam McPhail claimed land in the area. He was a colonel in the U.S. Army and also bought and sold land. He built a strong house and surrounded it with a tall fence made of sod.
McPhail started a newspaper called the Redwood Falls Patriot. He also became a judge and the first lawyer for Redwood County. In 1872, he gave land for the county courthouse. This is how Redwood Falls became the county seat.
Another early settler was John St. George Honner. He built a house in 1869 that you can still see today. Honner was the first postmaster and also worked for the county. He was involved in state politics, serving as a representative and senator. He also ran a quarry and provided stone for the courthouse.
Recent History of Redwood Falls
After World War II, Redwood Falls hosted the Minnesota Inventors Congress (MIC). This event started in 1958. It encouraged new ideas and helped bring businesses to the town. The MIC had an exhibition each year. It also held a contest for young student inventors. This event ended in 2014 after 58 years.
In 1958, the city took over Alexander Ramsey Park from the state. It was not used much before. Now, it is the largest city park in Minnesota.
In 1996, the nearby town of North Redwood joined with Redwood Falls. They are now one city. In 2010, more than 6% of the people in the city were Native Americans. Many Native Americans still live in different parts of Minnesota today.
Geography and Climate
Redwood Falls covers about 5.4 square miles (14 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, and a small part is water. The Redwood River flows through the city. It then joins the larger Minnesota River.
Major roads in Redwood Falls include U.S. Highway 71. Other important state highways are 19 and 67.
Weather in Redwood Falls
Redwood Falls has a climate with hot summers and cold, freezing winters. This type of climate is called a humid continental climate.
| Climate data for Redwood Falls (1981-2010) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 23.8 (−4.6) |
28.6 (−1.9) |
40.7 (4.8) |
58.1 (14.5) |
70.7 (21.5) |
79.9 (26.6) |
84.0 (28.9) |
81.3 (27.4) |
73.2 (22.9) |
59.4 (15.2) |
41.3 (5.2) |
26.6 (−3.0) |
55.6 (13.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 6.0 (−14.4) |
11.2 (−11.6) |
23.3 (−4.8) |
36.0 (2.2) |
48.2 (9.0) |
58.0 (14.4) |
62.1 (16.7) |
59.6 (15.3) |
50.1 (10.1) |
37.5 (3.1) |
24.0 (−4.4) |
10.1 (−12.2) |
35.5 (2.0) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.60 (15) |
0.56 (14) |
1.59 (40) |
2.71 (69) |
3.23 (82) |
4.33 (110) |
3.60 (91) |
3.74 (95) |
3.03 (77) |
1.99 (51) |
1.44 (37) |
0.61 (15) |
27.43 (696) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population of Redwood Falls
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 981 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,238 | 26.2% | |
| 1900 | 1,661 | 34.2% | |
| 1910 | 1,666 | 0.3% | |
| 1920 | 2,421 | 45.3% | |
| 1930 | 2,552 | 5.4% | |
| 1940 | 3,270 | 28.1% | |
| 1950 | 3,813 | 16.6% | |
| 1960 | 4,285 | 12.4% | |
| 1970 | 4,774 | 11.4% | |
| 1980 | 5,210 | 9.1% | |
| 1990 | 4,859 | −6.7% | |
| 2000 | 5,459 | 12.3% | |
| 2010 | 5,254 | −3.8% | |
| 2020 | 5,102 | −2.9% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 5,084 | −3.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
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What the 2010 Census Showed
In 2010, the city had 5,254 people living in 2,265 homes. About 1,341 of these were families. The city had about 1,000 people per square mile.
Most people in Redwood Falls were White (87.8%). About 6.6% were Native American. Other groups included African American, Asian, and people of two or more races. About 3.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 28.9% of homes had children under 18. Many homes (42.8%) were married couples. The average age in the city was 42.1 years old. About 24.3% of residents were under 18. About 20.7% were 65 or older.
Media and Television
Redwood Falls has access to many television channels. These channels include major networks like CBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX. There is also a local PBS station called Pioneer Public TV. Many of these channels are provided by the Redwood Falls TV Improvement Corporation.
See also
In Spanish: Redwood Falls para niños
