Rushford, Minnesota Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Rushford
City

Location of Rushford, Minnesota
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Fillmore
Government
• Type	Mayor – Council
Area
• Total	1.67 sq mi (4.32 km²)
• Land	1.65 sq mi (4.27 km²)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km²)
Elevation	728 ft (222 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	1,860
• Density	1,127.27/sq mi (435.20/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	55971
Area code(s)	507
FIPS code	27-56284
GNIS feature ID	2396449

Rushford is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. In 2020, about 1,860 people lived there.

History of Rushford
Geography of Rushford
Fun Things to Do in Rushford
People of Rushford
Education in Rushford
Gallery
Images for kids
See also

History of Rushford

The first people to settle in Rushford traveled up the Root River by boat. They saw amazing tall grasses and beautiful hills.

The early settlers named the city Rushford on Christmas Day in 1854. The name comes from Rush Creek, which had many tall rushes growing along its banks. Before that, the area was sometimes called "Trail City." This was because seven different Native American trails met at the creek.

Rushford has had a post office since 1856. The old Railroad Depot, built in 1867, is still there. It has been fixed up and now serves as a Visitors Center.

In 2007, the city faced a big flood when Rush Creek overflowed its banks. But the people of Rushford worked together. They helped their community bounce back and become strong again.

Geography of Rushford

Rushford is located in southeastern Minnesota. It is part of a special area called Bluff Country. This area has many steep hills and valleys. It is also part of the "driftless area," which means it was not flattened by glaciers long ago.

A large hill called Magelssen's Bluff rises 440 feet right above the town. You can see the town's name written in big white letters on the side of this hill.

The city covers about 1.67 square miles (4.32 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water. Rushford is completely surrounded by another city called Rushford Village.

Three main roads go through Rushford. These are Minnesota Highways 16, 30, and 43.

Fun Things to Do in Rushford

Every five years, Rushford has a big Homecoming party. People who used to live in the city are invited to come back and visit. The town also has an annual celebration called "Rushford Days." It used to be known as "Frontier Days."

Rushford is on the Blufflands State Trail. This trail is part of a "Rails to Trails" project. It connects several small towns along 42 miles of an old railroad path. The historic Rushford Depot is a famous spot on this trail. It has a museum inside and other old buildings nearby.

The city also has several parks where you can play. There is also a public swimming pool for everyone to enjoy.

People of Rushford

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	477	—
1870	1,245	161.0%
1880	941	−24.4%
1890	968	2.9%
1900	1,062	9.7%
1910	1,011	−4.8%
1920	1,142	13.0%
1930	1,125	−1.5%
1940	1,182	5.1%
1950	1,270	7.4%
1960	1,335	5.1%
1970	1,318	−1.3%
1980	1,478	12.1%
1990	1,485	0.5%
2000	1,696	14.2%
2010	1,731	2.1%
2020	1,860	7.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 1,731 people living in Rushford. Most people living in the city were White. A small number of people were Native American, Asian, or from other backgrounds. About 0.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Rushford was about 41.9 years old. About 24% of the residents were under 18 years old.

Education in Rushford

Rushford is part of the Rushford-Peterson School District. This district also includes the nearby town of Peterson, Minnesota. The superintendent of the district is Ben Bernard.

In 2017, the Rushford-Peterson School District opened a new school building. It is very large, covering 170,000 square feet.