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Sibley County, Minnesota facts for kids

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Sibley County
Sibley County Courthouse
Sibley County Courthouse
Map of Minnesota highlighting Sibley County
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Minnesota
Founded March 5, 1853
Named for Henry Hastings Sibley
Seat Gaylord
Largest city Gaylord
Area
 • Total 601 sq mi (1,560 km2)
 • Land 589 sq mi (1,530 km2)
 • Water 12 sq mi (30 km2)  2.0%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 14,836
 • Estimate 
(2023)
15,084 Increase
 • Density 25.2/sq mi (9.7/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 7th

Sibley County is a county in the South Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,836. Its county seat is Gaylord.

History

The county was created on March 5, 1853. It was named for Henry Hastings Sibley.

The county seat was first established at Henderson. A courthouse was built there and placed into service in 1879. It was used in that capacity until 1915, when the county seat was moved to Gaylord (after Gaylord residents presented a petition to county supervisors). Now the Henderson Community Building, the original courthouse presently houses Henderson City offices.

Geography

The Minnesota River flows northeastward along Sibley County's eastern border. It is fed by the Rush River, whose three branches drain the lower part of the county before merging and then meeting the Minnesota below Henderson. Bevens Creek drains the upper part of the county, flowing northeastward into Carver County. The county terrain consists of rolling hills etched with drainages and dotted with lakes and ponds, with the area devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the east and north, with its highest point near its northwest corner at 1,083 ft (330 m) ASL. The county has an area of 601 square miles (1,560 km2), of which 589 square miles (1,530 km2) is land and 12 square miles (31 km2) (2.0%) is water. Most of the Rush River's watershed is in Sibley County.

Major highways

  • US 169 (MN).svg U.S. Highway 169
  • MN-5.svg Minnesota State Highway 5
  • MN-15.svg Minnesota State Highway 15
  • MN-19.svg Minnesota State Highway 19
  • MN-22.svg Minnesota State Highway 22
  • MN-25.svg Minnesota State Highway 25
  • MN-93.svg Minnesota State Highway 93

Adjacent counties

Lakes

  • Altnow Lake: in Dryden Township
  • Beatty Lake: in Dryden Township
  • Clear Lake: northern half is in Severance Township; southern half is in Nicollet County
  • Curran Lake: in Green Isle Township
  • Erin Lake
  • Hahn Lake: in New Auburn Township
  • High Island Lake: in New Auburn Township
  • Indian Lake: in Transit Township
  • Kerry Lake: in Faxon Township
  • Kirby Lake
  • Mud Lake: in Dryden Township
  • Mud Lake: there is another Mud Lake in New Auburn Township northwest of Hahn Lake
  • Mud Lake: there is a third Mud Lake in New Auburn Township southeast of Hahn Lake
  • Mud Lake: there is a fourth Mud Lake in Severance Township
  • Mud Lakes: three lakes in Washington Lake Township
  • Round Grove Lake
  • Sand Lake: western two thirds is in Cornish Township; the eastern third is in Alfsborg Township
  • Schauer Lake: in Green Isle Township
  • Schilling Lake: in New Auburn Township
  • Severance Lake: in Green Isle Township
  • Silver Lake: in Jessenland Township
  • Swan Lake: in Severance Township
  • Titlow Lake: in Dryden Township: the North Branch Rush River starts at this lake.
  • Ward Lake (part)
  • Washington Lake: in Washington Lake Township

Protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 3,609
1870 6,725 86.3%
1880 10,637 58.2%
1890 15,199 42.9%
1900 16,862 10.9%
1910 15,540 −7.8%
1920 15,635 0.6%
1930 15,865 1.5%
1940 16,625 4.8%
1950 15,816 −4.9%
1960 16,228 2.6%
1970 15,845 −2.4%
1980 15,448 −2.5%
1990 14,366 −7.0%
2000 15,356 6.9%
2010 15,226 −0.8%
2020 14,836 −2.6%
2023 (est.) 15,084 −0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020
Schauer gravestone- Sibley county MN
German graves in ME Cemetery, evidence of German settlers

2020 Census

Sibley County Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 12,942 87.23%
Black or African American (NH) 81 0.6%
Native American (NH) 30 0.2%
Asian (NH) 72 0.5%
Pacific Islander (NH) 10 0.07%
Other/Mixed (NH) 386 2.6%
Hispanic or Latino 1,315 8.9%

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

  • Alfsborg Township
  • Arlington Township
  • Bismarck Township
  • Cornish Township
  • Dryden Township
  • Faxon Township
  • Grafton Township
  • Green Isle Township
  • Henderson Township
  • Jessenland Township
  • Kelso Township
  • Moltke Township
  • New Auburn Township
  • Severance Township
  • Sibley Township
  • Transit Township
  • Washington Lake Township

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Sibley para niños

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