St. Charles, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
St. Charles
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Historic Whitewater Avenue in St. Charles
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| Nickname(s):
Gateway to Whitewater
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| Motto(s):
City with a Smile
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Location of St. Charles, Minnesota
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Winona |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor - Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.78 sq mi (9.79 km2) |
| • Land | 3.78 sq mi (9.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,132 ft (345 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,990 |
| • Density | 994.44/sq mi (383.98/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
55972
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| Area code(s) | 507 |
| FIPS code | 27-56788 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396477 |
| Website | www.stcharlesmn.org |
St. Charles is a city in Winona County, Minnesota, United States. In 2020, about 3,990 people lived there. This was an increase from 3,735 people in 2010. The city calls itself the "Gateway to Whitewater." This is because Whitewater State Park is only about 7 miles (11 km) north of the city. You can reach the park by taking Minnesota State Highway 74.
Contents
History of St. Charles
St. Charles was first planned out in 1854. It was named after Saint Charles Borromeo, an Italian saint and cardinal who lived from 1538 to 1584. A post office opened in St. Charles in 1855. The city officially became a city in 1870.
On April 17, 2009, everyone in the city had to leave their homes. This happened because of a big fire at a food processing plant called North Star Foods. The fire created a risk from some chemical tanks nearby. Residents were able to safely return home the very next day.
Three important buildings in St. Charles are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are special because of their history. These include the Trinity Episcopal Church, built in 1874. Also, the St. Charles City Bakery from 1876 is on the list. Finally, the Whitewater Avenue Commercial Historic District from the 1890s is also recognized.
Geography and Transportation
St. Charles covers an area of about 3.86 square miles (9.99 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Several important roads and a railroad pass through St. Charles. U.S. Highway 14 goes through the city from east to west. The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad also crosses the city in the same direction. Minnesota State Highway 74 runs from south to north. This highway is also known as Whitewater Avenue or Main Street. You can find an entrance to Interstate 90 just south of the city.
The Whitewater River flows through the northern part of St. Charles.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 1,151 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,155 | 0.3% | |
| 1890 | 1,178 | 2.0% | |
| 1900 | 1,304 | 10.7% | |
| 1910 | 1,159 | −11.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,351 | 16.6% | |
| 1930 | 1,311 | −3.0% | |
| 1940 | 1,507 | 15.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,548 | 2.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,882 | 21.6% | |
| 1970 | 1,942 | 3.2% | |
| 1980 | 2,184 | 12.5% | |
| 1990 | 2,642 | 21.0% | |
| 2000 | 3,295 | 24.7% | |
| 2010 | 3,735 | 13.4% | |
| 2020 | 3,990 | 6.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 3,735 people living in St. Charles. These people lived in 1,416 households. About 36.4% of these households had children under 18 years old. The average age of people in the city was 35.8 years. About 28% of the residents were under 18 years old.
Education in St. Charles
St. Charles is part of the St. Charles Public Schools system. The city has both an elementary school and St. Charles High School. There is also a place for everyone to read and learn at the St. Charles Public Library.
Arts and Culture
St. Charles has a special yearly festival called Gladiolus Days. This festival always takes place the weekend before Labor Day in August. It celebrates a local resident named Carl H. Fischer. He was famous for growing many different kinds of gladiolus flowers. Fischer's business, Noweta Gardens, created hundreds of new gladiolus varieties. Because of his work, the community became known as the "Gladiolus Capitol of the World."
Notable People from St. Charles
Many interesting people have connections to St. Charles:
- Erastus Milo Cravath (1833–1900) worked for a missionary group and spent his later years here.
- P/O Arthur Donahue (1913–1942) was a pilot who fought in the Royal Air Force during Second World War.
- George W. Kiefer (1891–1943) was a lawyer and a state lawmaker in Minnesota.
- Carl H. Fischer (1907–2005) was a floriculturalist, known for his work with gladiolus flowers.
- Brad Nessler is a sports commentator for CBS college sports.
Images for kids
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Historic Trinity Episcopal Church, now a city park
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House of Hidden Treasure, one of the oldest homes in the city, now an antique shop
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North Star Foods the day after it was destroyed by fire
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Downtown
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Sign
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Water tower
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City hall
See also
In Spanish: St. Charles (Minnesota) para niños
