St. Louis County, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Louis County
U.S. county
St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
Founded	February 20, 1855
Named for	St. Louis River
Seat	Duluth
Largest city	Duluth
Area
• Total	6,860 sq mi (17,800 km2)
• Land	6,247 sq mi (16,180 km2)
• Water	612 sq mi (1,590 km2)  8.9%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	200,231
• Estimate  (2023)	200,514
• Density	29.188/sq mi (11.270/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	8th

St. Louis County is a large county located in the Arrowhead Region of the U.S. state of Minnesota. In 2020, about 200,231 people lived here. Its main city and government center is Duluth.

This county is the biggest in Minnesota by land area. It is also the largest in the entire United States by total area (including water) east of the Mississippi River. St. Louis County is part of the larger Duluth, MN–Superior, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Important jobs in the county include making pulpwood (wood for paper) and tourism. Mining for taconite (a type of iron ore) and turning it into high-quality iron ore is also a big part of the economy. This mining is closely connected to shipping in the ports of Duluth and Superior. Parts of the Bois Forte and Fond du Lac Indian reservations are also located in the county.

History of St. Louis County

For a long time, this area was home to Native American tribes. These included the Ojibwe (Chippewa), Ottawa, and Potawatomi peoples. They were part of a group called the Council of Three Fires. As American settlers moved into the area, these Native American groups were moved to other places.

The Minnesota Legislature officially created St. Louis County on February 20, 1855. It was first called Doty County. Then, on March 3, 1855, its name changed to Newton County.

The county's borders changed a few times. On March 1, 1856, Newton County became St. Louis County. It also grew bigger by adding parts of Itasca County. On May 23, 1857, St. Louis County got its current shape. This happened when Carlton County was formed from parts of St. Louis and Pine counties.

Geography and Nature

St. Louis County is very large. It covers about 6,860 square miles. About 6,247 square miles are land, and 612 square miles (8.9%) are water. It is the biggest county in Minnesota. It is also the largest county by total area east of the Mississippi River in the United States. St. Louis County is unique because it has a coastline on Lake Superior. It also borders both Canada and another state, Wisconsin.

Voyageurs National Park was created in 1975. It is in the northwestern part of the county, near Rainy Lake and the Canada–US border. This park is popular for boating and fishing. The county also includes parts of Superior National Forest, which started in 1909. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is also here. It is a huge wilderness area of about 1,090,000 acres. People enjoy fishing, camping, hiking, and canoeing there. It is one of the most visited wilderness areas in the United States. St. Louis County has more than 500 lakes! The biggest lakes are Pelican and Vermilion.

A special place called the "Hill of Three Waters" is northeast of Hibbing. Rain that falls on this hill flows in three different directions. It can go north to Hudson Bay, east to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence (through Lake Superior), or south and west to the Gulf of Mexico (through the Mississippi River). The county also has important rivers like the St. Louis and Vermilion.

Duluth, located on Lake Superior, is one of the most important freshwater ports in the United States. This means many ships come and go from here.

The county is also part of the Iron Range. This area is known for its taconite mining industry. Active mines are found in cities like Hibbing, Mountain Iron, Eveleth, Virginia, and Babbitt.

Main Roads in St. Louis County

Neighboring Counties and Districts

• Rainy River District, Ontario, Canada (north)
• Lake County (east)
• Douglas County, Wisconsin (southeast)
• Carlton County (south)
• Aitkin County (southwest)
• Itasca County (west)
• Koochiching County (northwest)

Protected Natural Areas

• Superior National Forest (part)
  • Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (part)
• Voyageurs National Park (part)

Climate and Weather

St. Louis County has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold, snowy winters. Winters are very long and cold. Temperatures often stay below freezing for many days.

In January 2019, the county experienced extremely cold wind chills, feeling like -70°F (-57°C). This was so cold that schools and government offices had to close. Scientists linked this unusual cold to changes in global weather patterns.

Population and People

Population Data from 2020

The 2020 census showed that St. Louis County had 200,231 people.

Asianalone (NH)

Note: The US Census counts Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic group. This table separates them from racial groups. People who are Hispanic/Latino can be of any race.

Population Data from 2010

In 2010, the county had 200,226 people. Most people were White (94.0%). There were also Native American (2.2%), Black or African American (0.4%), and Asian (0.9%) residents. About 2.3% of people were of two or more races. About 1.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Many people in the county have roots from Europe. The largest groups include German (24.3%), Norwegian (15.9%), Swedish (13.0%), and Irish (10.2%).

Cities and Towns

Cities in St. Louis County

Townships in St. Louis County

Unorganized Areas

Special Census Areas

• Mahnomen
• Nett Lake
• Soudan

Small Unincorporated Communities

Old Ghost Towns

• Carson Lake
• Costin Village
• Elcor
• Fermoy
• Spina

Images for kids

• 

  St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth

See also

In Spanish: Condado de St. Louis (Minnesota) para niños