Stevens County, Minnesota Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Stevens County
U.S. county
Carnegie Library in Morris.
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
Founded	February 20, 1862
Named for	Isaac Ingalls Stevens
Seat	Morris
Largest city	Morris
Area
• Total	575 sq mi (1,490 km²)
• Land	564 sq mi (1,460 km²)
• Water	12 sq mi (30 km²) 2.0%%
Population (2020)
• Total	9,671
• Estimate (2023)	9,728
• Density	17.1/sq mi (6.6/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	7th

Stevens County is a county located in the state of Minnesota, United States. In 2020, about 9,671 people lived there. The county's main town and government center is Morris. As of 2023, the population is estimated to be around 9,728 people.

History of Stevens County

How Stevens County Was Formed

Stevens County was officially created on February 20, 1862, by the Minnesota government. At first, it didn't have its own local government or a main town.

The county was named after Isaac Stevens. He was an important person who explored Minnesota in 1853. He helped people across the country learn more about the Minnesota Territory.

Naming the County

The government wanted to name a county after Isaac Stevens in 1855. But there was a mistake, and another county was accidentally named Stearns.

The mistake was fixed in 1862 when Stevens County was created. Isaac Stevens was a general in the American Civil War at that time. He sadly died later that same year.

Setting Up the Government

The local government for Stevens County officially started in 1872. The town of Morris, which was planned out in 1869, was chosen as the county seat. This means Morris became the center for the county's government.

Education in Morris

The University of Minnesota Morris is located in Morris. It started in the early 1900s. Before that, it was a school called the Morris Industrial School for Indians. This school opened in 1887. It was run by the Roman Catholic Sisters of Mercy under a contract with the United States government.

Local Events

In 1975, a small earthquake happened in Stevens County.

Geography of Stevens County

Rivers and Land

The Pomme de Terre River flows through the middle of Stevens County. It travels south and eventually joins the Minnesota River.

The land in the county has gentle rolling hills. Most of the area is used for farming. The land generally slopes downwards towards the south. However, some parts in the northeast and southwest are higher than the center of the county.

Highest Point

The highest point in Stevens County is on the eastern part of its northern border. It is about 1,250 feet (381 meters) above sea level.

County Size

Stevens County covers a total area of about 575 square miles (1,490 square kilometers). Out of this, 564 square miles (1,460 square kilometers) is land. The remaining 12 square miles (31 square kilometers), or 2.0%, is water.

Main Roads and Highways

These are the major roads that help people travel through Stevens County:

U.S. Highway 59

U.S. Highway 59
Minnesota State Highway 9

Minnesota State Highway 9
Minnesota State Highway 28

Minnesota State Highway 28
Minnesota State Highway 329

Minnesota State Highway 329

Neighboring Counties

Stevens County shares its borders with these other counties:

Grant County to the north
Douglas County to the northeast
Pope County to the east
Swift County to the south
Big Stone County to the southwest
Traverse County to the northwest

Protected Natural Areas

Stevens County has several protected areas. These places help keep nature safe and are important for wildlife:

Alberta Marsh State Wildlife Management Area
Boekholt Grove State Wildlife Management Area
Bruillet State Wildlife Management Area
Cin State Wildlife Management Area
Dablow State Wildlife Management Area
Dolven State Wildlife Management Area
Everglade State Wildlife Management Area
Klason State Wildlife Management Area
Kline State Wildlife Management Area
Mathison State Wildlife Management Area
Muddy Creek State Wildlife Management Area
Reimers State Wildlife Management Area
Robertson State Wildlife Management Area
Selk State Wildlife Management Area
Thedin State Wildlife Management Area
Verlyn Marth Memorial Prairie Scientific and Natural Area

People of Stevens County

Population Changes Over Time

The number of people living in Stevens County has changed over many years. Here's how the population has grown and shrunk:

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	174	—
1880	3,911	2,147.7%
1890	5,251	34.3%
1900	8,721	66.1%
1910	8,293	−4.9%
1920	9,778	17.9%
1930	10,185	4.2%
1940	11,039	8.4%
1950	11,106	0.6%
1960	11,262	1.4%
1970	11,218	−0.4%
1980	11,322	0.9%
1990	10,634	−6.1%
2000	10,053	−5.5%
2010	9,726	−3.3%
2020	9,671	−0.6%
2023 (est.)	9,728	0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

Who Lives in Stevens County?

The 2020 Census looked at the different groups of people living in Stevens County. Here's a quick look at the main groups:

Stevens County Racial Composition
Race	Number of People	Percentage
White (not Hispanic)	8,093	83.7%
Black or African American (not Hispanic)	84	0.9%
Native American (not Hispanic)	110	1.14%
Asian (not Hispanic)	68	0.7%
Pacific Islander (not Hispanic)	1	0.01%
Other/Mixed (not Hispanic)	329	3.4%
Hispanic or Latino	986	10.2%

Towns and Areas in Stevens County

Cities in Stevens County

These are the cities located within Stevens County:

Alberta
Chokio
Donnelly
Hancock
Morris (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are.)

Townships in Stevens County

Townships are smaller local areas that help manage land and services. Here are the townships in Stevens County:

Baker Township
Darnen Township
Donnelly Township
Eldorado Township
Everglade Township
Framnas Township
Hodges Township
Horton Township
Moore Township
Morris Township
Pepperton Township
Rendsville Township
Scott Township
Stevens Township
Swan Lake Township
Synnes Township

Stevens County, Minnesota facts for kids

Contents