Traverse County, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Traverse County
U.S. county
Old District No. 44 School
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
Founded	February 20, 1862 (created) 1881 (organized)
Named for	Lake Traverse
Seat	Wheaton
Largest city	Wheaton
Area
• Total	586 sq mi (1,520 km2)
• Land	574 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Water	12 sq mi (30 km2)  2.0%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,360
• Estimate  (2023)	3,136
• Density	5.9/sq mi (2.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	7th

Traverse County (locally /ˈtrævərs/ TRAV-ərss) is a county located in the state of Minnesota in the United States. A county is like a smaller area within a state, often with its own local government. In 2020, about 3,360 people lived here, making it the county with the fewest people in Minnesota. The main town and county seat is Wheaton. Traverse County was created in 1862 and officially started its government in 1881.

Geography of Traverse County

Traverse County is found on the western side of Minnesota. Its western border touches the states of North Dakota and South Dakota. The Red River flows north along the county's western edge. The Mustinka River also flows through the northern part of the county, emptying into Lake Traverse.

The land in Traverse County has gentle, rolling hills. Most of the land is used for farming, except for areas where towns and buildings are located. The land slopes down towards the west and north. The highest point in the county is in the southeastern corner, which is about 1,119 feet (341 meters) above sea level. The county covers a total area of 586 square miles (1,518 square kilometers). Of this, 574 square miles (1,487 square kilometers) is land, and 12 square miles (31 square kilometers) is water.

Main Roads in Traverse County

Neighboring Counties

Traverse County shares its borders with several other counties:

Protected Natural Areas

These areas help protect wildlife and nature:

• Reservation Dam State Wildlife Management Area
• White Rock Dam State Wildlife Management Area

Lakes in Traverse County

• Lake Traverse (part of the lake is in the county)
• Mud Lake (part of the lake is in the county)
• Saint Marys Lake
• Wet Lake

People of Traverse County (Demographics)

Demographics is the study of populations, like how many people live somewhere, their ages, and their backgrounds.

2020 Census Information

The 2020 Census counted the number of people living in Traverse County and their backgrounds. Here's a look at the different groups:

Towns and Communities

Traverse County has several towns and smaller communities where people live.

Cities

These are the main towns in the county:

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller places that are not officially cities:

Townships

Townships are smaller areas of land, often with their own local governments, especially in rural areas:

Images for kids

• 

  Old District No. 44 School

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Traverse para niños