Wilder, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wilder
City
Location of Wilder, Minnesota
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Jackson
Government
• Type	Mayor – Council
Area
• Total	0.79 sq mi (2.04 km2)
• Land	0.79 sq mi (2.04 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,453 ft (443 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	62
• Density	78.58/sq mi (30.34/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
FIPS code	27-70258
GNIS feature ID	2397310

Wilder is a small city located in Jackson County, Minnesota, in the United States. In 2020, about 62 people lived there.

History of Wilder

Wilder was started in 1885. It got its name from Amherst Holcomb Wilder, who worked for a railroad company. In 1899, Wilder officially became a city. A post office opened in Wilder in 1886. It stayed open for many years until it closed in 1991.

The Breck School in Wilder

Amherst H. Wilder, who Wilder, Minnesota is named after

The Reverend James Lloyd Breck, who The Breck School is named after

The Breck School was first built in Wilder in 1886. It was the first of many Breck campuses that were later built across Minnesota. The school was named after the Reverend James Lloyd Breck. He was known as "The Apostle of the Wilderness." This was because he helped start schools for Native American communities in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The Breck School in Wilder was created to help children of local farmers. Their one-room school education did not prepare them for high school. It cost $110 for a year of room, food, and classes. Classes started in late September and finished in March. This schedule allowed farm students to go home and help with spring planting.

Classes at the school included writing, grammar, and math. They also taught more advanced subjects like Greek, public speaking, chemistry, and physics. The Breck School in Wilder closed in 1909. It reopened in St. Paul in 1916. Today, the main Breck campus is in Golden Valley, Minnesota.

Famous Student: Franklin Clarence Mars

Franklin Clarence Mars when he was a student at The Breck School in Wilder, from 1899 to 1900

Franklin Clarence Mars, also known as Frank, went to The Breck School in Wilder, MN. He attended from 1899 to 1900. Mars later became very famous as the person who started the Mars Candy Company.

In 1988, the Mars family was named the richest family in the United States by Fortune magazine. Since then, other families have become richer. In 2016, the Mars family was ranked as the third richest family in America.

Geography of Wilder

Wilder is a small city. It covers about 0.79 square miles (2.04 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the city limits.

Two main roads, Minnesota State Highway 60 and Minnesota State Highway 86, pass through the community.

Population and People

Main Street in Wilder, around 1910

Wilder's Population in 2010

Based on the census from 2010, 60 people lived in Wilder. There were 25 households, which are groups of people living together. Out of these, 16 were families. The city had about 75 people per square mile. All the residents were White.

About 24% of the households had children under 18 living with them. Almost half (48%) were married couples living together. Some households had a single parent, either a mother (8%) or a father (8%). About 36% of households were not families.

About 32% of all households had only one person living there. Around 16% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The average household had 2.40 people. The average family had 3.00 people.

The average age of people in Wilder was 38 years old. About 28% of residents were under 18. About 25% were between 25 and 44 years old. Another 28% were between 45 and 64. About 18% were 65 years old or older. More males lived in the city (56.7%) than females (43.3%).

See also

In Spanish: Wilder (Minnesota) para niños