Adrian, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
As of the census
of 2000, there were 1,234 people, 493 households, and 330 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,111.5 people per square mile (429.2/km²). There were 527 housing units at an average density of 474.7 per square mile (183.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.43% White, 0.24% African American, 0.32% Asian, 1.94% from other races
, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.92% of the population.
There were 493 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples
living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,927, and the median income for a family was $44,125. Males had a median income of $30,972 versus $21,042 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,925. About 3.5% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over.
O.D. Brown of the Railroad Company surveyed the original 16-block town site May 23–29, 1876, but the town didn't begin to develop until the track-laying crews reached the location in August with their branch of the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad. Shortly thereafter, on August 28, the city's plat was dedicated. It was filed another month later on October 4.
Adrian was named after Mrs Adrian Iselin, mother of Adrian C. Iselin, one of the directors of the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad Company. For a time, this claim offended the sensibilities of people who preferred to believe the more inspiring story that the town was named in honor of St. Adrian, the celebrated warrior and Catholic bishop whose name was adopted by the local parish. But since the naming process was well documented, and Adrian received its title in 1876, while St. Adrian Church was not founded until 1877, most of the conflict eventually disappeared. A portrait of the austere Mrs. Adrian together with an article now adorns the wall of her namesake's City Hall.
Adrian prospered early in its life, shipping 100,000 bushels of grain from the station during 1877, the year after its founding. That prosperity was due in large part to the colonizing efforts of John Ireland, third bishop of the St. Paul Diocese. Bishop Ireland used his personal wealth and the power of the Catholic press to attempt to lure Catholic settlers from the eastern cities. In 1877, he bought 20000 acres (80.9 km²) of land in the Adrian vicinity. Seven months later he purchased another 35000 acres (141.6 km²) for resale to the settlers.
As went the church and railroad, so went the town of Adrian. Its population totaled 193 people in 1880; by 1882 the local parish reported 250 Catholic families living in the area. The number of people in town jumped to 671 in 1890, and positively soared up to 1,258 in 1900. By this time, however, the young towns of Ellsworth, Lismore and Wilmont had grown to claim some of Adrian's railroad trade area. Adrian had also lost a bid to claim the title of Nobles County Seat from Worthington in 1883, and when it failed in an attempt to split the county in 1893, Adrian's future as a small town was set.
But Adrian's population stagnation didn't prevent the town from enjoying some of the most prosperous years of its history. The landmark buildings, some which still stand in town, were all built within a ten-year period, beginning in 1891. The first floor of A.M. Becker's massive general store was constructed in 1891 , followed by a second in 1895. Unfortunately the hardware store burned down in December 2006. George Slade and his wife built their 36 room, electric-lit hotel for $22,000 in 1891. The Adrian State Bank building went up that same year, and the town's first telephone office moved upstairs December 10, 1897. The bank was torn down in the summer of 2007 due to structural issues. When the first St. Adrian Catholic Church burned to the ground Christmas Eve, 1899, the town responded by completing the present edifice in 1901.
During the years from 1910 to 1980, the City of Adrian welcomed automobiles, tractors and all sorts of electrical gadgets. Four times it sent its sons to war, fighting first to end war, then to preserve democracy and after that for reasons over which honest, serious people still disagree. And at 2:00 p.m., November 4, 1967, the section of Interstate Highway 90
passing Adrian officially opened to traffic.
The interstate was to become Adrian's main artery of transportation, replacing the railroad as the source of the town's lifeblood. But even with the new highway, the town continued to fall from the apex of commercial success it had known at the turn of the century.
By the early 1980s, it became clear to town leaders that deliberate planning was required to rejuvenate the city's Maine Avenue. They created the Housing and Redevelopment Authority in response and in 1983 were successful in obtaining a $600,000 grant from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development. Those funds financed "The Domino," a project in which five old Maine Avenue buildings were demolished and replaced with new facilities. Adrian Web Page
, represented by Mankato
educator Tim Walz
, a Democrat
. At the state level, Adrian is located in Senate
District 22, represented by Republican
Doug Magnus
, and in House
District 22A, represented by Republican Joe Schomacker
.
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,234 people, 493 households, and 330 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,111.5 people per square mile (429.2/km²). There were 527 housing units at an average density of 474.7 per square mile (183.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.43% White, 0.24% African American, 0.32% Asian, 1.94% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.92% of the population.
There were 493 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,927, and the median income for a family was $44,125. Males had a median income of $30,972 versus $21,042 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,925. About 3.5% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over.
History
Chosen as a town site by the St. Paul and Dakota Railroad Company and developed by the Catholic Church, Adrian is one of many Minnesota towns that owes its existence to that peculiar combination of railroads and religion.O.D. Brown of the Railroad Company surveyed the original 16-block town site May 23–29, 1876, but the town didn't begin to develop until the track-laying crews reached the location in August with their branch of the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad. Shortly thereafter, on August 28, the city's plat was dedicated. It was filed another month later on October 4.
Adrian prospered early in its life, shipping 100,000 bushels of grain from the station during 1877, the year after its founding. That prosperity was due in large part to the colonizing efforts of John Ireland, third bishop of the St. Paul Diocese. Bishop Ireland used his personal wealth and the power of the Catholic press to attempt to lure Catholic settlers from the eastern cities. In 1877, he bought 20000 acres (80.9 km²) of land in the Adrian vicinity. Seven months later he purchased another 35000 acres (141.6 km²) for resale to the settlers.
As went the church and railroad, so went the town of Adrian. Its population totaled 193 people in 1880; by 1882 the local parish reported 250 Catholic families living in the area. The number of people in town jumped to 671 in 1890, and positively soared up to 1,258 in 1900. By this time, however, the young towns of Ellsworth, Lismore and Wilmont had grown to claim some of Adrian's railroad trade area. Adrian had also lost a bid to claim the title of Nobles County Seat from Worthington in 1883, and when it failed in an attempt to split the county in 1893, Adrian's future as a small town was set.
But Adrian's population stagnation didn't prevent the town from enjoying some of the most prosperous years of its history. The landmark buildings, some which still stand in town, were all built within a ten-year period, beginning in 1891. The first floor of A.M. Becker's massive general store was constructed in 1891 , followed by a second in 1895. Unfortunately the hardware store burned down in December 2006. George Slade and his wife built their 36 room, electric-lit hotel for $22,000 in 1891. The Adrian State Bank building went up that same year, and the town's first telephone office moved upstairs December 10, 1897. The bank was torn down in the summer of 2007 due to structural issues. When the first St. Adrian Catholic Church burned to the ground Christmas Eve, 1899, the town responded by completing the present edifice in 1901.
During the years from 1910 to 1980, the City of Adrian welcomed automobiles, tractors and all sorts of electrical gadgets. Four times it sent its sons to war, fighting first to end war, then to preserve democracy and after that for reasons over which honest, serious people still disagree. And at 2:00 p.m., November 4, 1967, the section of Interstate Highway 90
Interstate 90 in Minnesota
In the U.S. state of Minnesota, Interstate 90 traverses the southern side of the state, parallel to the Minnesota-Iowa state line. The route connects the cities of Worthington, Albert Lea, and Austin. The cities of Rochester and Winona are also in close proximity to I-90, with Winona about 10...
passing Adrian officially opened to traffic.
The interstate was to become Adrian's main artery of transportation, replacing the railroad as the source of the town's lifeblood. But even with the new highway, the town continued to fall from the apex of commercial success it had known at the turn of the century.
By the early 1980s, it became clear to town leaders that deliberate planning was required to rejuvenate the city's Maine Avenue. They created the Housing and Redevelopment Authority in response and in 1983 were successful in obtaining a $600,000 grant from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development. Those funds financed "The Domino," a project in which five old Maine Avenue buildings were demolished and replaced with new facilities. Adrian Web Page
Notable residents
- Cedric AdamsCedric AdamsCedric Adams was an American broadcaster, well known in the Midwestern United States from the 1930s until his death He was inducted into the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting's Hall of Fame in 2002...
– 1930s–1950s-era WCCO AM radio personality, TV broadcaster and daily newspaper columnist in the Twin Cities. Upper Midwest pilots saw lights flicker out at the end of his 10 p.m. radio news broadcasts. "The Great Mellow Voice of the Midwest" is a 2002 inductee of the Pavek Museum of BroadcastingPavek Museum of BroadcastingThe Pavek Museum of Broadcasting is a museum in St. Louis Park, Minnesota which has one of the world's most significant collections of vintage radio and television equipment. It originated in the collection of Joe Pavek, who began squirreling away unique radios while he was an instructor at...
Hall of FameHall of FameA hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
. - Lloyd VossLloyd VossLloyd John Voss was an American football defensive end. He was drafted in the first round by the Green Bay Packers in the 1964 NFL Draft. He played most of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers....
– 1964 Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
first-round draft pick, member of a Vince LombardiVince LombardiVincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
-coached Packers Super BowlSuper BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
winner. Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
six-year defensive end starter. Missed only three games in nine NFL seasons. Enshrined in Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1966.
Politics
Adrian is located in Minnesota's 1st congressional districtMinnesota's 1st congressional district
Minnesota's 1st congressional district extends across southern Minnesota from the border with South Dakota to the border with Wisconsin. The First District is primarily a rural district built on a strong history of agriculture, although this is changing rapidly due to strong population growth in...
, represented by Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
educator Tim Walz
Tim Walz
Timothy James Walz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party .The district comprises the state's southern end, running along the entire border with Iowa...
, a Democrat
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
. At the state level, Adrian is located in Senate
Minnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...
District 22, represented by Republican
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
Doug Magnus
Doug Magnus
Douglas Rudy "Doug" Magnus is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate, representing District 22, which includes all of Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone and Rock counties in the southwestern part of the state...
, and in House
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
District 22A, represented by Republican Joe Schomacker
Joe Schomacker
Joseph "Joe" Roy Schomacker is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represents District 22A, which includes all or portions of Murray, Nobles, Pipestone and Rock counties in the southwestern part of the state...
.