Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Lake of the Woods County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Minnesota
. As of 2010, the population was 4,045. Its county seat
is Baudette
. The county contains the Northwest Angle
, the northernmost point of the Lower 48 States, and includes the U.S. portion of Lake of the Woods
, shared with Canada
. The county also includes the exclave of Elm Point
. Since Alaska has no counties, Lake of the Woods is the northernmost county in the United States, by definition.
of 2000, there were 4,522 people, 1,903 households, and 1,267 families residing in the county. The population density
was 4 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 3,238 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.21% White/Caucasian
, 0.29% Black/African American
, 1.13% Native American
, 0.24% Asian
, 0.11% from other races
, and 1.02% from two or more races. 0.64% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 26.2% were of Norwegian, 22.3% German, 8.9% Swedish, 5.8% American
and 5.0% English
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 1,903 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples
living together, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 29.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 5.70% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 27.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,861, and the median income for a family was $38,936. Males had a median income of $30,469 versus $24,813 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,976. About 6.70% of families and 9.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 10.60% of those age 65 or over.
, a Frenchman who came from Trois Rivières, (Quebec
), explored this area in 1688 and became the first white man to view the lake. He named the lake Lac aux Îles which means "Lake of the Islands" in English.
In 1885 the region of Lake of the Woods
got its first settler, Wilhem Zippel, who was a German immigrant and a fisherman. He settled on the south shore of the lake in a place now called Zippel Bay. Shortly after, Alonzo Wheeler settled on a point on the southwest side of the lake which is now called Wheeler's Point
.
A terrible wildfire
, which has come to be known as the Baudette Fire of 1910
, broke out in October of that year, burning 300000 acres (1,214.1 km²) and destroying the towns of Spooner, Baudette
, Graceton
, Pitt
, Williams
, and Cedar Spur. Lake of the Woods County was founded January 1, 1923, with Baudette as the original county seat. Lake of the Woods County is also known as Minnesota's youngest county. This county was organized on November 28, 1922, when residents voted to separate the northern Townships.
* These townships were created out of Forest Area Township after the 2000 Census.
† Most of Roosevelt is in Roseau County
, but according to the 2000 Census, 3 people live on the 0.1 km² (0.0386102158592535 sq mi) that extends into Lake of the Woods.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. As of 2010, the population was 4,045. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Baudette
Baudette, Minnesota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,104 people, 490 households, and 271 families residing in the city. The population density was 334.1 people per square mile . There were 540 housing units at an average density of 163.4 per square mile...
. The county contains the Northwest Angle
Northwest Angle
The Northwest Angle, known simply as the Angle by locals, and coextensive with Angle Township, is a part of northern Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, and is the only place in the United States outside Alaska that is north of the 49th parallel...
, the northernmost point of the Lower 48 States, and includes the U.S. portion of Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States. The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of...
, shared with Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The county also includes the exclave of Elm Point
Elm Point, Minnesota
Elm Point, Minnesota, in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, is a small cape and a United States practical exclave, southwest of the Northwest Angle...
. Since Alaska has no counties, Lake of the Woods is the northernmost county in the United States, by definition.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 4,522 people, 1,903 households, and 1,267 families residing in the county. 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 4 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 3,238 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.21% White/Caucasian
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...
, 0.29% Black/African American
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...
, 1.13% Native American
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...
, 0.24% Asian
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...
, 0.11% 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 1.02% from two or more races. 0.64% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race. 26.2% were of Norwegian, 22.3% German, 8.9% Swedish, 5.8% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 5.0% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 1,903 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% 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, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 29.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 5.70% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 27.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,861, and the median income for a family was $38,936. Males had a median income of $30,469 versus $24,813 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 county was $16,976. About 6.70% of families and 9.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 10.60% of those age 65 or over.
History
Lake of the Woods County was named because the lake covers a large portion of the county. Jacques de NoyonJacques de Noyon
Jacques de Noyon was a French Canadian explorer and coureur des bois. He is the first known European to visit the Boundary Waters region west of Lake Superior.Jacques de Noyon was born on February 12, 1668, in Trois-Rivières, New France...
, a Frenchman who came from Trois Rivières, (Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
), explored this area in 1688 and became the first white man to view the lake. He named the lake Lac aux Îles which means "Lake of the Islands" in English.
In 1885 the region of Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States. The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of...
got its first settler, Wilhem Zippel, who was a German immigrant and a fisherman. He settled on the south shore of the lake in a place now called Zippel Bay. Shortly after, Alonzo Wheeler settled on a point on the southwest side of the lake which is now called Wheeler's Point
Wheeler's Point, Minnesota
Wheeler's Point is a small unincorporated community in Wheeler Township, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. It lies 12 miles north of Baudette.County Highway 8 and Minnesota State Highway 172 are two of the main routes in the community....
.
A terrible wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
, which has come to be known as the Baudette Fire of 1910
Baudette Fire of 1910
The Baudette Fire, also known as the Spooner-Baudette Fire, was a large wildfire that burned in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, including nearly all of the twin towns of Spooner and Baudette on October 7, 1910. In addition to Baudette, the fire also burned the villages of Graceton, Pitt,...
, broke out in October of that year, burning 300000 acres (1,214.1 km²) and destroying the towns of Spooner, Baudette
Baudette, Minnesota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,104 people, 490 households, and 271 families residing in the city. The population density was 334.1 people per square mile . There were 540 housing units at an average density of 163.4 per square mile...
, Graceton
Graceton, Minnesota
Graceton is an unincorporated community in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States.The community is located west of Baudette on Minnesota Highway 11. Graceton was largely burned to the ground in the Baudette Fire of 1910.-Further reading:...
, Pitt
Pitt, Minnesota
Pitt is an unincorporated community in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States.The community is located west of Baudette on Minnesota State Highway 11. Pitt was burned in the Baudette Fire of 1910.-Further reading:...
, Williams
Williams, Minnesota
Williams is a city in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 191 at the 2010 census.Williams was burned in the Baudette Fire of 1910.-Geography:...
, and Cedar Spur. Lake of the Woods County was founded January 1, 1923, with Baudette as the original county seat. Lake of the Woods County is also known as Minnesota's youngest county. This county was organized on November 28, 1922, when residents voted to separate the northern Townships.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1775.05 square miles (4,597.4 km²), of which 1296.7 square miles (3,358.4 km²) (or 73.05%) is land and 478.35 square miles (1,238.9 km²) (or 26.95%) is water.Major highways
Minnesota State Highway 11Minnesota State Highway 11Minnesota State Highway 11 is a highway in northwest and north-central Minnesota, which runs from North Dakota Highway 66 at the North Dakota state line and continues east to its eastern terminus at the community of Island View at Rainy Lake, near International Falls.The route follows the Rainy...
Minnesota State Highway 72Minnesota State Highway 72Minnesota State Highway 72 is a highway in northwest Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with U.S. 71 in Blackduck and continues north to its northern terminus at the Canadian border in Baudette...
Minnesota State Highway 172Minnesota State Highway 172Minnesota State Highway 172 is a highway in far northern Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 11 at Baudette and continues north to its northern terminus in Wheeler's Point at the Lake of the Woods....
Neighbors
- Kenora District, OntarioKenora District, OntarioKenora District is a district and census division in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. It was created in 1907 from parts of Rainy River District. It is, geographically, the largest division in that province; at 407,192.66 km2 it comprises almost 38 percent of the province's land area...
(northeast) - Rainy River District, OntarioRainy River District, OntarioRainy River District is a district and census division in Northwestern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1885. It is the only division in Ontario that lies completely in the Central time zone. Its seat is Fort Frances...
(northeast) - Koochiching CountyKoochiching County, MinnesotaKoochiching County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 13,311. Its county seat is International Falls. A portion of the Bois Forte Indian Reservation is in the county. A small part of Voyageurs National Park extends into its northeast...
(southeast) - Beltrami CountyBeltrami County, MinnesotaBeltrami County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 44,442. Its county seat is Bemidji. Portions of the Leech Lake and Red Lake Indian reservations are in the county. The northernmost portion of the Mississippi River flows...
(south) - Roseau CountyRoseau County, MinnesotaRoseau County is a county located in the state of Minnesota, United States. As of 2010, the population was 15,629. Its county seat is Roseau.-Geography:...
(west) - Piney, Manitoba (rural municipality) (west)
- Buffalo Point, Manitoba (west)
- Division No. 1, Unorganized, ManitobaDivision No. 1, Unorganized, ManitobaDivision No. 1, Unorganized is a Statistics Canada census subdivision of its Division No. 1, Manitoba that consists of a part of the division that is not organized into either incorporated municipalities or Indian reserves. It is located at the southeast corner of Manitoba, along the border of both...
(northwest)
Cities and towns
Although all the townships are named, as of 2001, there are no township governments. All the townships are officially part of unorganized territory.| Cities | Townships | Unincorporated | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Angle Township, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota Angle Township is a township in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 119 at the 2010 census. At 49.22° north latitude, it is the northernmost township in Minnesota and the northernmost point in the contiguous 48 states... Lakewood Township, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota Lakewood Township is a township in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 116 at the 2000 census. It borders the Lake of the Woods.-Geography:... |
|
Clementson, Minnesota Clementson is an unincorporated community in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States.The community is located east of Baudette on Minnesota State Highway 11.-Further reading:*Rand McNally Road Atlas - 2007 edition - Minnesota entry... Graceton, Minnesota Graceton is an unincorporated community in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States.The community is located west of Baudette on Minnesota Highway 11. Graceton was largely burned to the ground in the Baudette Fire of 1910.-Further reading:... Hackett, Minnesota Hackett is a small unincorporated community in Wheeler Township, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. It lies 10 miles north of Baudette.County Road 32, County Road 70, and State Highway 172 are three of the main routes in the community.... Oak Island, Minnesota Oak Island, Minnesota is the name of an island and a post office on that island in Lake of the Woods, in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, on the Minnesota/Ontario border.-Oak Island:... Pitt, Minnesota Pitt is an unincorporated community in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States.The community is located west of Baudette on Minnesota State Highway 11. Pitt was burned in the Baudette Fire of 1910.-Further reading:... Wheeler's Point, Minnesota Wheeler's Point is a small unincorporated community in Wheeler Township, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States. It lies 12 miles north of Baudette.County Highway 8 and Minnesota State Highway 172 are two of the main routes in the community.... |
† Most of Roosevelt is in Roseau County
Roseau County, Minnesota
Roseau County is a county located in the state of Minnesota, United States. As of 2010, the population was 15,629. Its county seat is Roseau.-Geography:...
, but according to the 2000 Census, 3 people live on the 0.1 km² (0.0386102158592535 sq mi) that extends into Lake of the Woods.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota
- Zippel Bay State ParkZippel Bay State ParkZippel Bay State Park is a state park in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota in the United States. It is on the white sand beach shoreline of the Lake of the Woods, near the United States border with Canada...