Mankato, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
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 along a large bend of the Minnesota River
at its confluence
with the Blue Earth River
. Mankato is across the Minnesota River from North Mankato
. Mankato and North Mankato have a combined population of nearly 53,000, according to the 2010 census
. It completely encompasses the town of Skyline
. North of Mankato Regional Airport
, a tiny non-contiguous part of the city lies within Le Sueur County.
Mankato is the larger of the two principal cities of the Mankato-North Mankato metropolitan area
, which covers Blue Earth and Nicollet
counties and had a combined population of 94,149 at the 2010 census
. Mankato was designated a Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S. Census Bureau in November 2008.
U.S. Routes 14
and 169
and Minnesota State Highways 22
and 60
are four of the main arterial routes in the city.
. After European colonization began on the East Coast, pressure from settlement and other Native American
tribes caused different peoples to migrate into the area. By the mid-nineteenth century Lakota
-speaking Dakota Sioux bands were the primary Native Americans in the territory.
Mankato Township was not settled by European Americans until Parsons King Johnson in February 1852, as part of the nineteenth century migration of people from the east across the Midwest. New residents organized the city of Mankato on May 11, 1858. The city was organized by Henry Jackson
, Parsons King Johnson, Col. D.A. Robertson, Justus C. Ramsey, and unnamed others. The city recently celebrated its sesquicentennial. A popular story says that the city was intended to have been named Mahkato, but a typographical error by a clerk established the name as Mankato. According to Upham
, quoting historian Thomas Hughes of Mankato, "The honor of christening the new city was accorded to Mrs. P.K. Johnson and Mrs. Henry Jackson, who selected the name 'Mankato,' upon the suggestion of Col. Robertson. He had taken the name from Nicollet's book, in which the French explorer compared the 'Mahkato" or Blue Earth River, with all its tributaries, to the water nymphs and their uncle in the German
legend of Undine
.'...No more appropriate name could be given the new city, than that of the noble river at whose mouth it is located." While it may or may not be true that the city was intended to be called Mahkato, the Dakota called the river Makato Osa Watapa (meaning "the river where blue earth is gathered." The Anglo settlers adapted that as the Blue Earth River.
Ishtakhaba
, also known as Chief Sleepy Eye, of the Sisseton band of Dakota Indians was said to have directed settlers to this location. He said the site at the confluence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth Rivers was well suited for building and for river traffic, and yet safe from flooding.
On December 26, 1862, the US Army carried out the largest mass execution
in U.S. history
at Mankato following the Dakota War of 1862
. Thirty-eight Dakota Native Americans
were hanged for their parts in the uprising. A military tribunal had sentenced 303 to death. President Lincoln
reviewed the record and pardoned 265, believing they had been involved in legitimate defense against military forces. Episcopal
Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple
had urged leniency in the case, but his position was not politically popular in Minnesota. Lincoln's intervention was not popular at the time. Two commemorative statues are located on the site of the hangings (now home to the Blue Earth County Library and Reconciliation Park).
In 1880 Mankato ranked fourth in size in the state. The population was 5,500.
Former Vice President
Schuyler Colfax
died while traveling in Mankato on January 13, 1885.
, the city has a total area of 15.4 square miles (39.9 km²), of which, 15.2 square miles (39.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (1.23%) is water. The Minnesota
, Blue Earth
, and Le Sueur
all flow through or near the city.
of 2000, there were 32,427 people, 12,367 households, and 6,059 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,132.5 people per square mile (823.2/km²). There were 12,759 housing units at an average density of 839.1 per square mile (323.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.55% White, 1.90% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.81% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races
, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.22% of the population.
There were 12,367 households out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.0% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 16.9% under the age of 18, 32.5% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,956, and the median income for a family was $47,297. Males had a median income of $30,889 versus $22,081 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,652. About 8.5% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.
, represented by Mankato high school teacher Tim Walz
(DFL). Mankato is located in Minnesota Senate
district 23, represented by Kathleen Sheran
(DFL), and Minnesota House
district 23B, represented by Kathy Brynaert
(DFL).
in the area is the Mankato Free Press
. The only local broadcast television
network is KEYC-TV
, Channel 12, a CBS
affiliate. KEYC also carries a Fox
affiliation on its digital subchannel
and on local cable television
.
Local radio stations are:
Mankato has two parochial schools: Loyola Catholic School
, serving grades K-12 with Good Counsel and Fitzgerald campuses, and Immanuel Lutheran Grade School and High School. There are also two public charter school
s: Bridges Elementary and RiverBend Academy Charter School
.
Another option available to the community with regards to education is an alternative school: Central High which is located on Fulton St. in Mankato.
Justin Hartwig Former NFL player was born in Mankato.
Mankato/North Mankato was ranked 16th in the nation in a survey of 577 cities nationwide. The survey rates the country's "micropolitan" areas in multiple quality of life criteria.
This national youth advocacy group, founded by Gen. Colin Powell and dedicated to making children and youth a priority, named Mankato one of the top 100 communities in the nation for kids. Criteria included the presence of caring adults, transportation for children, presence of places to learn and grow, education opportunities, and opportunities for children to volunteer.
Rolling Stone magazine named Mankato/St. Peter one of the top 50 college towns in the country because of its rich and diverse music scene.
For three consecutive years, Mankato/North Mankato ranked in the top 25 small cities nationwide for new and expanded corporate facility projects. The community ranked 16th in 2002(the Minnesota community to make the list), 13th in 2003, and 23rd in 2004.
Mankato and North Mankato placed in the top 50 U.S. cities classified as "dreamtowns." Cities were ranked according to quality of life indicators such as vitality, supply of good jobs, freedom from stress, connection to cultural mainstream, support for schools, access to health care, low cost of living, and small town character.
The City of Mankato was named the 14th most livable micropolitan in America
and number one in Minnesota.
Blue Earth County, Minnesota
Blue Earth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 64,013. Its county seat is Mankato.Blue Earth County is part of the Mankato–North Mankato Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Nicollet
Nicollet County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,771 people, 10,642 households, and 7,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 66 people per square mile . There were 11,240 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
, and Le Sueur
Le Sueur County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,426 people, 9,630 households, and 6,923 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile . There were 10,858 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
counties in the U.S. state
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...
. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The 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....
of Blue Earth County, it is located along a large bend of the Minnesota River
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
at its confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
with the Blue Earth River
Blue Earth River
The Blue Earth River is a tributary of the Minnesota River, 108 miles long, in southern Minnesota in the United States, it is also a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources designated Water Trail. Two of its headwaters tributaries, the Middle Branch Blue Earth River and the West Branch...
. Mankato is across the Minnesota River from North Mankato
North Mankato, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,798 people, 4,744 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,502.5 people per square mile . There were 5,046 housing units at an average density of 1,070.3 per square mile...
. Mankato and North Mankato have a combined population of nearly 53,000, according to the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. It completely encompasses the town of Skyline
Skyline, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 330 people, 124 households, and 105 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,752.5 people per square mile . There were 125 housing units at an average density of 663.8 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 97.58% White, 0.91%...
. North of Mankato Regional Airport
Mankato Regional Airport
Mankato Regional Airport is a public airport located five miles northeast of the central business district of Mankato, a city in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, United States. This airport is publicly owned by City of Mankato...
, a tiny non-contiguous part of the city lies within Le Sueur County.
Mankato is the larger of the two principal cities of the Mankato-North Mankato metropolitan area
Mankato-North Mankato metropolitan area
The Mankato–North Mankato Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in south central Minnesota, anchored by the cities of Mankato and North Mankato. It was upgraded from a Micropolitan Statistical Area to a...
, which covers Blue Earth and Nicollet
Nicollet County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,771 people, 10,642 households, and 7,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 66 people per square mile . There were 11,240 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
counties and had a combined population of 94,149 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. Mankato was designated a Metropolitan Statistical Area by the U.S. Census Bureau in November 2008.
U.S. Routes 14
U.S. Route 14
U.S. Route 14 , an east–west route, is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It currently has a length of 1,398 miles , but it had a peak length of 1,429 miles . For much of its length, it runs roughly parallel to Interstate 90.As of 2004, the highway's eastern terminus is in...
and 169
U.S. Route 169
U.S. Route 169 currently runs for 966 miles from the city of Virginia, Minnesota to Tulsa, Oklahoma at U.S. Route 64.-Oklahoma:U.S. Highway 169 is a major south–north highway spanning in Oklahoma. The southern terminus for US-169 is Memorial Drive...
and Minnesota State Highways 22
Minnesota State Highway 22
Minnesota State Highway 22 is a highway in south-central and central Minnesota, which runs from Winnebago County Road R50 at the Iowa state line near Kiester and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 23 in Richmond, west of St...
and 60
Minnesota State Highway 60
Minnesota State Highway 60 is a highway in southern Minnesota, which runs from Iowa Highway 60 at the Iowa state line and continues east-northeast to its eastern terminus at the Wisconsin state line , where the route becomes Wisconsin Highway 25 upon crossing the Mississippi River.Highway 60 is...
are four of the main arterial routes in the city.
History
The area was long settled by various cultures of indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
. After European colonization began on the East Coast, pressure from settlement and other Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
tribes caused different peoples to migrate into the area. By the mid-nineteenth century Lakota
Lakota language
Lakota is a Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of the Sioux tribes. While generally taught and considered by speakers as a separate language, Lakota is mutually understandable with the other two languages , and is considered by most linguists one of the three major varieties of the Sioux...
-speaking Dakota Sioux bands were the primary Native Americans in the territory.
Mankato Township was not settled by European Americans until Parsons King Johnson in February 1852, as part of the nineteenth century migration of people from the east across the Midwest. New residents organized the city of Mankato on May 11, 1858. The city was organized by Henry Jackson
Henry Jackson (Minnesota pioneer)
Henry Jackson was an American pioneer, businessman, and politician from Minnesota.Born in Abingdon, Virginia, Jackson served in the Texas army under Sam Houston during the Texas Revolution. He moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, then Galena, Illinois, where he opened a store...
, Parsons King Johnson, Col. D.A. Robertson, Justus C. Ramsey, and unnamed others. The city recently celebrated its sesquicentennial. A popular story says that the city was intended to have been named Mahkato, but a typographical error by a clerk established the name as Mankato. According to Upham
Warren Upham
Warren Upham was a geologist, archaeologist, and librarian who is best known for his studies of glacial Lake Agassiz. Upham worked as a geologist in New Hampshire before moving in 1879 to Minnesota to study the resources and glacial geology of that state...
, quoting historian Thomas Hughes of Mankato, "The honor of christening the new city was accorded to Mrs. P.K. Johnson and Mrs. Henry Jackson, who selected the name 'Mankato,' upon the suggestion of Col. Robertson. He had taken the name from Nicollet's book, in which the French explorer compared the 'Mahkato" or Blue Earth River, with all its tributaries, to the water nymphs and their uncle in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
legend of Undine
Ondine (mythology)
Undines , also called ondines, are elementals, enumerated as the water elementals in works of alchemy by Paracelsus. They also appear in European folklore as fairy-like creatures; the name may be used interchangeably with those of other water spirits. Undines are said to be able to gain a soul by...
.'...No more appropriate name could be given the new city, than that of the noble river at whose mouth it is located." While it may or may not be true that the city was intended to be called Mahkato, the Dakota called the river Makato Osa Watapa (meaning "the river where blue earth is gathered." The Anglo settlers adapted that as the Blue Earth River.
Ishtakhaba
Ishtakhaba
Ishtakhaba , a.k.a. Chief Sleepy Eye, was a Native American chief of the Sisseton Sioux tribe. He was chief from sometime between 1822 and 1825 until his death in 1860...
, also known as Chief Sleepy Eye, of the Sisseton band of Dakota Indians was said to have directed settlers to this location. He said the site at the confluence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth Rivers was well suited for building and for river traffic, and yet safe from flooding.
On December 26, 1862, the US Army carried out the largest mass execution
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
in U.S. history
History of the United States
The history of the United States traditionally starts with the Declaration of Independence in the year 1776, although its territory was inhabited by Native Americans since prehistoric times and then by European colonists who followed the voyages of Christopher Columbus starting in 1492. The...
at Mankato following the Dakota War of 1862
Dakota War of 1862
The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, was an armed conflict between the United States and several bands of the eastern Sioux. It began on August 17, 1862, along the Minnesota River in southwest Minnesota...
. Thirty-eight Dakota Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
were hanged for their parts in the uprising. A military tribunal had sentenced 303 to death. President Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
reviewed the record and pardoned 265, believing they had been involved in legitimate defense against military forces. Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple
Henry Benjamin Whipple
Henry Benjamin Whipple was the first Episcopal bishop of Minnesota, a humanitarian and an advocate for Native Americans.-Summary of his life:...
had urged leniency in the case, but his position was not politically popular in Minnesota. Lincoln's intervention was not popular at the time. Two commemorative statues are located on the site of the hangings (now home to the Blue Earth County Library and Reconciliation Park).
In 1880 Mankato ranked fourth in size in the state. The population was 5,500.
Former Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Schuyler Colfax
Schuyler Colfax
Schuyler Colfax, Jr. was a United States Representative from Indiana , Speaker of the House of Representatives , and the 17th Vice President of the United States . To date, he is one of only two Americans to have served as both House speaker and vice president.President Ulysses S...
died while traveling in Mankato on January 13, 1885.
In popular culture
- Mankato served as the basis for the "Deep Valley" of Maud Hart Lovelace'sMaud Hart LovelaceMaud Hart Lovelace was an American author best known for the Betsy-Tacy series.-Early life:Maud Palmer Hart was born in Mankato, Minnesota to Tom Hart, a shoe store owner, and his wife, Stella . Maud was the middle child; her sisters were Kathleen and Helen...
Betsy-TacyBetsy-TacyThe Betsy-Tacy series is a collection of books written by Maud Hart Lovelace between 1940 and 1955. The books are written at progressively more difficult reading levels as the characters age. They follow the adventures of Betsy Ray and her friends and family from the time that Betsy turns five...
series of children's books and novels.
- In Sinclair LewisSinclair LewisHarry Sinclair Lewis was an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, "for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of...
' 1920 novel Main StreetMain Street (novel)- Plot summary :Carol Milford is a liberal, free-spirited young woman, reared in the metropolis of Saint Paul, Minnesota. She marries Will Kennicott, a doctor, who is a small-town boy at heart....
, heroine Carol Milford is a former Mankato resident. Lewis describes Mankato as follows: "In its garden-sheltered streets and aisles of elms is white and green New England reborn." (based on its many migrants from New England, who brought their culture with them.)
- In Little House on the Prairie (TV series)Little House on the Prairie (TV series)Little House on the Prairie is an American Western drama television series, starring Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert, about a family living on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s. The show was an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House books...
Mankato is a popular trading town that the citizens of Walnut Grove visit.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 15.4 square miles (39.9 km²), of which, 15.2 square miles (39.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (1.23%) is water. The Minnesota
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
, Blue Earth
Blue Earth River
The Blue Earth River is a tributary of the Minnesota River, 108 miles long, in southern Minnesota in the United States, it is also a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources designated Water Trail. Two of its headwaters tributaries, the Middle Branch Blue Earth River and the West Branch...
, and Le Sueur
Le Sueur River
The Le Sueur River is a tributary of the Blue Earth River, 111 miles long, in southern Minnesota in the United States. Via the Blue Earth and Minnesota Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 1,089 square miles...
all flow through or near the city.
Climate
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 32,427 people, 12,367 households, and 6,059 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 2,132.5 people per square mile (823.2/km²). There were 12,759 housing units at an average density of 839.1 per square mile (323.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.55% White, 1.90% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.81% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.94% 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 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.22% of the population.
There were 12,367 households out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% 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, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.0% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 16.9% under the age of 18, 32.5% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,956, and the median income for a family was $47,297. Males had a median income of $30,889 versus $22,081 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 $17,652. About 8.5% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Mankato 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 high school teacher 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...
(DFL). Mankato is located in Minnesota 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 23, represented by Kathleen Sheran
Kathleen Sheran
Kathleen J. "Kathy" Sheran is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate representing District 23, which includes portions of Blue Earth, Nicollet and Sibley counties in the south central part of the state...
(DFL), and Minnesota 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 23B, represented by Kathy Brynaert
Kathy Brynaert
Kathleen A. "Kathy" Brynaert is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 23B, which includes portions of Blue Earth and Nicollet counties in the south central part of the state...
(DFL).
Media
The major daily newspaperNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in the area is the Mankato Free Press
Mankato Free Press
The Free Press is a daily newspaper published in Mankato, Minnesota.-History:On April 4, 1887, Editor L.P. Hunt published the first issue of the Mankato Daily Free Press and found it was not easy...
. The only local broadcast television
Terrestrial television
Terrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or cables — typically using radio waves through transmitting and receiving antennas or television antenna aerials...
network is KEYC-TV
KEYC-TV
KEYC-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Mankato, Minnesota & Redwood Falls, Minnesota. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter in Lewisville. The station can also be seen on Charter channel 10 and in high definition on digital channel 782...
, Channel 12, a CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate. KEYC also carries a Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliation on its digital subchannel
Digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
and on local cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
.
Local radio stations are:
- KATO-FMKATO-FMKATO-FM is a radio station licensed to New Ulm, Minnesota and serving the Mankato area and the Minnesota River Valley. The station flipped to a country music format on September 24, 2007. KATO is owned by Linder Radio Group.-History:...
, 93.1 FM - KDOGKDOGKDOG, better known as "Hot 96.7", is a radio station serving Mankato, Minnesota. The station airs an Top 40 format. They are licensed to North Mankato, Minnesota and serves the Mankato area and the Minnesota River Valley. KDOG is owned by Linder Radio Group.-History:The station went on the air in...
, 96.7 FM - KEEZ, 99.1 FM
- KMSUKMSUKMSU is a public radio station operated by Minnesota State University, Mankato in Mankato, Minnesota that carries a mixed news, talk, and music format. A repeater station, KMSK , serves the city of Austin...
, 89.7 FM - KQYKKQYKKQYK, better known as "95.7 The Blaze", is a radio station licensed to Lake Crystal, Minnesota, serving the Mankato area and the Minnesota River Valley...
, 95.7 FM - KTOEKTOEKTOE is a radio station licensed to Mankato, Minnesota and serving the greater Mankato area and the Minnesota River Valley with a full service news/talk format....
, 1420 AM - KXLPKXLPKXLP is a radio station licensed to Eagle Lake, Minnesota and serving the Mankato area and the Minnesota River Valley. The 94.1 FM frequency went on the air September 21, 2007, airing a classic rock format that migrated from a sister station at KATO-FM...
, 94.1 FM - KYSMKYSM (AM)*See also KFAN Sports Radio NetworkKYSM is a radio station licensed to Mankato, Minnesota and serving the greater Mankato area and the Minnesota River Valley with a sports format. The station is an affiliate of the regional KFAN Sports Radio Network and Fox Sports Radio...
, 1230 AM - KYSM-FMKYSM-FMKYSM-FM , better known as Country 103, is a radio station licensed to Mankato and serving the Minnesota River Valley. The station currently airs a country music format....
, 103.5 FM
Top Employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Immanuel St. Joseph's - Mayo Health System Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of... |
2,223 |
| 2 | Minnesota State University, Mankato Minnesota State University, Mankato Minnesota State University, Mankato is a public four-year university located in Mankato, Minnesota, a community of 53,000 located southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. As of Fall 2011, the student body is the third-largest in the state of Minnesota with over 15,000 students... |
1,577 |
| 3 | Mankato Rehabilitation Center, Inc. (MRCI) | 1,544 |
| 4 | Mankato Area Public Schools | 1,200 |
| 5 | Mankato Clinic | 749 |
| 6 | The Thro Company | 700 |
| 7 | HickoryTech | 500 |
| 8 | County of Blue Earth Blue Earth County, Minnesota Blue Earth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 64,013. Its county seat is Mankato.Blue Earth County is part of the Mankato–North Mankato Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:... |
416 |
| 9 | City of Mankato | 370 |
| 10 | Bethany Lutheran College Bethany Lutheran College Bethany Lutheran College is a private residential liberal arts college founded in 1927. BLC is a Christian coeducational college operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod... |
350 |
Education
The Mankato Area Public Schools http://www.isd77.org/ are consolidated to include the cities of Mankato, North Mankato, Eagle Lake, and Madison Lake. There are ten elementary schools (Franklin, Eagle Lake, Kennedy, Washington, Roosevelt, Jefferson, Monroe, Hoover, Rosa Parks, and Garfield); two middle schools (Dakota Meadows Middle School and Mankato East Junior High); and two high schools (Mankato West High School and Mankato East High School).Mankato has two parochial schools: Loyola Catholic School
Loyola Catholic School
Loyola Catholic School , is located in Mankato, Minnesota. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona, the school has two campuses, the Fitzgerald Campus, housing grades four through eight, and the Good Council Campus, which houses grades K-3 and 9-12...
, serving grades K-12 with Good Counsel and Fitzgerald campuses, and Immanuel Lutheran Grade School and High School. There are also two public charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s: Bridges Elementary and RiverBend Academy Charter School
RiverBend Academy Charter School
RiverBend Academy is a charter school in Mankato, Minnesota. The school opened in September 2000 and is part of the EdVisions Schools co-op. The school is in its own independent school district, ISD #4066.-Structure:...
.
Another option available to the community with regards to education is an alternative school: Central High which is located on Fulton St. in Mankato.
Higher education institutions
- Minnesota State UniversityMinnesota State University, MankatoMinnesota State University, Mankato is a public four-year university located in Mankato, Minnesota, a community of 53,000 located southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. As of Fall 2011, the student body is the third-largest in the state of Minnesota with over 15,000 students...
- Bethany Lutheran CollegeBethany Lutheran CollegeBethany Lutheran College is a private residential liberal arts college founded in 1927. BLC is a Christian coeducational college operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod...
- Rasmussen CollegeRasmussen CollegeRasmussen College is a 110-year old for-profit private college offering Bachelor's and Associate's degrees at multiple campuses in Minnesota including Blaine, Brooklyn Park, Eagan, Bloomington, Lake Elmo, Mankato, Moorhead and St...
- South Central CollegeSouth Central CollegeSouth Central College is a two-year comprehensive community and technical college located in southern Minnesota ....
Major events
- Minnesota State University is home to the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
summer training camp. - Annual Ribfest in August.
- Minnesota Flight Academy each summer at Mankato Regional Airport by the Civil Air Patrol.
Places of interest
- Land of Memories Park along the Blue Earth and Minnesota Rivers, features bike trails, camping, disc golfDisc golfDisc golf is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." Of the more than 3000...
, and soccer fields. - The Verizon Wireless Center, formerly operated under the names Midwest Wireless Civic Center and Alltel Center, is an arena in downtown Mankato.
- Franklin Rogers ParkFranklin Rogers ParkFranklin Rogers Park is a stadium in Mankato, Minnesota. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Mankato Moondogs of the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. Mankato West High School and Loyola Catholic School also use the venue. It was built in 1961,...
, home of the Mankato MoondogsMankato MoonDogsThe Mankato MoonDogs are an amateur baseball team that plays in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The team started play in 1999 as the Mankato Mashers and were renamed in 2002...
of the Northwoods LeagueNorthwoods LeagueThe Northwoods League is a collegiate summer baseball league comprising teams of the top college players from North America and beyond. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate...
, a collegiate summer baseball league - Minneopa State ParkMinneopa State ParkMinneopa State Park is a state park in Minnesota, USA. The park is located on the Minnesota River west of Mankato. It was established in 1905 to preserve Minneopa Falls, the largest waterfall in southern Minnesota, which had already been a popular visitor attraction since the 1850s. Minneopa is...
is located west of Mankato. - Sibley ParkSibley ParkSibley Park is a city park located at the convergence of the Minnesota and Blue Earth Rivers in Mankato, Minnesota.The park was established in 1887 and was named for the state's first governor Henry Hastings Sibley . The park is split into two sides with a hill separating the two sides. The front...
is a city park located along the river in Mankato. - The River Hills MallRiver Hills MallRiver Hills Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Mankato, Minnesota. The mall is anchored by Barnes & Noble, Herberger's, JCPenney, Scheels All Sports, Sears, and Target. A food court and movie theater are among the mall's tenants. General Growth Properties manages River Hills Mall.-External...
- Happy ChefHappy ChefHappy Chef is a casual dining restaurant chain in the Upper Midwest, based in Mankato, Minnesota. It is known for serving breakfast throughout the day and is similar to Denny's, Perkins, and IHOP.The first Happy Chef Restaurant opened in 1963 in Mankato, Minnesota, and still operates today. At one...
original restaurant and company headquarters. Mankato also is home to the last 40-foot Happy Chef statue, which used to be found at most of their restaurants. - Good Counsel HillGood Counsel HillGood Counsel Hill is a notable location in Mankato, Minnesota. This hill is located off US Highway 14 and is home to Loyola Catholic School, Capstone Press, and a motherhouse for the School Sisters of Notre Dame, who arrived in Mankato in 1865. It's easy to find because of its location just off...
- Blue Earth County CourthouseBlue Earth County CourthouseThe Blue Earth County Courthouse is the courthouse of Blue Earth County, Minnesota, in the city of Mankato, the county seat. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-History:...
- The Hubbard House Blue Earth County Historical Society - French Second Empire style built in 1871.
Notable people
- Daniel AkersonDaniel AkersonDaniel Francis "Dan" Akerson, is the current Chairman and CEO of General Motors. Akerson succeeded Edward Whitacre as CEO on September 1, 2010, and became Chairman of the Board on January 1, 2011. Akerson was a Managing Director of The Carlyle Group and head of global buyout prior to joining...
, Investment banker and CEO of General MotorsGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010... - Adrienne ArmstrongAdrienne ArmstrongAdrienne Armstrong is the co-owner of Adeline Records, Adeline Street, and Atomic Garden . She is married to Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. Adrienne earned a degree in sociology from Minnesota State University, Mankato...
was a resident in the early 1990s while attending Minnesota State University, MankatoMinnesota State University, MankatoMinnesota State University, Mankato is a public four-year university located in Mankato, Minnesota, a community of 53,000 located southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. As of Fall 2011, the student body is the third-largest in the state of Minnesota with over 15,000 students...
; she is married to Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
frontman Billie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day... - Walter Jackson BateWalter Jackson BateWalter Jackson Bate was an American literary critic and biographer. He was born in Mankato, Minnesota.He is known for two Pulitzer Prize-winning biographies, of John Keats and Samuel Johnson...
, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning biographer, born in Mankato in 1918 - Frederick Russell BurnhamFrederick Russell BurnhamFrederick Russell Burnham, DSO was an American scout and world traveling adventurer known for his service to the British Army in colonial Africa and for teaching woodcraft to Robert Baden-Powell, thus becoming one of the inspirations for the founding of the international Scouting Movement.Burnham...
, "father of the international scouting movement," born near Mankato on 11 May 1861 - Howard BurnhamHoward BurnhamMather Howard Burnham , went by the name of Howard and his brother was the celebrated scout Frederick Russell Burnham. He traveled the world, frequently worked as a mining engineer and, during World War I, he became an intelligence officer and spy for the government of France...
, mining engineer and a spy for the government of France, born near Mankato on 27 May 1870 - Marvel CookeMarvel CookeMarvel Cooke was an American journalist, writer, and civil rights activist. She was the first African American woman to work at a mainstream white-owned newspaper....
, African-American journalist, writer and civil rightsCivil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist - Clifford FaganClifford FaganClifford B. "Cliff" Fagan was a high school basketball referee who became executive director of the National Federation of High School Athletic Associations and eventually president of the Basketball Hall of Fame and board member for FIBA, the international governing body for the sport of...
, basketball referee, member of the Basketball Hall of Fame - Ron Johnson, Republican U.S. Senator from Wisconsin
- Sinclair LewisSinclair LewisHarry Sinclair Lewis was an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, "for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of...
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... - Maud Hart LovelaceMaud Hart LovelaceMaud Hart Lovelace was an American author best known for the Betsy-Tacy series.-Early life:Maud Palmer Hart was born in Mankato, Minnesota to Tom Hart, a shoe store owner, and his wife, Stella . Maud was the middle child; her sisters were Kathleen and Helen...
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of the Betsy-TacyBetsy-TacyThe Betsy-Tacy series is a collection of books written by Maud Hart Lovelace between 1940 and 1955. The books are written at progressively more difficult reading levels as the characters age. They follow the adventures of Betsy Ray and her friends and family from the time that Betsy turns five...
series of books - Bob PaffrathBob PaffrathRobert William Paffrath is a former professional American football halfback. He played for the Miami Seahawks and the Brooklyn Dodgers of the All-America Football Conference and in the Canadian Football League for the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Edmonton Eskimos...
, professional football player - Melissa PetermanMelissa PetermanMelissa Margaret Peterman is an American actress and comedienne who is best known for her role as Barbara Jean in the television comedy series Reba...
, actress who graduated from Minnesota State University, MankatoMinnesota State University, MankatoMinnesota State University, Mankato is a public four-year university located in Mankato, Minnesota, a community of 53,000 located southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. As of Fall 2011, the student body is the third-largest in the state of Minnesota with over 15,000 students...
in the 1990s - Mike PloogMike PloogMichael G. Ploog is an American storyboard and comic book artist, and a visual designer for movies....
, comic bookComic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
and film-production artist - Julia SearsJulia SearsJulia Sears was a pioneering academic and suffragette. She achieved a milestone early in her career when in 1872 she became the first woman in the U.S. to head a public college, Minnesota State Normal College at Mankato, now Minnesota State University, Mankato...
, pioneering feminist and suffragetteSuffragette"Suffragette" is a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union... - Glen TaylorGlen TaylorGlen A. Taylor is an American businessman who is the majority owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team, owner of the Minnesota Lynx WNBA basketball team, and a former member of the Minnesota Senate.-Biography:...
, businessman and owner of the Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
and Minnesota LynxMinnesota LynxThe Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
basketball teams - Arthur S. ThomasArthur S. ThomasArthur S. Thomas is a former Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force.-Biography:A native of Mankato, Minnesota, Thomas is an ordained Roman Catholic priest. He is a graduate of Mankato State College and the Graduate Theological Union...
, Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force - Timothy J. WalzTim WalzTimothy 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...
, former teacher at Mankato West High School and current U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for Minnesota's 1st congressional districtMinnesota's 1st congressional districtMinnesota'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...
Justin Hartwig Former NFL player was born in Mankato.
Rankings & ratings
- Bizjournals.com, 2006
Mankato/North Mankato was ranked 16th in the nation in a survey of 577 cities nationwide. The survey rates the country's "micropolitan" areas in multiple quality of life criteria.
- America's Promise, 2005
This national youth advocacy group, founded by Gen. Colin Powell and dedicated to making children and youth a priority, named Mankato one of the top 100 communities in the nation for kids. Criteria included the presence of caring adults, transportation for children, presence of places to learn and grow, education opportunities, and opportunities for children to volunteer.
- Rolling Stone College Guide, 2005
Rolling Stone magazine named Mankato/St. Peter one of the top 50 college towns in the country because of its rich and diverse music scene.
- Site Selection Magazine, 2002, 2003 and 2004
For three consecutive years, Mankato/North Mankato ranked in the top 25 small cities nationwide for new and expanded corporate facility projects. The community ranked 16th in 2002(the Minnesota community to make the list), 13th in 2003, and 23rd in 2004.
- Bizdemographics awarded Mankato an "A" in terms of business climate, a sign of excellent economic health. The study considered charactersitics such as population growth, per capita income, job growth, and local educational levels.
- Demographics Daily, September, 2000
Mankato and North Mankato placed in the top 50 U.S. cities classified as "dreamtowns." Cities were ranked according to quality of life indicators such as vitality, supply of good jobs, freedom from stress, connection to cultural mainstream, support for schools, access to health care, low cost of living, and small town character.
- The New Rating Guide to Life in America's Small Cities, January, 1998
The City of Mankato was named the 14th most livable micropolitan in America
United States micropolitan area
United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas , as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, are urban areas in the United States based around a core city or town with a population of 10,000 to 49,999. The micropolitan area designation was created in 2003...
and number one in Minnesota.
- In 2004 Mankato was rated as the funniest city in America by Hallmark Cards.
External links
- mankato-mn.gov — City of Mankato
- greatermankato.com — Mankato Chamber of Commerce
- visitgreatermankato.com — Greater Mankato Convention & Visitors Bureau
- greatermankatoevents.com — Greater Mankato Events Calendar
- mankato.mncap.org - Mankato Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, USAF Auxiliary
- Mankatopedia — a Mankato city wikiCity wikiA city wiki is a wiki used as a knowledge base and social network for a specific geographical locale. The term 'city wiki' or its foreign language equivalent is sometimes also used for wikis that cover not just a city, but a small town or an entire region. A city wiki contains information about...
- Mankato weather — provided by NOAANational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
.