Minnesota State Highway 4 is a highway

Highway

A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...

 in southwest and west-central 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...

, which runs from Iowa Highway 4 at the Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

 state line (near Dunnell, MN

Dunnell, Minnesota

Dunnell is a city in Martin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 167 at the 2010 census.The community is located between Sherburn, Minnesota and Estherville, Iowa on Minnesota State Highway 4.Interstate 90 is nearby.-Geography:...

 and Estherville, IA

Estherville, Iowa

Estherville is a city in Emmet County, Iowa, United States. The population was 6,360 in the 2010 census, a decline from 6,656 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Emmet County. Estherville is home to the main campus of Iowa Lakes Community College...

), and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange

Interchange (road)

In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...

 with Interstate Highway 94

Interstate 94 in Minnesota

In the U.S. state of Minnesota, Interstate 94 runs east–west through the central portion of the state. The route connects the cities of Moorhead, Fergus Falls, Alexandria, St...

 near Sauk Centre

Sauk Centre, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,930 people, 1,616 households, and 1,042 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,057.2 people per square mile . There were 1,709 housing units at an average density of 459.7 per square mile...

 and Melrose

Melrose, Minnesota

Melrose is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,598 at the 2010 census. It is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

.

Highway 4 is 167 miles (268.8 km) in length.

Route description

State Highway 4 serves as a north–south route between Sherburn

Sherburn, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,082 people, 484 households, and 285 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,220.6 people per square mile . There were 535 housing units at an average density of 603.5 per square mile...

, Saint James

St. James, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,695 people, 1,845 households, and 1,186 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,050.3 people per square mile . There were 2,006 housing units at an average density of 876.0 per square mile...

, Sleepy Eye

Sleepy Eye, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,515 people, 1,479 households, and 942 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,099.9 people per square mile . There were 1,591 housing units at an average density of 950.5 per square mile...

, Fairfax

Fairfax, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,295 people, 534 households, and 335 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,006.6 people per square mile . There were 589 housing units at an average density of 457.8 per square mile...

, Hector

Hector, Minnesota

Hector is a city in Renville County, Minnesota, USA. The population was 1,151 at the 2010 census.U.S. Route 212 and Minnesota State Highway 4 are two of the main arterial routes in the city.-Geography:...

, Paynesville

Paynesville, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,267 people, 934 households, and 594 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,715.2 people per square mile . There were 984 housing units at an average density of 744.5 per square mile...

, and Meire Grove

Meire Grove, Minnesota

Meire Grove is a city in Grove Township, Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 179 at the 2010 census. It is part of the St...

 in southwest and west-central Minnesota.

Highway 4 parallels U.S. Highway 71

U.S. Route 71

U.S. Route 71 is a north–south United States highway. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstate highways. Currently, the highway's northern terminus is in International Falls, Minnesota at the Canadian border, at the southern end of the Fort...

 and State Highway 15

Minnesota State Highway 15

Minnesota State Highway 15 is a highway in south-central and central Minnesota, which runs from Iowa Highway 15 at the Iowa state line and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with U.S. Highway 10 outside of Sartell and Sauk Rapids, north of St...

 throughout its route.

Fort Ridgely State Park

Fort Ridgely State Park

Fort Ridgely State Park is a Minnesota state park on the Minnesota River south of Fairfax, Minnesota. It preserves Fort Ridgely and a site important to the Dakota War of 1862....

 is located on Highway 4 in Nicollet County

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...

 on 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....

. The park is located south of Fairfax

Fairfax, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,295 people, 534 households, and 335 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,006.6 people per square mile . There were 589 housing units at an average density of 457.8 per square mile...

 and northwest of New Ulm

New Ulm, Minnesota

New Ulm is a city in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,522 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brown County....

.

History

The segment of Highway 4 between Paynesville and Interstate 94 is part of Minnesota Constitutional Route 4, established in 1920; the remainder of Highway 4 was authorized in 1933.

The route was completely paved by 1961.

Major intersections

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|colspan=2 align='center'|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....

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