Red Wing, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Red Wing is a city
in Goodhue County
, Minnesota
, United States
, on the Mississippi River
. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat
of Goodhue County
.
Red Wing is home of Red Wing Shoes
, the Riedell Ice and Roller Skates and Red Wing Stoneware. The Cannon Valley Trail
has its eastern terminus in Red Wing. Treasure Island Resort & Casino is on the nearby Prairie Island Indian Reservation
. The National Trust for Historic Preservation
placed Red Wing on its 2008 distinctive destinations list, which adds twelve communities annually nationwide. Red Wing was added for its "impressive architecture and enviable natural environment." Red Wing is connected to Wisconsin
by Red Wing Bridge (officially named the Eisenhower Bridge); it carries U.S. Route 63
over the Mississippi River
and its backwaters.
steamboats came to Red Wing to farm the lush fields in Goodhue County
. They grew wheat
, the annual crop of which could pay the cost of the land. Before the railroads crisscrossed the territory of Goodhue County. It Produced more wheat than any other county in the country, and in 1873 Red Wing led the country in the amount of wheat sold by farmers. The warehouses in the port of Red Wing could store and export more than a million bushels of wheat. Once the railroads connected southern Minnesota with Minneapolis and Saint Anthony, where the largest flour mills were built, the port at Red Wing lost prominence. In the last half of the twentieth century, the United States Army Corps of Engineers
built locks and dams and deepened the channel in the river. These revitalised river traffic for shipping grain and coal; however, the tourist trade has never returned.
The Aurora Ski Club in Red Wing, which was founded on February 8, 1887, was one of the first ski clubs to be formed in North America. Aurora club members introduced in the 1880s, what became known as “Red Wing Style” ski techniques, which was patterned after the Telemark skiing
form. The term "Red Wing style" continued in use in America well into the twentieth century. The first North American ski jumping record was set by Norwegian immigrant Mikkjel Hemmestveit
. His 37-foot flight in 1887 was established at the Aurora Ski Club's McSorley Hill.
The first settlers in town built small mills, factories, and workshops, similar to ones they were familiar with in New England
from where many had come. Immigrants from Germany
, Ireland
, Norway
and Sweden
were also skilled craftsmen. Some early industries were tanning
and shoe-making
, while other businessmen manufactured farm equipment, bricks, barrel
s, boats, furniture, pottery, and button
s. Consumables included beer
and lumber. Service industries including stone-cutting, hospitality, and retailing. The St. James Hotel
remains a working token of the earlier time.
Red Wing was once home to Hamline University
, founded in 1854 as the first institution of higher education in the state of Minnesota. It closed in 1869 because of low enrollment due to the American Civil War
. It was chartered in St. Paul in 1871 and reopened there in 1880.
Red Wing Seminary
was a Lutheran Church seminary. Red Wing Seminary was the educational center for the Hauge's Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod in America, commonly known as the Hauge Synod
. The Hauge Synod had opened the seminary in 1879. Red Wing Seminary was in operation until 1917.
Red Wing also was the home of Gustavus Adolphus College
, a private liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). The college was founded in Red Wing in 1862 by Eric Norelius
, but moved to East Union in 1863 before settling in St. Peter in 1876.
The Red Wing pottery
and stoneware industry developed on the northwest of the city, close to Hay Creek
. It used clay from the area of the Hay Creek headwaters, close to Goodhue
, near a hamlet named Claybank. A railroad branch line
was built to carry clay to Red Wing. The factory buildings remain, but only traces of the railroad, abandoned in 1937, are left.
The city has gained big-box retailers in the past few years, such as Target, Walmart and Menards. It has been hit hard by the economic downturn that began in 2008. Several prominent downtown retail spaces sit empty, and others have been converted to office use. The city itself is no longer the strong tourist draw that it was in its heydays of the 1980s and 90s.
by the city. These include:
, the city has 41.4 square miles (107.2 km²), of which 35.4 square miles (91.7 km²) is land and 6 square miles (15.5 km²) (14.43%) is water. The city is at the northern edge of the Driftless Area of karst topography
.
of 2000, there were 16,116 people, 6,562 households, and 4,166 families in the city. The population density
was 455.3 per square mile (175.8 km²). There were 6,867 housing units at an average density of 194.0 per square mile (74.9/km²). The racial makeup was 94.33% White, 1.32% African American, 2.22% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races
, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population.
There were 6,562 households, of which 30.4% had children under 18 with them, 51.2% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family 2.94.
In the city, the population was 24.6% under 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% 65 or older. The median was 39. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household was $43,674, and the median for a family was $54,641. Males had a median of $36,576 versus $25,477 for females. The per capita income
was $21,678. About 3.9% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those 65 or over.
and 63
and Minnesota State Highways 19
and 58
are the main intercity highways. Minnesota State Highway 292 also is in the city.
Wisconsin Highway 35 is across the Mississippi River.
Red Wing's Amtrak station
is served by Amtrak's
daily in each direction between Chicago
to the east, and Seattle
and Portland
on the west.
members as of August 2011 are:
, Japan
Quzhou
, China
Kongsberg
, Norway
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Goodhue County
Goodhue County, Minnesota
Goodhue County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 46,183. Its county seat is Red Wing. Nearly all of Prairie Island Indian Community is within the county.-History:...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is 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 Goodhue County
Goodhue County, Minnesota
Goodhue County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 46,183. Its county seat is Red Wing. Nearly all of Prairie Island Indian Community is within the county.-History:...
.
Red Wing is home of Red Wing Shoes
Red Wing Shoes
Red Wing Shoes is a footwear company based in Red Wing, Minnesota that was founded by Charles H. Beckman in 1905.Within 10 years of its inception, Red Wing Shoes was producing more than 200,000 pairs of boots per year and was the primary company manufacturing footwear for American soldiers...
, the Riedell Ice and Roller Skates and Red Wing Stoneware. The Cannon Valley Trail
Cannon Valley Trail
The Cannon Valley Trail is a paved, multiple-use trail that follows the Cannon River in southeast Minnesota.The trail follows an abandoned Chicago Great Western Railway corridor for between Cannon Falls, Minnesota and Red Wing, Minnesota. In the spring, summer, and fall months, the trail is open...
has its eastern terminus in Red Wing. Treasure Island Resort & Casino is on the nearby Prairie Island Indian Reservation
Prairie Island Indian Community
Prairie Island Indian Community is a Mdewakanton Sioux Indian reservation in Goodhue County, Minnesota, along the Mississippi River, in and around the city of Red Wing. It was created in 1889, with boundaries modified after that time. Much of the reservation land was lost following construction of...
. The National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
placed Red Wing on its 2008 distinctive destinations list, which adds twelve communities annually nationwide. Red Wing was added for its "impressive architecture and enviable natural environment." Red Wing is connected to Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
by Red Wing Bridge (officially named the Eisenhower Bridge); it carries U.S. Route 63
U.S. Route 63
U.S. Route 63 is a long north–south United States highway primarily in the Midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at Interstate 20 in Ruston, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at U.S. Route 2 in Benoit, Wisconsin, about east of Duluth, Minnesota. It is not related to U.S...
over the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and its backwaters.
History
In the early 1850s, settlers from Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
steamboats came to Red Wing to farm the lush fields in Goodhue County
Goodhue County, Minnesota
Goodhue County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 46,183. Its county seat is Red Wing. Nearly all of Prairie Island Indian Community is within the county.-History:...
. They grew wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, the annual crop of which could pay the cost of the land. Before the railroads crisscrossed the territory of Goodhue County. It Produced more wheat than any other county in the country, and in 1873 Red Wing led the country in the amount of wheat sold by farmers. The warehouses in the port of Red Wing could store and export more than a million bushels of wheat. Once the railroads connected southern Minnesota with Minneapolis and Saint Anthony, where the largest flour mills were built, the port at Red Wing lost prominence. In the last half of the twentieth century, the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
built locks and dams and deepened the channel in the river. These revitalised river traffic for shipping grain and coal; however, the tourist trade has never returned.
The Aurora Ski Club in Red Wing, which was founded on February 8, 1887, was one of the first ski clubs to be formed in North America. Aurora club members introduced in the 1880s, what became known as “Red Wing Style” ski techniques, which was patterned after the Telemark skiing
Telemark skiing
Telemark skiing is a form of skiing using the Telemark turn. Unlike alpine skiing equipment, the skis used for telemarking either have a binding that only connects the boot to the ski at the toes, just as in cross-country skiing, or may be released to only connect there.Telemark turns are led with...
form. The term "Red Wing style" continued in use in America well into the twentieth century. The first North American ski jumping record was set by Norwegian immigrant Mikkjel Hemmestveit
Mikkjel Hemmestveit
Mikkjel Hemmestveit was a Norwegian-American Nordic skier who shared the Holmenkollen medal with his brother, Torjus Hemmestveit in 1928.Mikkjel Hemmestveit was born in Kviteseid in Telemark county, Norway...
. His 37-foot flight in 1887 was established at the Aurora Ski Club's McSorley Hill.
The first settlers in town built small mills, factories, and workshops, similar to ones they were familiar with in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
from where many had come. Immigrants from Germany
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...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
were also skilled craftsmen. Some early industries were tanning
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
and shoe-making
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
, while other businessmen manufactured farm equipment, bricks, barrel
Barrel
A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container, traditionally made of vertical wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. Traditionally, the barrel was a standard size of measure referring to a set capacity or weight of a given commodity. A small barrel is called a keg.For example, a...
s, boats, furniture, pottery, and button
Button
In modern clothing and fashion design, a button is a small fastener, most commonly made of plastic, but also frequently of seashell, which secures two pieces of fabric together. In archaeology, a button can be a significant artifact. In the applied arts and in craft, a button can be an example of...
s. Consumables included beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
and lumber. Service industries including stone-cutting, hospitality, and retailing. The St. James Hotel
St. James Hotel (Red Wing, Minnesota)
St. James Hotel in Red Wing, Minnesota is an Italianate building built in 1874-1875. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The NRHP-listed area was increased in a boundary increase listing as St. James Hotel and Buildings in 1982.Red Wing was the world's largest...
remains a working token of the earlier time.
Red Wing was once home to Hamline University
Hamline University
-Red Wing location :Hamline was named in honor of Leonidas Lent Hamline, a bishop of the Methodist Church whose interest in the frontier led him to donate $25,000 toward the building of an institution of higher learning in what was then the territory of Minnesota. Today, a statue of Bishop Hamline...
, founded in 1854 as the first institution of higher education in the state of Minnesota. It closed in 1869 because of low enrollment due to the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. It was chartered in St. Paul in 1871 and reopened there in 1880.
Red Wing Seminary
Red Wing Seminary
Red Wing Seminary was a Lutheran Church seminary located in Red Wing, Minnesota.-History:Red Wing Seminary was the educational center for the Hauge's Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod in America, commonly known as the Hauge Synod. The synod de-emphasizing formal worship and stressing personal...
was a Lutheran Church seminary. Red Wing Seminary was the educational center for the Hauge's Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod in America, commonly known as the Hauge Synod
Hauge Synod
The Hauge Synod, was the name of a Norwegian Lutheran church body in the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century.-Background:...
. The Hauge Synod had opened the seminary in 1879. Red Wing Seminary was in operation until 1917.
Red Wing also was the home of Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly...
, a private liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). The college was founded in Red Wing in 1862 by Eric Norelius
Eric Norelius
Eric Norelius was a Swedish-American Lutheran minister, church leader and author.-Background:Eric Norelius was born on October 26, 1833 in Norrbäck, Hassela parish, in Nordanstig Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden. He received his early education at Hudiksvall's allmänna läroverk...
, but moved to East Union in 1863 before settling in St. Peter in 1876.
The Red Wing pottery
Red Wing Pottery
Red Wing pottery refers to American stoneware, pottery, or dinnerware items made by any of various companies in Red Wing, Minnesota. The first known pottery was established in the late 1870s and production continued under various company names until the last business, Red Wing Potteries, Inc.,...
and stoneware industry developed on the northwest of the city, close to Hay Creek
Hay Creek (Mississippi River)
Hay Creek is a small trout stream in southeastern Minnesota. It has its headwaters near Goodhue, and empties into the Mississippi River just upstream of Red Wing. It runs approximately 20 miles, over half of which is a Minnesota designated trout stream. Like the Vermillion River, Hay Creek...
. It used clay from the area of the Hay Creek headwaters, close to Goodhue
Goodhue, Minnesota
Goodhue is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,176 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, near a hamlet named Claybank. A railroad branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
was built to carry clay to Red Wing. The factory buildings remain, but only traces of the railroad, abandoned in 1937, are left.
The city has gained big-box retailers in the past few years, such as Target, Walmart and Menards. It has been hit hard by the economic downturn that began in 2008. Several prominent downtown retail spaces sit empty, and others have been converted to office use. The city itself is no longer the strong tourist draw that it was in its heydays of the 1980s and 90s.
Library
Red Wing Public Library is a member of Southeastern Libraries Cooperating, the SE Minnesota library region.Neighborhoods
The city of Red Wing has several neighborhoods or other places annexedAnnexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
by the city. These include:
- Burnside TownshipBurnside Township, Goodhue County, MinnesotaBurnside Township was a township in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States until June 1, 1971, when the city of Red Wing annexed the township's entirety.- History :...
- East Red WingEast Red Wing, MinnesotaEast Red Wing is a neighborhood of the city of Red Wing in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States.- History :East Red Wing was incorporated as a village in 1857. Shortly after this, the village charter was revoked by the state, and the village was merged with Red Wing on March 19, 1857....
- EgglestonEggleston, MinnesotaEggleston is an unincorporated community in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States.- History :Eggleston was named after John E. Eggleston and Joseph Eggleston, who settled at the portion of the community in what was then Burnside Township. From 1875-1934, the community had a post office...
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 41.4 square miles (107.2 km²), of which 35.4 square miles (91.7 km²) is land and 6 square miles (15.5 km²) (14.43%) is water. The city is at the northern edge of the Driftless Area of karst topography
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
.
Demographics
At 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 16,116 people, 6,562 households, and 4,166 families 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 455.3 per square mile (175.8 km²). There were 6,867 housing units at an average density of 194.0 per square mile (74.9/km²). The racial makeup was 94.33% White, 1.32% African American, 2.22% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.53% 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 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population.
There were 6,562 households, of which 30.4% had children under 18 with them, 51.2% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family 2.94.
In the city, the population was 24.6% under 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% 65 or older. The median was 39. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household was $43,674, and the median for a family was $54,641. Males had a median of $36,576 versus $25,477 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...
was $21,678. About 3.9% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those 65 or over.
Transportation
U.S. Routes 61U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
and 63
U.S. Route 63
U.S. Route 63 is a long north–south United States highway primarily in the Midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at Interstate 20 in Ruston, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at U.S. Route 2 in Benoit, Wisconsin, about east of Duluth, Minnesota. It is not related to U.S...
and Minnesota State Highways 19
Minnesota State Highway 19
Minnesota State Highway 19 is a highway in southwest and southeast Minnesota, which runs from South Dakota Highway 30 at the South Dakota state line near Ivanhoe and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S...
and 58
Minnesota State Highway 58
Minnesota State Highway 58 is a highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with U.S. 52 / State Highway 60 in Zumbrota and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S...
are the main intercity highways. Minnesota State Highway 292 also is in the city.
Wisconsin Highway 35 is across the Mississippi River.
Red Wing's Amtrak station
Red Wing (Amtrak station)
Red Wing is a train station in Red Wing, Minnesota served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system.A plaque on the building states, "The construction of this building began in 1904 following an agreement in which the city of Red Wing provided trackage concessions and the railroad agreed to...
is served by Amtrak's
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
daily in each direction between Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to the east, and Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
on the west.
Government
City council
The city councilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
members as of August 2011 are:
- Dan Bender (First Ward)
- Term: January 2009 to January 2013
- Lisa Pritchard Bailey (Second Ward)
- Council Vice President
- Term: July 2009 to January 2013
- Dean Hove (First & Second Wards)
- Term: January 2011 to January 2015
- Michael Schultz (Third Ward)
- Term: January 2011 to January 2015
- Peggy Rehder (Fourth Ward)
- Term: January 2011 to January 2015
- Ralph Rauterkus (Third & Fourth Wards)
- Council President
- Term: January 2009 to January 2013
- Marilyn Meinke (At-Large)
- Term: January 2011 to January 2015
Notable residents
- Eugenie AndersonEugenie AndersonEugenie Anderson , also known as Helen Eugenie Moore Anderson, was a United States diplomat. She is best known as the first woman appointed chief of mission at the ambassador level in US history .-Personal life:Helen Eugenie Moore was born on May 26, 1909, in Adair, Iowa, one of five...
(1909–1997), U.S. Ambassador to Denmark and Bulgaria; first woman appointed U.S. ambassador - Joseph Francis BuschJoseph Francis BuschJoseph Francis Busch was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Lead and Bishop of Saint Cloud .-Biography:...
(1866–1953), Roman Catholic Bishop - Reid Cashman, Player in AHL, Toronto MarliesToronto MarliesThe Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario...
, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsWilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsThe Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. They play in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza... - William ColvillWilliam ColvillFor the American Civil War colonel, see William J. Colvill.William Colvill, sometimes spelt William Colville was a Scottish clergyman and scholar and was the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1662 to 1675....
, (1830–1905), Civil War hero and Minnesota Attorney General - Frances DensmoreFrances DensmoreFrances Densmore was an American ethnographer and ethnomusicologist, both being divisions of study within anthropology. She was born in Red Wing, Minnesota, and specialized in Native American music and culture....
(1867–1957), ethnographer and ethnomusicologist - Joanell DyrstadJoanell DyrstadJoanell M. Dyrstad was the 43rd Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. She served January 7, 1991 to January 3, 1995 and was elected with Governor Arne Carlson. She ran for the U.S. Senate seat in 1994 but lost in the primary to Rod Grams...
(1942–), former Minnesota lieutenant governor (1991–1995) - Patrick FluegerPatrick FluegerPatrick John Flueger is an American actor, known for his lead role in the television series The 4400.-Life and career:...
(1983–), actor, The Princess DiariesThe Princess DiariesThe Princess Diaries is a series of epistolary novels by Meg Cabot in the chick-lit and young-adult fiction genre, and the title of the first volume, published in 2000....
, The 4400The 4400The 4400 is a science fiction TV series produced by CBS Paramount Network Television in association with Sky Television, Renegade 83, and American Zoetrope for USA Network. The show was created and written by Scott Peters and René Echevarria, and it stars Joel Gretsch and Jacqueline McKenzie... - Mikkjel HemmestveitMikkjel HemmestveitMikkjel Hemmestveit was a Norwegian-American Nordic skier who shared the Holmenkollen medal with his brother, Torjus Hemmestveit in 1928.Mikkjel Hemmestveit was born in Kviteseid in Telemark county, Norway...
(1863–1957), Skiing champion - Torjus HemmestveitTorjus HemmestveitTorjus Hemmestveit was a Norwegian Nordic skier who shared the Holmenkollen medal with his brother, Mikkjel Hemmestveit in 1928.Torjus Hemmestveit was born in Kviteseid in Telemark county, Norway...
(1860–1930), Skiing champion - Martin MaginnisMartin MaginnisMartin Maginnis was a nineteenth century politician, publisher, editor and miner from Minnesota and the Montana Territory.-Biography:...
(1841–1919), politician, Union Army veteran - Greg NortonGreg NortonGreg Norton is an American musician, formerly of the band Hüsker Dü....
(1959–), bassist for Hüsker DüHüsker DüHüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
and restaurateurRestaurateurA restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of the restaurant business.-Etymology:The word... - Robert Ezra ParkRobert E. ParkRobert Ezra Park was an American urban sociologist, one of the main founders of the original Chicago School of sociology.-Life:...
(1864–1944), urban sociologist - John PohlJohn PohlJohn Pohl is a retired American professional ice hockey center.-Playing career:Pohl played for the University of Minnesota where he helped lead the team to the 2002 NCAA National Championship. He also was a standout player at Red Wing High School in Red Wing, Minnesota, where he grew up; during...
(1979–) , Player in NHL, Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... - August WeenaasAugust WeenaasAugust Weenaas was a Norwegian American Lutheran minister and educator. August Weenaas was the founding President of Augsburg College.-Biography:...
(1835–1924), Founding President of Augsburg CollegeAugsburg CollegeAugsburg College is a selective liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Augsburg was named for the Augsburg Confession, the document of Lutheran belief. The school was founded in 1869 in Marshall, Wisconsin as Augsburg Seminary and moved...
Sister cities
IkataIkata, Ehime
is a small town located in Nishiuwa District, Ehime, Japan. Following a recent merger with the neighboring towns of Misaki and Seto, the town now spans the mountainous Sadamisaki Peninsula, the narrowest peninsula in Japan and the westernmost point on the island of Shikoku.This unique geography has...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Quzhou
Quzhou
Quzhou is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Zhejiang province, China. Sitting on the upper course of the Qiantang River, it borders Hangzhou to the north, Jinhua to the east, Lishui to the southeast, and the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi and Anhui to the south the south, southwest and...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Kongsberg
Kongsberg
is a town and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is located at the southern end of the traditional region of Numedal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsberg....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
Other sources
- Sky Crashers: A History of the Aurora Ski Club (Goodhue County Historical Society: 2004)
- Red Wing Reflections of a River Town (Red Wing Republican Eagle: 2007)