Sartell, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Sartell is a city in Benton
and Stearns
counties in the U.S. state
of Minnesota
. It is part of the St. Cloud
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The population was 15,876 at the 2010 census, making it St. Cloud's most populous suburb and the largest city in the central Minnesota region after St. Cloud.
Sartell got its start as a small town on the Mississippi River
with lumber and a paper company as its main industries. The present site of the city was originally dubbed "The Third Rapids", as it was the third set of rough waters that French fur traders encountered as they traveled north from Saint Anthony Falls
in Minneapolis
.
One of the first people to settle in the fledgling town was Joseph B. Sartell, who arrived in 1854 and worked as a millwright
at a local sawmill
. In 1877, he opened a flour mill
at the nearby Watab River
, and in 1884 he started the Sartell Brothers Lumber Company with his sons.
In 1905, construction began on both the Watab Pulp and Paper Company and the Sartell Dam
across the Mississippi, near the "third rapids". Both were completed in 1907, the dam project having claimed the lives of seven workers. Watab Pulp and Paper was rebuilt and expanded through the years, passing through multiple ownerships and eventually emerging as Verso Paper's Sartell mill
, the city's largest employer.
In 1907 residents of the town decided to incorporate
. Several influential people felt the town ought to be named Wengert, after a local businessman. Another man lobbied to have the town named Oberly, after himself. But because of Joseph Sartell's many relatives and generous contributions to the community, the town was incorporated as "The Village of Sartell" in his honor. From 1907 until 1973 there was a Sartell on nearly every City Council, the most prominent being Ripley B. "Rip" Sartell, who was mayor for 31 years.
The town continued to grow slowly, developing a number of businesses and a downtown on the east side of the Mississippi along U.S. Route 10
. In the 1960s the highway was rerouted, greatly contributing to the demise of the downtown area. The later construction of the current Sartell Bridge over the Mississippi in the early 1980s replaced the remaining businesses. This and Sartell’s location near St. Cloud
's major retail center account for its lack of a traditional "downtown".
Independent School District # 748, Sartell-St. Stephen
, was created in 1969 because residents wanted to educate their children locally. Despite the lack of a downtown, the city continued to grow at an increasing pace in the 1970s. From 1970 to the present, the city’s population has gone from 700 to over 15,000.
in the city, and DeZurik Water Controls, whose valve production plant is located in Sartell. The city also hosts a number of small businesses, including gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, and salons, among others.
s, establish public and administrative policies, create advisory boards and commissions, and manage the city's financial operations, including preparing a budget, auditing expenditures, and transacting other city business as required by law. The City Council also appoints a City Administrator, who oversees the daily operation of the city and implements the policies of the Council.
City recreational facilities include 24 parks, miles of paved walking paths, playgrounds, a bike lane, tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields, ice rinks, a golf course and a wading pool.
and Minnesota State Highway 15
, both of which pass along the outskirts of the city. St. Cloud Metro Bus service runs to destinations in Sartell and neighboring Sauk Rapids
and St. Cloud
. A rail line
passes through town but serves the city only as freight transportation
for the Verso Sartell Paper Mill.
The city's proximity to St. Cloud allows for convenient access to St. Cloud Regional Airport
(although no carrier presently flies to this airport) as well as the city's Amtrak
and Greyhound
stations.
The dams along the Mississippi River
and the waterway's relatively shallow depth render it useless for anything more than recreational watercraft
traffic. Sartell's location on the river facilitated the construction of the Old Sartell Bridge in 1914, which was replaced by the current Sartell Bridge in 1984.
, the city has a total area of 6.1 square miles (15.9 km²), of which, 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) or 3.75 percent of it is water.
U.S. Route 10
, Minnesota State Highway 15
, and County 1 are three of the main routes in Sartell. Other nearby routes in the St. Cloud area include Interstate 94
, Minnesota State Highway 23
, and County 75. Sartell is immediately north of the city of St. Cloud.
The city is situated on the Mississippi River
with the surrounding undeveloped property composed mainly of woodlands and farmland.
of 2000, there were 9,641 people, 3,443 households, and 2,513 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,633.9 persons per square mile (630.9/km²). There were 3,531 housing units at an average density of 598.4 per square mile (231.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.42% White, 0.29% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races
, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.87% of the population.
There were 3,443 households out of which 46.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples
living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,531, and the median income for a family was $61,056. Males had a median income of $39,834 versus $27,476 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $22,667. About 3.0% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Benton County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,226 people, 13,065 households, and 8,518 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There were 13,460 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
and Stearns
Stearns County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 133,166 people, 47,604 households, and 32,132 families residing in the county. The population density was 99 people per square mile . There were 50,291 housing units at an average density of 37 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...
. It is part of the St. Cloud
St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
St. Cloud metropolitan area
The St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in central Minnesota, anchored by the city of St. Cloud. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 167,392 .The St...
. The population was 15,876 at the 2010 census, making it St. Cloud's most populous suburb and the largest city in the central Minnesota region after St. Cloud.
History
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...
with lumber and a paper company as its main industries. The present site of the city was originally dubbed "The Third Rapids", as it was the third set of rough waters that French fur traders encountered as they traveled north from Saint Anthony Falls
Saint Anthony Falls
Saint Anthony Falls, or the Falls of Saint Anthony, located northeast of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, was the only natural major waterfall on the Upper Mississippi River. The natural falls was replaced by a concrete overflow spillway after it partially collapsed in 1869...
in Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
.
One of the first people to settle in the fledgling town was Joseph B. Sartell, who arrived in 1854 and worked as a millwright
Millwright
A millwright is a craftsman or tradesman engaged with the construction and maintenance of machinery.Early millwrights were specialist carpenters who erected machines used in agriculture, food processing and processing lumber and paper...
at a local sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
. In 1877, he opened a flour mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
at the nearby Watab River
Watab River
The Watab River, also known as Watab Creek, is a tributary of the Mississippi River in Stearns County in central Minnesota in the United States. It is named from the Ojibwe language wadab-ziibi due to the exposed spruce roots once found along its banks...
, and in 1884 he started the Sartell Brothers Lumber Company with his sons.
In 1905, construction began on both the Watab Pulp and Paper Company and the Sartell Dam
Sartell Dam
The Sartell Dam is a dam across the Mississippi River in Sartell, Minnesota in the United States. The dam generates hydroelectric power for the adjoining Sartell Paper Mill. The dam is referred to as the Champion Dam in official documentation....
across the Mississippi, near the "third rapids". Both were completed in 1907, the dam project having claimed the lives of seven workers. Watab Pulp and Paper was rebuilt and expanded through the years, passing through multiple ownerships and eventually emerging as Verso Paper's Sartell mill
Sartell Paper Mill
The Sartell Paper Mill, officially the Verso Paper Sartell Mill, is a paper mill located in the city of Sartell in the U.S. state of Minnesota...
, the city's largest employer.
In 1907 residents of the town decided to incorporate
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
. Several influential people felt the town ought to be named Wengert, after a local businessman. Another man lobbied to have the town named Oberly, after himself. But because of Joseph Sartell's many relatives and generous contributions to the community, the town was incorporated as "The Village of Sartell" in his honor. From 1907 until 1973 there was a Sartell on nearly every City Council, the most prominent being Ripley B. "Rip" Sartell, who was mayor for 31 years.
The town continued to grow slowly, developing a number of businesses and a downtown on the east side of the Mississippi along U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10 is an east–west United States highway formed in 1926. Though it never became the cross-country highway suggested by the "0" as the last digit of its route number, U.S...
. In the 1960s the highway was rerouted, greatly contributing to the demise of the downtown area. The later construction of the current Sartell Bridge over the Mississippi in the early 1980s replaced the remaining businesses. This and Sartell’s location near St. Cloud
St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...
's major retail center account for its lack of a traditional "downtown".
Independent School District # 748, Sartell-St. Stephen
St. Stephen, Minnesota
Saint Stephen is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 860 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Saint Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, was created in 1969 because residents wanted to educate their children locally. Despite the lack of a downtown, the city continued to grow at an increasing pace in the 1970s. From 1970 to the present, the city’s population has gone from 700 to over 15,000.
Economy
Sartell's largest employers are Verso Paper, which operates a paper millSartell Paper Mill
The Sartell Paper Mill, officially the Verso Paper Sartell Mill, is a paper mill located in the city of Sartell in the U.S. state of Minnesota...
in the city, and DeZurik Water Controls, whose valve production plant is located in Sartell. The city also hosts a number of small businesses, including gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, and salons, among others.
Law and government
Sartell's city council consists of a mayor and four members elected at large. As of August 2011, Sartell's mayor is Joe Perske and the council members are Steve Hennes, Sarah Jane Nicoll, Sandra Cordie, and Dennis Molitor. They possess the authority to pass and enforce ordinanceLocal ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
s, establish public and administrative policies, create advisory boards and commissions, and manage the city's financial operations, including preparing a budget, auditing expenditures, and transacting other city business as required by law. The City Council also appoints a City Administrator, who oversees the daily operation of the city and implements the policies of the Council.
City recreational facilities include 24 parks, miles of paved walking paths, playgrounds, a bike lane, tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields, ice rinks, a golf course and a wading pool.
Transportation
Transportation to and from Sartell is limited to surface roads, mainly U.S. Route 10U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10 is an east–west United States highway formed in 1926. Though it never became the cross-country highway suggested by the "0" as the last digit of its route number, U.S...
and Minnesota 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...
, both of which pass along the outskirts of the city. St. Cloud Metro Bus service runs to destinations in Sartell and neighboring Sauk Rapids
Sauk Rapids, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,213 people, 3,921 households, and 2,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,234.1 people per square mile . There were 4,017 housing units at an average density of 878.7 per square mile...
and St. Cloud
St. Cloud, Minnesota
St. Cloud is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region. The population was 65,842 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stearns County...
. A rail line
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
passes through town but serves the city only as freight transportation
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
for the Verso Sartell Paper Mill.
The city's proximity to St. Cloud allows for convenient access to St. Cloud Regional Airport
St. Cloud Regional Airport
St. Cloud Regional Airport is a public airport located four miles east of the central business district of St. Cloud, a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States....
(although no carrier presently flies to this airport) as well as the city's Amtrak
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...
and Greyhound
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
stations.
The dams along 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 the waterway's relatively shallow depth render it useless for anything more than recreational watercraft
Watercraft
A watercraft is a vessel or craft designed to move across or through water. The name is derived from the term "craft" which was used to describe all types of water going vessels...
traffic. Sartell's location on the river facilitated the construction of the Old Sartell Bridge in 1914, which was replaced by the current Sartell Bridge in 1984.
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 6.1 square miles (15.9 km²), of which, 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) or 3.75 percent of it is water.
U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10 is an east–west United States highway formed in 1926. Though it never became the cross-country highway suggested by the "0" as the last digit of its route number, U.S...
, Minnesota 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...
, and County 1 are three of the main routes in Sartell. Other nearby routes in the St. Cloud area include Interstate 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
, Minnesota State Highway 23
Minnesota State Highway 23
Minnesota State Highway 23 is a state highway that stretches from southwest to northeast Minnesota. At in length, it is the second longest state route in Minnesota, after MN 1....
, and County 75. Sartell is immediately north of the city of St. Cloud.
The city is situated 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...
with the surrounding undeveloped property composed mainly of woodlands and farmland.
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 9,641 people, 3,443 households, and 2,513 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,633.9 persons per square mile (630.9/km²). There were 3,531 housing units at an average density of 598.4 per square mile (231.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.42% White, 0.29% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% 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 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.87% of the population.
There were 3,443 households out of which 46.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% 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, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,531, and the median income for a family was $61,056. Males had a median income of $39,834 versus $27,476 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 $22,667. About 3.0% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Notable natives
- Craig SauerCraig SauerCraig Curtis Sauer is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played for the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings...
, NFL linebacker for 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...
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/players/3751/ - Kurt SauerKurt SauerKurt Christopher Sauer is a professional ice hockey defenseman who last played for the Phoenix Coyotes in the National Hockey League. He is the older brother of Michael Sauer, also a defenseman who plays for the New York Rangers....
, NHL defenseman for the Phoenix CoyotesPhoenix CoyotesThe Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
http://coyotes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=DepthChartPage&dcid=144 - Michael SauerMichael Sauer (ice hockey)Michael "Mike" Curtis Sauer is an American ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the New York Rangers of the NHL. He is the younger brother of Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Kurt Sauer, and of former Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings linebacker Craig Sauer.He was drafted in the 2nd round,...
, drafted by the New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
in July 2005 http://www.newyorkrangers.com/team/playerinfo.asp?playerid=326 - A. Simonson, five-time WISSOTA Late Model racing champion http://www.wissota.org/challenge_series_results_07/cs_results_viking.html and two-time Loggersports champion in sawing and logrolling http://www.lumberjackworldchampionships.com/
- Mike Champa, Vocalist for the rock band For All Those Sleeping
- David Volgman-Stevens, Guitarist for rock band For All Those Sleeping
- Ethan Trekell, Drummer for rock band For All Those Sleeping
- Jared Peirskalla, Guitarist and Vocalist for rock band For All Those Sleeping