Vergas, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Vergas is a city in Otter Tail County
, Minnesota
, United States
. The population was 331 at the 2010 census.
Vergas claims it is home of the World's Largest Loon, actually a 20 feet (6.1 m) sculpture of a loon
, the Minnesota state bird.
station, which had been named after a series of sleeping cars
that traveled between Minneapolis, Minnesota
and Winnipeg, Manitoba.
, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which, 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (2.01%) is water.
Vergas is located at the junction
of County Highway 4, County Highway 17, and State Highway 228
.
The community is at the west end of Long Lake.
Loon Lake is immediately southwest of Vergas.
of 2000, there were 311 people, 143 households, and 78 families residing in the city. The population density
was 213.9 people per square mile (82.8/km²). There were 165 housing units at an average density of 113.5 per square mile (43.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.75% White, 0.32% African American, 0.32% Native American, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 143 households out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples
living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 107.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,344, and the median income for a family was $37,250. Males had a median income of $23,214 versus $17,222 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,461. About 4.7% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 19.7% of those age 65 or over.
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Otter Tail County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 57,303. Its county seat is Fergus Falls.-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...
. The population was 331 at the 2010 census.
Vergas claims it is home of the World's Largest Loon, actually a 20 feet (6.1 m) sculpture of a loon
Loon
The loons or divers are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Eurasia...
, the Minnesota state bird.
History
The community was platted in 1903 as Altona, but quickly changed its name to match the name of its Soo Line RailroadMinneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad
The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad was a Class I railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Midwest U.S. Commonly known as the Soo Line after the phonetic spelling of Sault, it was merged with several other major CP subsidiaries on January 1, 1961 to form the...
station, which had been named after a series of sleeping cars
Sleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
that traveled between Minneapolis, Minnesota
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...
and Winnipeg, Manitoba.
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 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which, 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (2.01%) is water.
Vergas is located at the junction
Junction (traffic)
A junction, when discussed in the context of transport, is a location where traffic can change between different routes, directions, or sometimes modes, of travel.-Historical significance:...
of County Highway 4, County Highway 17, and State Highway 228
Minnesota State Highway 228
Minnesota State Highway 228 is a highway in west-central Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with Otter Tail County Roads 4 and 17 in Vergas and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S...
.
The community is at the west end of Long Lake.
Loon Lake is immediately southwest of Vergas.
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 311 people, 143 households, and 78 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 213.9 people per square mile (82.8/km²). There were 165 housing units at an average density of 113.5 per square mile (43.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.75% White, 0.32% African American, 0.32% Native American, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 143 households out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% 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, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 107.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,344, and the median income for a family was $37,250. Males had a median income of $23,214 versus $17,222 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 $14,461. About 4.7% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 19.7% of those age 65 or over.