Benton Township is a rural township in Carver County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 753 as of the 2020 census.

History

Benton Township was organized in 1858, and named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and (2.58%) is water.

The city of Cologne is located entirely within the township geographically but is a separate entity.

Township 115 North, Range 25 West, Fifth Principal Meridian of the Public Land Survey System.

Lakes

  • Bachman Lake
  • Barlous Lake
  • Hoefkin Lake (vast majority)
  • Maria Lake (west three-quarters)
  • Meuwissen Lake (west edge)
  • Myers Lake
  • Rice Lake (vast majority)
  • Winkler Lake

Adjacent townships

  • Waconia Township (north)
  • Laketown Township (northeast)
  • Dahlgren Township (east)
  • San Francisco Township (southeast)
  • Hancock Township (south)
  • Washington Lake Township, Sibley County (southwest)
  • Young America Township (west)
  • Camden Township (northwest)

Unincorporated communities

  • Bongards
  • Gotha

Cemeteries

The township contains five cemeteries: Cologne United Methodist, Saint Bernard, Saint John's United Church of Christ, Snapsburg and Zion Lutheran Church.

Major highways

  • 20px U.S. Highway 212
  • 20px Minnesota State Highway 5

Demographics

As of the census

|+ 2016 Precinct Results Spreadsheet

|+ 2012 Precinct Results Spreadsheet

|+ 2008 Precinct Results Spreadsheet

|+ 2004 Precinct Results Spreadsheet

|+ 2000 Precinct Results Spreadsheet

|+ 1996 Precinct Results

|+ 1992 Precinct Results

|+ 1988 Precinct Results

|+ 1984 Precinct Results

|+ 1980 Precinct Results

|+ 1976 Precinct Results

|+ 1968 Precinct Results

|+ 1964 Precinct Results

|+ 1960 Precinct Results

|- bgcolor=lightgrey

! Year

! Republican

! Democratic

! Third parties

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |2020

| style="text-align:center;" |71.7% 367

| style="text-align:center;" |27.0% 138

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.3% 7

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |2016

| style="text-align:center;" |70.4% 335

| style="text-align:center;" |23.5% 112

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|6.1% 29

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |2012

| style="text-align:center;" |70.7% 353

| style="text-align:center;" |27.3% 136

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.0% 10

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |2008

| style="text-align:center;" |68.4% 338

| style="text-align:center;" |29.2% 144

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.4% 12

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |2004

| style="text-align:center;" |69.3% 355

| style="text-align:center;" |30.1% 154

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.6% 3

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |2000

| style="text-align:center;" |64.5% 316

| style="text-align:center;" |27.1% 133

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|8.4% 41

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |1996

| style="text-align:center;" |47.3% 228

| style="text-align:center;" |38.2% 184

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|14.5% 70

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |1992

| style="text-align:center;" |41.9% 198

| style="text-align:center;" |24.6% 116

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|33.5% 158

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |1988

| style="text-align:center;" |66.7% 295

| style="text-align:center;" |33.3% 147

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.0% 0

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |1984

| style="text-align:center;" |76.6% 361

| style="text-align:center;" |23.4% 110

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.0% 0

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |1980

| style="text-align:center;" |67.5% 318

| style="text-align:center;" |24.6% 116

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|7.9% 37

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |1976

| style="text-align:center;" |56.5% 269

| style="text-align:center;" |41.8% 199

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.7% 8

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |1968

| style="text-align:center;" |71.1% 323

| style="text-align:center;" |24.0% 109

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|4.9% 22

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |1964

| style="text-align:center;" |62.1% 279

| style="text-align:center;" |37.9% 170

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.0% 0

|-

| style="text-align:center;" |1960

| style="text-align:center;" |64.9% 286

| style="text-align:center;" |35.1% 155

| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.0% 0

|}

References

  • United States National Atlas
  • United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles
  • United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)