Big Stone County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,166. Its county seat is Ortonville.
History
The county was formed in 1862, and was organized in 1874. It is named for Big Stone Lake.
Geography
Big Stone County lies on the western side of Minnesota. Its southwest boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state of South Dakota. The Little Minnesota River flows along the county's southwestern boundary. Since 1937, a dam (Big Stone Lake Dam) has impounded the river's waters, creating Big Stone Lake. Water flowing out from this lake flows along the south boundary line of the county, and is known as the Minnesota River from that point. Fish Creek flows southwesterly through the northwestern part of the county, discharging into Big Stone Lake at the county's southwestern boundary.
The terrain of Big Stone County is low rolling hills, wooded or devoted to agriculture. The terrain generally slopes to the south and east, although its southwestern portion slopes to the river valley. Its highest point is on its north line near the northwestern corner, east of Lagoona Beach, at ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.5%) is water. thumb|right|Soils of Big Stone County
Lakes
- Artichoke Lake - south edge in Akron Township, vast majority in Artichoke Township
- Barry Lake - Toqua Township
- Bentsen Lake - east half in Otrey Township, west half in Big Stone Township
- Big Stone Lake - Ortonville Township, Browns Valley Township, Foster Township, Prior Township, Big Stone Township
- Clear Lake - Toqua Township
- Cup Lake - Almond Township
- Deep Lake - Big Stone Township
- East Toqua Lake - Graceville Township
- Eli Lake - south three-quarters in Almond Township, west quarter in Clinton
- Fogarty Lake - Toqua Township
- Horseshoe Lake - Odessa Township
- Lannon Lake - Graceville Township
- Lindgren Lake - Ortonville Township
- Lake Leo - Graceville Township
- Lone Tree Lake - east three-quarters in Malta Township, west quarter in Almond Township
- Long Lake - Artichoke Township
- Long Tom Lake - northeast edge in Otrey Township, vast majority in Odessa Township
- Lysing Lake - vast majority in Almond Township, south edge in Big Stone Township
- Marsh Lake - Akron Township
- Moonshine Lake - Moonshine Township
- Moulton Lake - Big Stone Township
- Mundweiler Lake - Big Stone Township
- Munnwyler Lake - Ortonville Township
- Olson Lake - Big Stone Township
- Olson Lake - Otrey Township
- Otrey Lake - Otrey Township
- Peterson Lake - Odessa Township
- South Rothwell Lake - north edge in Graceville Township, vast majority in Almond Township
- Smithwicks Lake - Graceville Township
- Swenson Lake - Big Stone Township
- Twin Lakes - Big Stone Township
- West Toqua Lake - Graceville Township
- Walter Lake - Ortonville Township
Source: United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles
Major highways
- 20px U.S. Highway 12
- 20px U.S. Highway 75
- 20px Minnesota State Highway 7
- 20px Minnesota State Highway 28
Adjacent counties
- Traverse County - north
- Stevens County - northeast
- Swift County - southeast
- Lac qui Parle County - south
- Grant County, South Dakota - southwest
- Roberts County, South Dakota - northwest
Protected areas
- Big Stone Lake State Park
- Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Big Stone Wildlife Management Preserve (part)
- Bonanza Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
- Clinton Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
- Dismal Swamp State Wildlife Management Area
- Freed State Wildlife Management Area
- Lac qui Parle State Wildlife Management Area
- Otrey State Wildlife Management Area
- Reisdorph State Wildlife Management Area
- Victor State Wildlife Management Area
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Ortonville have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in February 1994 and a record high of was recorded in July 1966. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in December to in July.
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census:
!Pop 1990
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020
!% 1980
!% 1990
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|7,637
|6,217
|5,719
|5,150
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,809
|98.98%
|98.92%
|98.26%
|97.74%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |93.09%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|0
|4
|10
|10
|style='background: #ffffe6; |19
|0.00%
|0.06%
|0.17%
|0.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.37%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|17
|25
|28
|22
|style='background: #ffffe6; |34
|0.22%
|0.40%
|0.48%
|0.42%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.66%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|29
|15
|24
|4
|style='background: #ffffe6; |12
|0.38%
|0.24%
|0.41%
|0.08%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.23%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|x
|x
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4
|x
|x
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.08%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|5
|1
|2
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6; |34
|0.06%
|0.02%
|0.03%
|0.09%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.66%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|x
|x
|17
|37
|style='background: #ffffe6; |114
|x
|x
|0.29%
|0.70%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.21%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|28
|23
|20
|41
|style='background: #ffffe6; |140
|0.36%
|0.37%
|0.34%
|0.78%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.71%
|-
|Total
|7,716
|6,285
|5,820
|5,269
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,166
|100.00%
|100.00%
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 5,166. The median age was 48.3 years. 21.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 27.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.0 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 93.5% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.5% from some other race, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.7% of the population.
There were 2,224 households in the county, of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.2% were married-couple households, 19.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
<!-- PresRow should be -->
{| class="wikitable"
|+County Board of Commissioners
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!District
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Chad Zimmel
|District 1
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Wade Athey
|District 2
|-
|
|Commissioner and Chairperson
|Brent Olson
|District 3
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Roger Sandberg
|District 4
|-
|
|Commissioner
|Jeff Klages
|District 5
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+State Legislature (2018–2020)
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!Affiliation
!District
|-
| style="background-color:" |
|Senate
|Torrey Westrom
|Republican
|District 12
|-
| style="background-color:" |
|House of Representatives
|Jeff Backer
|Republican
|District 12A
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+U.S Congress (2021–2023)
! colspan="2" |Position
!Name
!Affiliation
!District
|-
| style="background-color:" |
|House of Representatives
|Michelle Fischbach
|Republican
|7th
|-
| style="background-color:" |
|Senate
|Amy Klobuchar
|Democrat
|N/A
|-
| style="background-color:" |
|Senate
|Tina Smith
|Democrat
|N/A
|}
Education
School districts include:
- Chokio-Alberta Public School District
- Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley School District
- Lac qui Parle Valley School District
- Ortonville Public Schools
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Big Stone County, Minnesota
- List of Minnesota placenames of Native American origin
References
External links
- Big Stone County website