Greenbush is a city in Roseau County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, Greenbush had a population of 682.
Minnesota State Highways 11 and 32 are two of the main arterial routes in the community.
History
The word Greenbush comes from "Sha Ach Wah," which means spruce tree or green bush in Ojibwe. Scandinavian, Polish and Bohemian settlers arrived in the area in 1880s, with the largest influx immigrating in the early 1890s. The Homestead Act gave free to settlers if they set up living quarters and developed a few acres into the fields.
The original setting of the city was on a ridge of what was formerly known to be the shores of ancient Lake Agassiz. This village is now referred to as "Old Greenbush," and is marked by Hvidso cemetery (also known as Pioneer Haven) along Highway 11. In 1904, the Great Northern railroad came to the area. It expanded north from Thief River Falls to the location of present day Greenbush, where it stopped construction. Greenbush merchants moved their businesses, buildings and all, to the new town known as "West Greenbush", a feat which they accomplished by rolling the buildings along logs, with horses tied up to posts and walking beside them. Businesses remained open during the moving days.
A few years later, the rail line to Warroad was completed and ran directly through the old town site.
Greenbush officially became a registered city in 1905, with a population of approximately 450 people. Volunteers travelled to Crookston on foot to deliver the official documents, a journey of about one way.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 719 people, 300 households, and 183 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 354 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.6% White, 0.6% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.1% Asian, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.
There were 300 households, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.0% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.89.
The median age in the city was 44.8 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20% were from 25 to 44; 23.6% were from 45 to 64; and 26% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.
2000 census
As of the census