thumb|House of A.C.Ochs built of bricks from made by his company in Springfield.

Springfield is a city in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,027 at the 2020 census.

U.S. Highway 14 serves as a main route in the community. This location is in the middle of some of Minnesota's most productive farmland. The city was home to Minnesota's sole brick plant up until its closure in 2016.

History

Jackson, Minnesota was originally platted with the name Springfield in 1856.

Springfield was originally platted in 1877 with the name of "Burns" when the Chicago and North Western Railway extended a line to the settlement. It was renamed in 1881 after either Springfield, Massachusetts. or a nearby spring.

In 1890 Adolph Casimir Ochs established the Ochs Brick and Tile Company in Springfield and Heron Lake. Ochs outlived all other brick plant in Minnesota, but it too closed in 2016. The Sanborn Company remains in Springfield.

Springfield has three Lutheran Churches as well as a Catholic and United Methodist. The town still retains active rail service from the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific.

Twelve miles south of town on County Road 2 is the Jeffers Petroglyphs State Park

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. The Cottonwood River flows through the city.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Springfield had a population of 2,027. The median age was 46.2 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 27.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.1 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 899 households in Springfield, of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 46.7% were married-couple households, 16.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 2,152 people, 913 households, and 558 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,015 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95% White, 0.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.6% of the population.

There were 913 households, of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age in the city was 46.8 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.7% were from 45 to 64; and 26.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census

  • Marty Seifert, who served the Minnesota House of Representatives as House Minority Leader from 2006 through 2009, was born in Springfield.
  • Glen Taylor, prominent Minnesota businessman and owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves was born in Springfield.

References

  • City of Springfield
  • Springfield Chamber of Commerce