Warroad is a city in Roseau County, Minnesota, United States, at the southwest corner of Lake of the Woods, south of Canada. The population was 1,830 at the 2020 census. Warroad had its own newspaper

Minnesota State Highways 11 and 313 are two of the city's main routes.

History

thumb|left|Warroad, circa 1910

Warroad was once one of the largest Ojibwe villages on Lake of the Woods. The Ojibwe fought a long war against the Sioux for the lake's rice fields. Occupying the prairies of the Red River Valley, the Sioux often invaded the territory by way of the Red and Roseau Rivers, a route that ended at the mouth of the Warroad River. This was the old "war road" from which the river and village derive their name.

In the 20th century, Warroad had a strong commercial fishing industry, which gradually turned to sport fishing and tourism. For many years, commercial boats provided regular service to the islands and to Kenora, Ontario, at the north end of Lake of the Woods. The lumber industry also boomed, bringing the Great Northern and Canadian National railways to town and seeing the beginning of one of the largest window manufacturers, Marvin Windows.

Warroad is also called "Hockeytown USA" Another important piece of Warroad hockey history is the Warroad Lakers amateur team, which existed from 1947 to 1997.

Geography

Warroad is along the southwest shore of Lake of the Woods at Muskeg Bay, east of Roseau and west of Baudette. Warroad is 7.5 miles south of Canada. The Warroad River flows through town.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

Warroad has a humid continental climate, moderately moist, in central North America but drier than those found in New England or Ontario Eastern (Dfb in the Koppen classification). It has one of the most rigorous winters in the contiguous United States, in which cold Arctic air can invade unobstructed and stay for up to a few weeks, and at its latitude, the hours of winter sunshine are relatively short, increasing the chill hours relative to other places of similar altitude. Summers are moderately hot to hot as air masses advance from the Gulf of Mexico, especially in July and August, although the average annual temperature is and of precipitation annually, concentrated heavily in summer.

|source 2 = National Weather Service

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Warroad had a population of 1,830. The median age was 39.2 years. 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.9 males age 18 and over.

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

There were 785 households in Warroad, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.0% were married-couple households, 25.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 1,781 people, 764 households, and 452 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 839 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 83.3% White, 0.1% African American, 5.7% Native American, 8.5% Asian, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 764 households, of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.8% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.93.

The median age in the city was 38.9 years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 10% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.7% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census

Radio

  • KRXW FM 103.5, KKWQ FM 92.5, and KRWB (AM) 1410, all broadcast from Warroad

Notable people

  • Robert Baril, stand-up comedian
  • Henry Boucha, former NHL player and 1980 Winter Olympic Gold Medalist, hockey. Member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
  • Gordon Christian, helped Warroad's high school hockey team win the state championship. Scored winning goal in the eighth round of the shootout in the 2014 Winter Olympics for the U.S., beating Team Russia in a preliminary game. 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Champion with the Capitals.
  • Sheila Terry, actress, 1910–1957

In the television show The West Wing, character Donna Moss claims to be from Warroad in the episode "Dead Irish Writers". She becomes classified as a non-U.S. citizen when the Canada–US border is moved such that Warroad is in Canada.

See also

  • Warroad-Sprague Border Crossing
  • Warroad International Memorial Airport

References

  • Warroad Chamber of Commerce