Mankato, Minnesota

Mankato is a city in Blue Earth County ¹, Minnesota with a population of 32,427 as of the 2000 census ². It is the county seat of Blue Earth County, and is located along a large bend of the Minnesota River at its confluence with the Blue Earth River. While the majority of Mankato is located in Blue Earth County, the city extends into Le Sueur and Nicollet counties as well. It is neighbored by its sister city across the Minnesota River, North Mankato, and completely encompasses the town of Skyline.

History

Mankato was founded in 1852 and recently celebrated its sesquicentennial. Mankato is the Anglicized form of the Dakota mahkato or "green-blue earth," a reference to the characteristic blue clay deposits in the region, thought to contain copper by early explorers. The city was reputedly intended to have been named Mahkato, but a typographical error by a clerk established the name as Mankato. Interestingly, mankato in the Dakota language means blue skunk.

On December 26, 1862, the largest mass execution in U.S. history occurred in Mankato following the Sioux Uprising. Thirty-eight Dakota Amerindians were hanged for participation in the uprising; a total of 303 were sentenced to be hanged but President Lincoln pardoned 265 at the urging of Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple. Lincoln's intervention was not popular at the time. Two commemorative statues are located on the site of the hangings (now home to the Blue Earth County Library and Reconciliation Park).

In 1885, Vice President Schuyler Colfax died in Mankato while traveling, though he had been out of office for more than ten years at the time.

Fictional references

In Laura Ingalls Wilder's book On The Banks of Plum Creek, which is part of the Little House on the Prairie series, Mankato was the "big city" that characters would visit to obtain supplies. Mankato also served as the basis for the "Deep Valley" of Maud Hart Lovelace's Betsy-Tacy series of children's books and novels.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 39.9 km² (15.4 mi²). 39.4 km² (15.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.23%) is water. The Minnesota, Blue Earth and Le Sueur Rivers all flow through or near the city.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 32,427 people, 12,367 households, and 6,059 families residing in the city. The population density was 823.2/km² (2,132.5/mi²). There were 12,759 housing units at an average density of 323.9/km² (839.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.55% White, 1.90% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.81% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.22% of the population.

There were 12,367 households out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.0% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city the population was spread out with 16.9% under the age of 18, 32.5% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,956, and the median income for a family was $47,297. Males had a median income of $30,889 versus $22,081 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,652. About 8.5% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

Media

The major daily newspaper in the area is the Mankato Free Press.

The only local broadcast television network is KEYC-TV, Channel 12, a CBS affiliate.

Local commercial radio stations are:

KMSU, 89.7
KYSMFM, 103.5
KYSM-N, 1230
KYSM, 1230
KTOE-N, 1420
KTOE, 1420
KEEZFM, 99.1
KDOG, 96.7 (North Mankato)

Academic institutions

Major events

Minnesota State University, Mankato is home to the Minnesota Vikings summer training camp.
Annual Ribfest in August.

Places of interest

The Midwest Wireless Civic Center is an arena in downtown Mankato.
Minneopa State Park is located west of Mankato.

Famous residents past and present

Sinclair Lewis, author — a plaque can be found at a house where he lived
Maud Hart Lovelace ^*, author of the Betsy-Tacy series of books
Julia Sears, pioneering feminist and suffragette
Glen Taylor, businessperson

External links

ci.mankato.mn.us — City of Mankato
greatermankato.com — Mankato Chamber of Commerce
mankatofreepress.com — The Free Press
katoinfo.com — local portal site
Mankato weather — provided by NOAA.

Blue Earth County, Minnesota | Cities in Minnesota