Cook County, Minnesota

Ojibwe people were early inhabitants of this area. The first non-indigenous people to explore the area were French fur traders, a few of whom settled in the area. By the 1830s, the French population was a few dozen. In the 1830s, settlers began arriving from New England and from upstate New York. The completion of the Erie Canal (1825) and the settling of the Black Hawk War (1831) made migration easier.

Most of Cook County's 1830s settlers came from Orange County, Vermont and Down East Maine (modern day Washington County and Hancock County). Most were fishermen and farmers. By 1845 the future Cook County contained 350 people of European descent; by 1874 there were about 2,000. They were primarily members of the Congregational Church, Methodist, and Baptist churches. By 1900 there were about 3,000 people in Cook County.

The first decade of the 20th century saw a large influx of Europeans from Germany, Scandinavia, and Ireland. These waves introduced Lutheranism and Catholicism to Cook County.

The county was created on March 9, 1874.{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Place Names |url=http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620201420/http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm |archive-date=June 20, 2012 |access-date=March 17, 2014 |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society}} It was named for Territorial and State Senator Michael Cook.{{Cite book |last=Upham |first=Warren |url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog |title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society |year=1920 |page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n154 135]}}

File:Eagle Mountain, Minnesota.jpg, the highest natural point in Minnesota at {{convert|2,301|ft|m}}, is located in northern Cook County.]]

Cook County is a rugged, heavily wooded triangle of land on Minnesota's northeastern tip. It abuts Canada's southern border and is largely surrounded by the northern end of the Great Lakes. It is heavily dotted with lakes, ponds and streams.[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cook+County,+MN/@47.8954886,-90.2651883,14z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x52a7eb3e40eeab69:0x1a1bd253b0ba433!8m2!3d47.6051056!4d-90.4931767 Cook County MN Google Maps (accessed March 6, 2019)] The state's highest point is in the county, at {{convert|2,301|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL. The county has an area of {{convert|3340|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1452|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1887|sqmi}} (57%) is water.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019110737/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=October 19, 2013 |access-date=October 6, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} It is Minnesota's second-largest county by area. Minnesota's highest natural point, Eagle Mountain at {{convert|2301|ft}}, and the highest lake, Lake Abita at {{convert|2048|ft}}, are in Cook County. Lake Superior is at the county's southern border.

• 20px Minnesota State Highway 61
• 20px Cook County Road 12 – Gunflint Trail

Cook County is in the extreme northeast of the state at the tip of the Arrowhead region; it is adjacent to only one other county by land. Its geographic neighbors are:

• Rainy River District, Ontario Canada - northwest
• Thunder Bay District, Ontario Canada - northeast (EST Border east of the 90th meridian west)
• Lake County - west
• Ashland County, Wisconsin - south
• Keweenaw County, Michigan - east/EST Border
• Ontonagon County, Michigan - southeast/EST Border

{{div col}}

• Cascade River State Park
• Grand Portage National Monument
• Judge C. R. Magney State Park
• Kodunce River State Wayside Area
• North Shore State Trail (part)
• Pat Bayle State Forest
• Superior National Forest (part)
• Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (part)
• Temperance River State Park

{{div col end}}

{{Weather box

|location = Lutsen, Minnesota

|single line= Y

|Jan high F = 22

|Feb high F = 26

|Mar high F = 35

|Apr high F = 47

|May high F = 56

|Jun high F = 64

|Jul high F = 70

|Aug high F = 70

|Sep high F = 62

|Oct high F = 52

|Nov high F = 39

|Dec high F = 27

|year high F=

|Jan low F = 4

|Feb low F = 7

|Mar low F = 19

|Apr low F = 31

|May low F = 39

|Jun low F = 45

|Jul low F = 52

|Aug low F = 54

|Sep low F = 47

|Oct low F = 38

|Nov low F = 26

|Dec low F = 11

|year low F=

|Jan rain inch = 0.9

|Feb rain inch = 0.7

|Mar rain inch = 1.4

|Apr rain inch = 1.9

|May rain inch = 2.8

|Jun rain inch = 3.5

|Jul rain inch = 3.3

|Aug rain inch = 3.3

|Sep rain inch = 3.6

|Oct rain inch = 2.5

|Nov rain inch = 1.6

|Dec rain inch = 1.1

|year rain inch=26.4

|Jan snow inch = 15.2

|Feb snow inch = 8.1

|Mar snow inch = 8.1

|Apr snow inch = 2.2

|May snow inch = 0.2

|Jun snow inch = 0

|Jul snow inch = 0

|Aug snow inch = 0

|Sep snow inch = 0

|Oct snow inch = 0.4

|Nov snow inch = 3.8

|Dec snow inch = 13.3

|year snow inch= 50.8

|source 1 = Weatherbase{{Cite web |title=Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Lutsen MN |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=282312&refer= |access-date=January 9, 2009}}

|date=August 2010

}}

Northern Minnesota offers extreme winter weather. While the averages are low, the extremes provide more details. A third of the year is below freezing (31.9%, 116 days, or 4 months). Of those days, 21 are below zero degrees Fahrenheit (−17.8 °C).

{{US Census population

|1880= 65

|1890= 98

|1900= 810

|1910= 1336

|1920= 1841

|1930= 2435

|1940= 3030

|1950= 2900

|1960= 3377

|1970= 3423

|1980= 4092

|1990= 3868

|2000= 5168

|2010= 5176

|2020= 5600

|estyear=2023

|estimate=5639

|estref={{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 18, 2024}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=October 6, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1790-1960{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/ |archive-date=August 11, 2012 |access-date=October 6, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}} 1900-1990{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mn190090.txt |access-date=October 6, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1990-2000{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |access-date=October 6, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 2010-2020

}}

File:CookCountyMn2022PopPyr.png for Cook County, from ACS 5-year estimates]]

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,168 people, 2,350 households, and 1,438 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|3.56|/mi2|/km2}}. There were 4,708 housing units at an average density of {{convert|3.24|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 89.45% White, 7.59% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.29% Black or African American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 2.05% from two or more races. 0.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 21.6% were of German, 17.7% Norwegian, 11.5% Swedish, 7.2% Irish and 5.4% English ancestry.

There were 2,350 households, of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.73.

The county population contained 20.4% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,640, and the median income for a family was $47,132. Males had a median income of $31,211 versus $23,650 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,775. About 8.1% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

• Grand Marais (county seat)

• Lutsen

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• Croftville
• Grand Portage
• Hovland
• Maple Hill
• Martin Landing
• Mineral Center
• Pigeon River
• Schroeder
• Taconite Harbor
• Tofte

{{div col end}}

• Lutsen Township
• Schroeder Township
• Tofte Township

• East Cook
• Grand Portage
• West Cook

• Chippewa City
• Colvill

Cook County was a Republican-leaning bellwether in all but four elections from 1900 to 2000, with the exceptions being 1912, 1960, 1976 (by only 16 votes), and 1988 (by only 2 votes). The county was one of the rare white-majority rural counties to have its margin increase for Joe Biden in 2020 relative to Barack Obama's 2012 margin, with 66 percent of voters choosing the Democratic nominee. In both 2016{{Cite web |last=Bloch |first=Matthew |last2=Buchanan |first2=Larry |last3=Katz |first3=Josh |title=An Extremely Detailed Map of the 2016 Election |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/upshot/election-2016-voting-precinct-maps.html#5.46/63.79/-155.29 |website=The New York Times}} and 2020,{{Cite web |last=Rohla |first=Ryne |title=2020 Presidential General Election Maps: NATIONAL PRECINCT MAP |url=https://maps.rynerohla.com/election-maps/2020-presidential-general-election-maps/}} it was the largest county by area in the contiguous states where Trump lost every precinct, although several counties in Hawaii and county equivalents in western Alaska and the northern Panhandle beat it in both elections.In both 2016 and 2020 Maui County in Hawaii alongside Kusilvak Census Area and Yakutat City and Borough in Alaska beat Cook County as the largest county-equivalent with no Trump precincts, whilst Hawaii County and Nome Census Area also beat in it 2016, and Sitka City and Borough in 2020. In 2024, the county shifted even further to the left, with Kamala Harris' vote share of over 66% being the highest ever by a Democratic presidential nominee.{{Cite news|url=https://officialdocuments.sos.mn.gov/Files/GetDocument/145965 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250422114344/https://officialdocuments.sos.mn.gov/Files/GetDocument/145965 |archive-date=2025-04-22 |url-status=live|title=2024 State Canvassing Board Certificate|last=Simon|first=Steve|author-link=Steve Simon|date=November 21, 2024|work=Minnesota Secretary of State|access-date=May 13, 2025}}

{{PresHead|place=Cook County, Minnesota|source={{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=April 17, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}}}

{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|1,142|2,416|102|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|1,203|2,496|107|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|1,156|1,912|327|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|1,221|1,993|108|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|1,240|2,019|89|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|1,489|1,733|81|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,295|1,171|354|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,010|1,169|350|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|878|1,005|735|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|1,078|1,080|26|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,219|1,129|13|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,147|871|248|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1976|Republican|1,034|1,018|78|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,047|742|28|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1968|Republican|853|777|99|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|764|976|2|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1960|Republican|987|650|4|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,078|668|2|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1952|Republican|946|503|5|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|674|688|44|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|513|545|8|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|673|686|7|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|387|793|24|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|418|492|56|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1928|Republican|609|219|11|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1924|Republican|471|29|193|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1920|Republican|467|98|76|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|125|162|76|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1912|Progressive|30|65|253|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1908|Republican|255|42|30|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1904|Republican|207|31|12|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1900|Republican|81|65|8|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|81|107|4|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1892|Republican|68|19|45|Minnesota}}

{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|24|29|0|Minnesota}}

{{PresFoot|1884|Republican|46|8|0|Minnesota}}

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Cook County, Minnesota

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.co.cook.mn.us/ Cook County Government's website]
• Mn/DOT – maps of Cook County ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120908012450/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/cook1.pdf Southwest portion], [https://web.archive.org/web/20120910161640/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/cook2.pdf Eastern portion], [https://web.archive.org/web/20120910161713/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/maps/cadd/county/cook3.pdf Northwest portion])

{{Geographic location

|Centre = Cook County, Minnesota

|North = Thunder Bay District, Ontario {{flagicon|CAN}}

|Northeast = Thunder Bay District, Ontario {{flagicon|CAN}}

|East = Lake Superior
Keweenaw County, Michigan

|Southeast = Lake Superior
Ontonagon County, Michigan

|South = Lake Superior
Ashland County, Wisconsin

|Southwest = Lake Superior
Bayfield County, Wisconsin

|West = Lake County

|Northwest = Rainy River District, Ontario {{flagicon|CAN}}

}}

{{Cook County, Minnesota}}

{{Minnesota}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|47|55|N|90|33|W|region:US-MN_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki|display=title}}

Category:Minnesota counties

Category:1874 establishments in Minnesota

Category:Populated places established in 1874