Winona County, Minnesota

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Winona County

| state = Minnesota

| seal =

| founded date = February 23

| founded year = 1854

| seat wl = Winona

| largest city wl = Winona

| area_total_sq_mi = 642

| area_land_sq_mi = 626

| area_water_sq_mi = 15

| area percentage = 2.4%

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 49671

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 49973 {{gain}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Central

| web = www.co.winona.mn.us

| named for = Winona (Native American)

| ex image = Winona County Courthouse.jpg

| ex image cap = Winona County Courthouse

| district = 1st }}

Winona County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, its population was 49,671.{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/winonacountyminnesota/PST045222 |access-date=April 15, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} Its county seat is Winona.{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}} Winona County comprises the Winona Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Image:Maiden Rock photo 01.jpg, from which legend has it the Dakota maiden named Winona leapt to her death]]File:Winona County History Center.jpg]]

The Wisconsin Territory was established by the federal government effective July 3, 1836, and existed until its eastern portion was granted statehood (as Wisconsin) in 1848. The federal government set up the Minnesota Territory effective March 3, 1849. The newly organized territorial legislature created nine counties across the territory in October of that year. One of those counties, Wabasha, had its southern section partitioned off on March 5, 1853, into a new county, Fillmore. On February 23, 1854, the legislature partitioned the northern part of Fillmore County, plus a small section of Wabasha, to create Winona County, with the village of Winona as county seat.{{Cite web |title=Minnesota Place Names |url=http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/upham/county.cfm |access-date=March 19, 2014 |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society}} The county name was taken from the village name, which is said to derive from a Dakota legend about a woman, Winona (a relative of Chief Wabasha), who was betrothed to a warrior she did not love. Rather than marry him, she jumped to her death from a rock on Lake Pepin now called "Maiden's Rock".{{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 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n598 581]–4}} This is known as the Winona legend.{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Cynthya |date=February 1, 2009 |title=Homecoming To Explore Roles Of American Indian Women |url=http://diversityfoundation.org/HomecomingToExploreRoles.html |access-date=October 21, 2015 |publisher=Winona Daily News (reprinted at Diversity Foundation)}}

The county boundaries have not changed since 1854.

Geography

Winona County lies on Minnesota's border with Wisconsin and is part of the driftless area that defines southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois. The Mississippi, flowing south-southeast, defines the county's eastern border. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (St. Paul District{{Cite web |title=ASACE St. Paul District |url=https://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/}}) maintains the region's lock-and-dam system.

The Whitewater River flows north-northeast through the northwest part of the county toward its discharge into the Mississippi just above Winona County. The eastern part of the county drains into the Mississippi by east-flowing streams including Rollingstone Creek, Garvin Brook, Cedar Creek, and Big Trout Creek. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills with the east portion particularly etched by drainages and lightly sprinkled with lakes. The land is devoted to agriculture where possible.[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Winona+County,+MN/@44.0199034,-91.8218964,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x87f9bde6d567bb8d:0x2d0c87e391f7d5ea!8m2!3d44.006499!4d-91.7538817 Winona County MN Google Maps (accessed April 24, 2019)] The terrain slopes to the south and east,[https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm "Find an Altitude/Winona County MN" Google Maps (accessed April 19, 2019)] with its highest point at {{convert|1,365|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL on a hill {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} east of Wilson.[https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=22131 Winona County High Point, Minnesota. PeakBagger (accessed April 24, 2019)] The county has an area of {{convert|642|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|626|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|15|sqmi}} (2.4%) 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/20141006102023/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |access-date=October 25, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

Winona County borders Wabasha County, Olmsted County, Fillmore County and Houston County.

=Transit=

=Major highways=

=Public airports=

Winona Municipal Airport (ONA) (Max Conrad Field), NW of Winona

=Adjacent counties=

Wabasha County - northwest
Buffalo County, Wisconsin - north
Trempealeau County, Wisconsin - northeast
La Crosse County, Wisconsin - east
Houston County - south
Fillmore County - southwest
Olmsted County - west

=Protected areas<ref name=WCM/>=

Great River Bluffs State Park
John A Latsch State Park
Richard John Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (part)
Whitewater State Park
Whitewater State Wildlife Management Area (part)
Callahan Unit
McCarthy Ravine Unit
South Branch Unit
Upper South Branch Unit

=Lakes<ref name=WCM/>=

Airport Lake
Bartlet Lake
Bollers Lake
Hunters Lake
Lake Goodview
Lake Winona
Rileys Lake

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1860= 9208

|1870= 22319

|1880= 27107

|1890= 33797

|1900= 35686

|1910= 33398

|1920= 33653

|1930= 35144

|1940= 37795

|1950= 39841

|1960= 40937

|1970= 44409

|1980= 46256

|1990= 47828

|2000= 49985

|2010= 51461

|2020= 49671

|estyear=2024

|estimate=49973

|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/prod/www/decennial.html |access-date=October 25, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1790-1960{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=October 25, 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 25, 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 25, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 2010-2020

}}

=2020 census=

class="wikitable"

|+Winona County Racial Composition{{Cite web |title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Winona County, Minnesota |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Winona%20County,%20Minnesota&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}

!Race

!Num.

!Perc.

White (NH)

|44,178

|88.9%

Black or African American (NH)

|892

|1.8%

Native American (NH)

|84

|0.2%

Asian (NH)

|933

|1.9%

Pacific Islander (NH)

|0%

Other/Mixed (NH)

|1,695

|3.41%

Hispanic or Latino

|1,889

|3.8%

=2000 census=

File:WinonaCountyMn2022PopPyr.png for Winona County, from ACS 5-year estimates]]

As of the census of 2000, there were 49,985 people, 18,744 households, and 11,696 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|79.8|/mi2|/km2}}. There were 19,551 housing units at an average density of {{convert|31.2|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 95.80% White, 0.77% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.87% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. 1.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 41.8% were of German, 13.9% Norwegian, 9.9% Polish and 7.4% Irish ancestry.

There were 18,744 households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.30% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.60% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.04.

The county population contained 22.80% under the age of 18, 18.60% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,700, and the median income for a family was $49,845. Males had a median income of $31,926 versus $23,406 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,077. About 5.60% of families and 12.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

In 2016, Winona County planning commissioners voted to approve new permits for existing commercial dog breeding operations, also known as "puppy mills", despite overwhelming [http://www.kttc.com/story/30781168/two-dog-breeding-facilities-cited-by-usda-for-putrid-conditions-now-seeking-winona-county-permits evidence of animal cruelty and neglect]. Due to the high number of kennels in the county, Winona county has earned the dubious title "Puppy Mill Capital of Minnesota".{{Cite web |last=Post |first=Winona |title=Winona County’s dirty little secret: It’s the puppy mill capital of Minnesota - Winona Post > Opinion |url=http://www.winonapost.com/Opinion/ArticleID/47516/Winona-Countys-dirty-little-secret-Its-the-puppy-mill-capital-of-Minnesota |access-date=September 5, 2018 |website=www.winonapost.com}}

Micropolitan Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has designated Winona County as the Winona, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA), with Winona as its principal city.{{Cite web |date=February 28, 2013 |title=OMB Bulletin No. 13-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/bulletins/2013/b13-01.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121004708/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/bulletins/2013/b13-01.pdf |archive-date=January 21, 2017 |access-date=April 1, 2013 |publisher=United States Office of Management and Budget}} The US Census Bureau ranked this μSA as the 591st most populous Core Based Statistical Area of the United States as of April 1, 2020.

Politics

Winona County has historically been a swing county at the federal level, but in the 21st century leans Democratic. Winona County's seat is considered a college town{{Cite web |title=College Towns |url=https://www.americancommunities.org/community-type/college-towns/ |access-date=June 7, 2022 |website=American Communities Project |language=en-US}} due to the presence of Winona State University and Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. In 2016, the county backed Donald Trump, the first time a Republican presidential nominee carried the county since 1988. In 2020, the county backed Joe Biden with a plurality. Trump won the county again in 2024, this time with 51% of the vote.{{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}} In the 2022 elections, Winona County voted for the Republican nominee for all statewide offices.

{{PresHead|place=Winona County, Minnesota|whig=no|source1={{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=November 10, 2024 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}}}

Winona County is represented in the Minnesota House of Representatives by Steve Jacob (R) and Aaron Repinski (R). Jeremy Miller (R) and Steve Drazkowski (R) represent it in the Minnesota Senate. Winona County is in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, which is represented by Brad Finstad (R).{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2022 |title=Republican Rep. Brad Finstad sworn in to finish Hagedorn's House term |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3598486-republican-rep-brad-finstad-sworn-in-to-finish-hagedorns-house-term/}}

Communities

=Cities=

=Census-designated place=

Homer

=Unincorporated communities=

=Ghost towns=

=Townships=

References

External links

[http://www.co.winona.mn.us/ Winona County]
[http://www.lmhscscorecard.com/sc/brief.cgi?s=3&c=4 Winona County Health and Demographic Data]
[https://www.co.winona.mn.us/page/2470 Winona County Board]

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Winona County, Minnesota

|North = Buffalo County, Wisconsin

|Northeast = Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

|East = La Crosse County, Wisconsin

|South = Houston County

|Southwest = Fillmore County

|West = Olmsted County

|Northwest = Wabasha County

}}

{{coord|43.98|-91.77|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990}}

Category:Minnesota placenames of Native American origin