Swift County, Minnesota

Swift County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 9,783.[3] Its county seat is Benson.[4]

Swift County
U.S. county
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°17′N 95°41′W
Country United States
State Minnesota
FoundedFebruary 18, 1870[1]
Named forHenry Adoniram Swift[2]
SeatBenson
Largest cityBenson
Area
 • Total752 sq mi (1,950 km2)
 • Land742 sq mi (1,920 km2)
 • Water8.82 sq mi (22.8 km2)  1.3%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total9,783
 • Estimate 
(2019)
9,266
 • Density12.7/sq mi (4.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district7th
Websitewww.swiftcounty.com

History

Swift County is in west central Minnesota and consists of 757 square miles (2,000 km2) with three tiers of seven townships each. It was established on February 18, 1870, and named for Henry Adoniram Swift, the third governor of Minnesota (1863–64).

The Indians had grievances against the government, including delays in sending annuities that caused near starvation several times. In August 1862, an Indian rebellion broke out in Minnesota. The warfare reached the settlements just getting started in northeastern Swift County. By late September 1862, the Indian War was almost over but the settlers hesitated to venture back to Swift County until 1865, when all danger was apparently over. Scandinavians and Germans were in decided majority among the early settlers. A number of them came with the honor and privileges of Civil War veterans.

In 1869, the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad reached Willmar, and the next year it arrived in Benson. The railroad company determined the number of future trading centers (Kerkhoven, DeGraff, Benson, Randall) in the county by locating sites at intervals of approximately 8 miles (13 km). The Swift County Courthouse was built in 1897 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Benson is the county seat. Railroad tracks run through Benson's downtown business district with parks on each side.

Historic buildings

Historic buildings in Swift County include:

Politics

Swift County was traditionally a Democratic stronghold, with the last Republican to win it before 2016 being Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952.[5] A dramatic swing against the Democrats in the Rust Belt saw Donald Trump win the county over Hillary Clinton by 26%.

Presidential election results
Presidential elections results[6]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 63.9% 3,316 34.6% 1,784 1.8% 93
2016 59.3% 2,963 33.8% 1,686 6.9% 345
2012 43.9% 2,248 53.7% 2,751 2.3% 120
2008 41.7% 2,184 55.4% 2,907 2.9% 153
2004 43.3% 2,481 55.2% 3,165 1.6% 89
2000 43.7% 2,376 49.6% 2,698 6.7% 363
1996 28.9% 1,541 57.3% 3,054 13.8% 735
1992 26.8% 1,603 49.7% 2,980 23.5% 1,408
1988 37.2% 2,156 61.7% 3,579 1.1% 63
1984 44.6% 2,893 54.4% 3,531 1.0% 64
1980 43.1% 2,943 47.6% 3,245 9.3% 635
1976 32.4% 2,190 65.5% 4,428 2.1% 144
1972 40.4% 2,673 57.8% 3,823 1.8% 121
1968 38.4% 2,476 57.6% 3,716 4.0% 259
1964 32.7% 2,132 67.1% 4,380 0.2% 12
1960 41.1% 2,848 58.6% 4,062 0.3% 18
1956 41.4% 2,637 58.4% 3,720 0.1% 8
1952 51.4% 3,532 47.9% 3,291 0.7% 48
1948 32.6% 2,109 63.1% 4,082 4.3% 277
1944 42.9% 2,519 56.3% 3,310 0.8% 47
1940 41.6% 2,815 57.6% 3,899 0.8% 54
1936 27.0% 1,618 62.6% 3,749 10.3% 619
1932 22.6% 1,308 75.0% 4,339 2.3% 135
1928 49.7% 2,791 48.7% 2,733 1.6% 89
1924 33.6% 1,654 6.8% 334 59.6% 2,934
1920 70.2% 3,553 19.5% 985 10.3% 522
1916 50.2% 1,335 44.4% 1,181 5.4% 143
1912 16.9% 442 35.9% 937 47.2% 1,234
1908 56.2% 1,343 38.5% 921 5.3% 127
1904 76.4% 1,784 19.8% 462 3.9% 90
1900 55.3% 1,378 41.2% 1,028 3.5% 88
1896 49.8% 1,273 47.8% 1,222 2.4% 62
1892 37.4% 762 34.9% 712 27.7% 564

Geography

The Minnesota River flows southeast along the county's lower western border. The Pomme de Terre River flows south-southwest through the county's western part, discharging into the Minnesota. The Chippewa River flows south-southwest through the central part of the county to discharge into the Minnesota south of the county. The county's terrain consists of rolling hills, largely devoted to agriculture.[7] It slopes to south and the west, with its highest point near its northeast corner at 1,240' (378m) ASL.[8] The county has a total area of 752 square miles (1,950 km2), of which 742 square miles (1,920 km2) is land and 10 square miles (26 km2) (1.3%) is water.[9]

Swift County is primarily agricultural, but also hosts agriculture equipment manufacturers and an ethanol plant. It has 24 lakes and nine rivers and streams. Lake Oliver is one of the county's biggest, at 416 acres (1.7 km2).

Soils of Swift County[10]
Soils of Monson Lake State Park area

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Airport

Appleton Municipal Airport provides general aviation service for Swift County.

Protected areas[7]
  • Bench State Wildlife Management Area
  • Camp Kerk State Wildlife Management Area
  • Danvers State Wildlife Management Area
  • Ehrenburg State Wildlife Management Area
  • Hayes-Myhre State Wildlife Management Area
  • Henry X State Wildlife Management Area
  • Hollerberg Lake State Wildlife Management Area
  • Monson Lake State Park

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18807,473—
189010,16136.0%
190013,50332.9%
191012,949−4.1%
192015,09316.6%
193014,735−2.4%
194015,4695.0%
195015,8372.4%
196014,936−5.7%
197013,177−11.8%
198012,920−2.0%
199010,724−17.0%
200011,95611.5%
20109,783−18.2%
2019 (est.)9,266[11]−5.3%
US Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2019[3]
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 US census data

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census,[16] there were 11,956 people, 4,353 households, and 2,881 families in the county. The population density was 16.1/sqmi (6.22/km2). There were 4,821 housing units at an average density of 6.50/sqmi (2.51/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.67% White, 2.69% Black or African American, 0.50% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 1.52% Pacific Islander, 1.40% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. 2.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Swift County has the highest percentage of Pacific Islander natives out of any U.S. county outside Hawaii. 34.4% were of German, 30.5% Norwegian, 5.2% Swedish and 5.1% Irish ancestry.

There were 4,353 households, out of which 30.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.90% were married couples living together, 6.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.80% were non-families. 30.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.00.

The county population contained 23.00% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 29.60% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 18.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 120.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 124.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,820, and the median income for a family was $44,208. Males had a median income of $29,362 versus $21,667 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,360. About 5.30% of families and 8.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.90% of those under age 18 and 13.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

See also

References
  1. "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  2. Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 539.
  3. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  6. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  7. Swift County MN Google Maps (accessed 13 March 2019)
  8. "Find an Altitude/Swift County MN" Google Maps (accessed 13 March 2019)
  9. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  10. Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 65-67. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2.
  11. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  12. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  14. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  16. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.

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