Mountain Lake Township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota

Mountain Lake Township, Minnesota
Township

A farm in Mountain Lake Township
Mountain Lake Township, Minnesota

Location within the state of Minnesota

Coordinates: 43°53′53″N 94°55′47″W / 43.89806°N 94.92972°W / 43.89806; -94.92972Coordinates: 43°53′53″N 94°55′47″W / 43.89806°N 94.92972°W / 43.89806; -94.92972
Country United States
State Minnesota
County Cottonwood
Area
 • Total 35.8 sq mi (92.6 km2)
 • Land 35.7 sq mi (92.5 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation 1,316[1] ft (401 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 384 [2]
 • Density 10.73/sq mi (4.14/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 56159
Area code(s) 507
FIPS code 27-44584[3]
GNIS feature ID 0665055[4]

Mountain Lake Township is a township located in Cottonwood County, Minnesota, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population was 384.[2] The township was organized in 1871.[5]

Geography

The township has a total area of 35.8 square miles (93 km2), of which 35.7 square miles (92 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 0.17%, is water.[6]

History

Mountain Lake Township was formally organized on May 6, 1871. (The village of the same name, which encompasses a small part of its northern boundary, was platted on May 25, 1872.) [5]

Early history

The name "Mountain Lake" itself is attributed to the township's earliest non-Indian inhabitant, William Mason. As told on the city's (of the same name) website, “the first white settler to the area, William Mason, found a shallow 900-acre lake with three islands. The two smaller islands just broke the water's surface. The third much larger, higher island looked to Mason like a mountain rising from the lake. He named the lake Mountain Lake and the island Mountain Island.”[7] The township was named from this lake which contained the prominent island.[5]

Demand for tillable farmland and construction advances led to the lake's draining in the 1905–06 timeframe.[7] The original lake's largest island – now a tree-covered hill amidst the surrounding farmland – has become a county park, which since 1973 been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[8] Archeological evidence unearthed in a 1976 dig revealed remnants of a Fox Indian inhabitation from what could be as early as 500 B.C., making the former island's location within the township the oldest human habitation yet to be discovered in the state of Minnesota.[9][10]

Mennonite settlement

Mennonite immigrants from Ukraine (at the time, Ukraine was part of Russia) began to arrive in the Mountain Lake area in 1873, having been recruited by William Seeger, a member of the Minnesota State Board of Immigration. Seeger had intentionally targeted these Mennonite farmers, “because they were believed to be hard workers of good character.” [11]

Because the township's farmland was already surveyed, the Mennonites could not arrange themselves in the traditional communal villages they had been accustomed to in their Ukrainian colonies. This forced them to adapt to American-style, single family farms and to live amongst their non-Mennonite neighbors. As settlement continued, however, they soon established a successful and cohesive farming community, “based primarily on agriculture and local commerce.” Many of the township's current residents are descendants of these immigrants.[11]

The township contains a historic cemetery dating to circa 1880, located in section 22 of the township, where some of the pioneer Mennonite residents are buried.[12]

Hutterite settlement

In 1994, the Neuhof Hutterite Colony in Mountain Lake township was founded as a division of the Spring Lake Hutterite Colony of Oldham, South Dakota.[13] By 2013, Neuhof Colony had approximately 58 residents.[14]

In 2005, a second Hutterite colony was formed as a branch of the Upland Hutterite Colony of Letcher, South Dakota, called Elmendorf Christian Community. This community is an independent colony, with a Hutterite tradition.[15] Elmendorf reported 185 residents as of 2013.[16]

While separate entities, both Mountain Lake township colonies are associated with the Hutterite branch known as Schmiedeleut.[17]

Demographics

According to the U.S. Census, as of 2010 the township's population was 384,[2] down from 442 in the 2000 census,[18] making the population density 10.73 persons per square mile (4.8/km²).[19]

The 2010 population included 100 households and 81 families residing in the township. There were 100 occupied housing units with an average household size of 3.84. The racial makeup of the township was 95.8% White, 0.3% African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.5% from two or more races, and 2.6% reporting "some other race". Hispanic or Latino of any race were reported as 5.5% of the population.[2]

Of the 100 households in the township, 19% were non-family households and 81% were families. There were 40 households which had children under the age of 18. 77% of the family households were husband-wife/married families, 2% were male householders with no wife present, and 2% were female householders with no husband present. Of the non-family households, 17 were householders living alone. The average household size was 3.84 and the average family size was 4.21.[2]

In the township, 27.9% the population was under the age of 18 and 72.1% was 18 and over. 10.2% of the population was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26.7 years. There were 92 females and 92 males.[2]

Government

Mountain Lake Township is governed by an elected township board.[20] It is located within Minnesota's 1st congressional district, represented by Mankato educator Tim Walz, a Democrat. At the state level, the township is located in Senate District 22, represented by Republican Bill Weber, and in House District 22B, represented by Republican Rod Hamilton.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "Feature Detail Report for: Township of Mountain Lake". Geographic Names Information System(GNIS). United States Geological Survey. September 1, 1995. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Mountain Lake township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  3. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 10, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 Warren Upham (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 151.
  6. ↑ "Mountain Lake township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota (MN)". city-data.com. city-data.com. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  7. 1 2 "mountainlakemn.com". Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  8. ↑ "National Register of Historic Places". NRHP. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Cottonwood County Parks". Cottonwood County, Minnesota. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Archeology Site at Mountain Park". Mountain Lake, Minnesota. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "MNopedia "Mennonites of Mountain Lake"". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Schultz Cemetery". Find A Grave. Find A Grave, Inc. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  13. ↑ Friesen, Bert. "Neuhof Hutterite Colony". Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. GAMEO. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Hutterite contact directory - Minnesota". Cedrontech. Newdale HB, Inc. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  15. ↑ Friesen, Bert. "Elmendorf Hutterite Colony". Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. GAMEO. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Hutterite contact directory - Minnesota". Cedrontech. Newdale HB, Inc. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Geographic Distribution of the Hutterites". hutterites.org. Waldner and Waldner. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data: Mountain Lake township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  19. ↑ Population density calculated as follows: 2010 population / area in sq. miles e.g. 384/35.8 = 10.73
  20. ↑ "Township officials - Mountain Lake". Cottonwood County, Minnesota. Cottonwood County. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Who Represents Me?". Legislative Coordinating Commission - Geospatial Information. LCC-GIS Office. Retrieved February 2, 2016.

External links

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