Chisago County (/ʃɪˈsɑːɡoʊ/shi-SAH-goh)[2] is a county in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county covers an area of 442 square miles (1,140 square kilometers) and, as of the 2020 Census, had a population of 56,621 people. It is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county's largest city is North Branch. Within Chisago County is the Chisago Lakes area, which includes the combined areas of Shafer, Chisago City, Lindström, and Center City. Center City is the county seat.[3] The county has a diverse economy, including manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism.[4]
History
Early history
Before the arrival of European settlers, the area that is now Chisago County was home to the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes. The Dakota lived in the southern part of the county and the Ojibwe in the northern part.[5] The first European to explore the area was Sieur duLuth in 1679.[6] French and English trading posts were established in Taylors Falls and Sunrise during the 18th century. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, French fur traders who traveled south from Lake Superior established trading posts along the river, extending as far south as Taylors Falls.[6]
In 1837, a treaty between the United States and the Chippewa Nation led to the cession of all lands between the St. Croix and Mississippi River, opening the area for European settlement.[7]
European Settlement
The first European settlers arrived in the Chisago County area in the early 1800s. Most of them were of Swedish descent, and they came in search of land and new opportunities.[8] They established small farms and communities throughout the county. Chisago County's early economy was based on farming, logging, and mining. Its forests and mines attracted many settlers to the area. Records of early businesses in Chisago County are recorded in Lindströmsjö.[9] Many Swedes emigrated seeking religious freedom from the oppressive LutheranChurch of Sweden. However, the majority left for reasons other than religious repression and still identified as Lutherans.[10] The early Swedish churches in Minnesota, like the Chisago Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church in Center City, were initially lay-led due to the absence of ordained clergy.[11]
In the mid-1800s, the area that is now Chisago County was part of the Minnesota Territory, and it was not officially established as a county until 1851.[12] It took its name from the Chisago Lake.[13] In its aboriginal form it was "Ki-chi-saga", from two Ojibwe words: "kichi" (large) and "saga" (fair or lovely).[14]
The county seat was originally in Taylors Falls, but was relocated to Chisago City in 1865. It took three more years before the legislature approved this relocation and voters approved it in a referendum. The move was later challenged in the courts on allegations of election fraud, resulting in a two-year delay before the state Supreme Court validated the results. In 1875, the county seat was again moved, this time to Center City where it remains as of 2024.[15]
The development of transportation infrastructure in Chisago County began with the completion of the first bridge across the St. Croix River at Taylors Falls in 1856. Prior to the bridge, ferryboats provided crossings at Sunrise and Rush City. In 1868, a military road was constructed, spanning the entire county from north to south. Railroads soon became a vital mode of transportation, with the completion of the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad, also running north to south, in 1870.[6]
Progressive Era
By the early 1900s and the dawn of the Progressive Era, much of Chisago County's forests had been cleared, leading to the closure of sawmills and the departure of lumberjacks in search of new employment. Advancements in farm machinery enabled fewer workers to manage larger farms. The county's economy shifted toward manufacturing and industry. The county was home to factories and mills, including sawmills, flour mills, and paper mills.[9]
The Progressive Era also led to reform movements resonating throughout Minnesota and Chisago County.[16] The county's distinct approach to education can be primarily attributed to its homogeneous population and the unique structure of local governance.[17] This uniformity allowed the school boards in Chisago County to effectively control external influences through their selection of teachers.[18]
Between 1970 and 2000, Chisago County's population surged by 135%. Enhanced transportation networks, including Interstate Highway 35 and U.S. Highway 8, facilitated access to broader regions and led to business and industrial growth.[6]
Modern era
Today, Chisago County has a diverse economy. It is home to several manufacturing companies, including the Anderson Corporation, a major producer of windows and doors.[20] Agriculture is also a large part of the local economy, with crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat grown in the county.[21] Tourism is also growing, with visitors drawn to the Chisago Lakes area's recreational opportunities.[3]
The county has retained and continues to celebrate much of its Swedish heritage.[22]
Geography
Chisago County lies on Minnesota's eastern border, abutting the western border of Wisconsin (across the Saint Croix River). The Saint Croix flows south-southeast along the county's eastern border. The Sunrise River flows north through the county's central part, collecting the waters of the North Branch Sunrise River and Hay Creek before discharging into the St. Croix at the county's eastern boundary. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, devoted to agriculture.[23] The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point near the northwest corner, at 1,017 ft (310 m) ASL.[24] The county has an area of 442 square miles (1,140 km2), of which 415 square miles (1,070 km2) is land and 28 square miles (73 km2) (6.2%) is water.[25]
Chisago County has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) with long, cold winters and warm summers. The average high temperature in the summer is around 80 °F (27 °C), while the average low temperature in the winter is around 5 °F (−15 °C).
A record low of −38 °F (−39 °C) was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in July 1988.[26]
The county's location in the Upper Midwest region of the United States exposes it to a wide range of weather patterns, including severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and blizzards. The county experiences moderate precipitation throughout the year, with an average annual rainfall of 30 inches (760 mm) and an average annual snowfall of 47 inches (1,200 mm). Spring is the most active season for severe weather, with thunderstorms and tornadoes common. Winter storms are common during the winter, with heavy snowfall and blizzards.
Chisago County has many lakes and wetlands, which significantly affect its weather and climate. It has over 100 lakes, the largest being North and South Center Lakes, Green Lake, and Chisago Lake. The lakes and wetlands moderate temperatures by absorbing heat during the summer and releasing it during the winter.
U.S. Decennial Census[28] 1790-1960[29] 1900-1990[30] 1990-2000[31] 2010-2020[32]
According to the most recent census data, Chisago County's population is 56,621, making it Minnesota's 18th-most populous county. 52.1% of residents are male and 47.9% are female. The average family size in Chisago County was 3.05 persons, and 62.2% of households were married-couple families.
From 1960 to 2010, Chisago County has been one of the state's fastest growing counties. From 2000 to 2014, Chisago County was the fifth-fastest growing county in the state, experiencing a population increase of 12,924 (growth rate of 31.4 percent).[6]
95.4% of residents have at least a high school education, and 22.2% have attained a bachelor's degree or higher. 4.9% are veterans.[33]
Historically, Chisago County has been overwhelmingly populated by non-Hispanic Whites. Since 2000, it has been home to a small but growing Black, Asian, and Hispanic population.
^Any ancestry includes individuals identifying with either a single ethnic group (full ancestry) or with a mixed heritage from multiple groups (partial ancestry).
^Full ancestry only includes those who identify with a single group, without any mixed heritage.
Nativity
In 2021, 97.9% of residents were born in the United States, and 78.5% had been born in Minnesota. Among the foreign-born population, 56.5% were naturalized U.S. citizens. 97.1% of residents spoke only English at home.
From the late 19th to mid-20th century, a majority of the foreign-born population was born in Sweden.[44][45] As of 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 1,174 people were foreign born, or 2.06% of the total population. Of these, about 40% were born in Asia, 30% in Latin America, 15% in Canada, 10% in Europe, and 5% in Africa.[46]
Country of birth of foreign born population, 1930–1970
A notable religious building in Chisago County is the Chisago Lake Lutheran Church. The church was founded in 1890 and has been in Center City since 1906. It is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Another prominent religious building in the county is the First United Methodist Church of Lindström. The church has served the community for over 130 years.
The Church of St. Joseph in Taylors Falls is a Catholic church that was founded in 1854. The current building was constructed in 1896.
Transportation
Among workers 16 years and older, 80.3% commuted to work by car, 9.0% carpooled, 1.6% used public transit, and 2.2% walked, biked, or used some other method. 7.0% worked from home. The median household income was $86,900, slightly above the state average. 6.4% of residents lived below the poverty line, and 2.5% were unemployed. 86.4% of housing in the county was owner-occupied.
Chisago County is strongly influenced by the German, Swedish and Norwegian immigrants who settled there in the mid-19th century. It provided the setting for much of Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg's suite of novels The Emigrants in the 1950s, and Moberg engaged in both archival and oral history research for his books to recreate the area's early Swedish immigration. Sculptor Ian Dudley's bronze statue of Moberg stands in Chisago City's park.
Moberg's fictional characters Karl-Oskar and Kristina Nilsson from Ljuder parish in Småland in 1850 with three small children and a group of relatives and neighbors, during the period of the first wave of mass emigration from Sweden.
Moberg penned Karl Oskar as the first to settle around Lake Ki-Chi-Saga (from the OjibweKi-chi-saga-igun, or Gichi-zaaga'igan in contemporary spelling), meaning "big lake with an outlet", which was later shortened to Lake Chisago. The annual Karl Oskar Days in Lindström honor the early settlers' heritage.
Government and politics
Government
The County Board, comprising five members, is responsible for setting policies and making laws in the county. Its members are elected from specific regions and serve four-year terms in a rotating manner.[48]
The County Board sets the county tax rate, adopts the budget, appoints boards and commissions, approves grants and personnel actions, and oversees the administration of county government.
The Chisago County Court Administrator's Office is responsible for maintaining records, managing case flow, overseeing jury management, and collecting fines for all District Court cases in the county. These cases encompass various types, such as juvenile, civil, family, probate, criminal, and conciliation court cases. Chisago County accommodates three chambered judges in a full-time capacity, and is part of the 10th Judicial District, which comprises eight counties and 45 judges. Any judge in this district may preside over cases in Chisago County.
^Eckman, F. M. (1904). Minneskrift 1854-1904, Svenska Ev. Lutherska forsamlingen i Chisago Lake (Memorial publication 1854-1904, the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chisago Lake) (in Swedish). Center City, Minn.: Svenska Ev. Lutherska forsamlingen i Chisago Lake.
^"Facilities". Chisago County, MN. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
^Chrislock, Carl H. (1971). The Progressive Era in Minnesota, 1899-1918. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society. ISBN978-0873514972.
^"Swedish Elementary Schools in Chisago County". Swedish Pioneer Historical Quarterly. 30: 172–182. 1979.
^Shaffer, Thomas Wayne (1996). From Sacred Learning to Secular Education: Swedish Lutherans in Southern Chisago County, Minnesota, 1875-1922 (Thesis). ISBN0591078724.
^Minnesota Secretary of State (1913). "Vote for President, 1912". The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota 1913. St. Paul.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^"Our Mission". Chisago County. July 29, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
