Walnut Grove, Minnesota

Walnut Grove, Minnesota
City
Location of Walnut Grove, Minnesota
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Redwood
Area
• Total	1.06 sq mi (2.75 km2)
• Land	1.06 sq mi (2.75 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	1,217 ft (371 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	871
• Estimate (2012)	856
• Density	821.7/sq mi (317.3/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	56180
Area code(s)	507
FIPS code	27-67846
GNIS feature ID	0653743

Walnut Grove is a city in Redwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 871 at the 2010 census. Its former name is Walnut Station.

History

Walnut Grove was platted in 1874. Walnut Grove was named for a grove of black walnut trees near the original town site. Walnut Grove was incorporated in 1879.

Walnut Grove is the home of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, dedicated to the author of the Little House on the Prairie books. Charles Frederic 'Freddy' Ingalls, (November 1, 1876 – August 27, 1877 in South Troy, Minnesota), the little brother of Laura Ingalls Wilder, was born in Walnut Grove.

Walnut Grove gained more than 250 new residents between 2001 and 2006. The new residents are Hmong immigrants and their families. The influx of people has increased the population to nearly 900, and Hmong now comprise 42 percent of the students in the Westbrook-Walnut Grove School District.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.06 square miles (2.75 km²), all of it land.

Walnut Grove lies along U.S. Route 14, which connects it with Tracy to the west and Revere to the east.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	153		—
1890	127		−17.0%
1900	447		252.0%
1910	366		−18.1%
1920	663		81.1%
1930	586		−11.6%
1940	753		28.5%
1950	890		18.2%
1960	886		−0.4%
1970	756		−14.7%
1980	753		−0.4%
1990	625		−17.0%
2000	599		−4.2%
2010	871		45.4%
Est. 2014	834		−4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 871 people, 313 households, and 210 families residing in the city. The population density was 821.7 inhabitants per square mile (317.3/km²). There were 367 housing units at an average density of 346.2 per square mile (133.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.4% White, 0.5% Native American, 35.0% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 0.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 313 households of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.9% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.53.

The median age in the city was 36.8 years. 31.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.1% were from 45 to 64; and 19.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 599 people, 291 households, and 178 families residing in the city. The population density was 577.7 people per square mile (222.4/km²). There were 341 housing units at an average density of 328.9 per square mile (126.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.66% White, 0.67% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 1.17% Pacific Islander, and 0.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.17% of the population.

Entrance to Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum

There were 291 households out of which 21.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the city the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,013, and the median income for a family was $34,167. Males had a median income of $24,750 versus $20,192 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,637. About 5.0% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

• Laura Ingalls Wilder, author
• Lester Mondale, Unitarian minister
• Leo Thorsness, Medal of Honor recipient

Sister cities

• Westbrook, Minnesota and Walnut Grove are sister cities because Westbrook-Walnut Grove (WWG) Public Schools is distributed between both towns.
• De Smet, South Dakota and Walnut Grove are sister cities because of the impact that Laura Ingalls Wilder has had on both of the cities.

Westbrook-Walnut Grove public schools

Main article: WWG Public Schools

In the late 1900s, the Westbrook Wildcats and the Walnut Grove Loggers combined school districts and sports teams to make the Westbrook-Walnut Grove Chargers.

WWG information

• Schools = 1 High School in Westbrook (Grades 7–12) and one Elementary School in Walnut Grove (Grades K–6)
• Mascot = Chargers
• School Colors = Red and silver
• ISD = 2898

External links

• Walnut Grove, Minnesota – city website
• Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum site
• Walnut Grove during the Little House years
• Wilder Pageant Site