Spring Grove (Minnesota)

Houston County

27-61852

Spring Grove is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. She is in the Houston County located and has approximately 1,300 inhabitants. Because of its history Spring Grove is considered the first Norwegian settlement in Minnesota.

Geography

Spring Grove is located in southeastern Minnesota. A few kilometers south of the boundary with Iowa, east of the Mississippi River forms the border with the state of Wisconsin. South of the town rises an arm of the North Bear Creek. According to the United States Census Bureau, the area of ​​the city is 2.3 square kilometers, without significant water areas.

The Minnesota State Route 44 runs through Spring Grove and is a major national transport route.

History

The history of the city dates back to the 1850s, when the first people settled down. Among the first was James Smith, who came from Pennsylvania in 1852 in the area and in 1855 opened the post office. Furthermore, many Norwegians settled in the subsequent period in Spring Grove and shaped the development of the town.

Norwegian influence

In 1870 lived 1135 Norwegians in Spring Grove and made ​​up the majority of the population. Many of the first settlers came from Hallingdal and already lived some time in America until they moved to Spring Grove. Later, immigrants came directly from the Hallingdal region to Spring Grove. Until the 1930s, the coexistence was strongly influenced by this culture. So, for example, established a regional Spring Grove dialect.

Even today, Spring Grove is characterized norwegian. Thus, for example, the labeled most of the shops and community centers in Norwegian and English and many American flags hanging next to a Norwegian. Nearly two-thirds of the population reported in the 2000 census to have ancestors from Norway.

Demographics

Demography

According to the 2000 census living in Spring Grove 1304 people in 581 households and 349 families. The racial sits down the population of 99 percent white population, and smaller minorities together. 0.2 percent of the population regard themselves as Hispanics.

In 25.8 % of the 581 households living children under the age of 18, 48.5 % live in married couples, and in 8.6% of live single women and 39.9 % are non family households. 36.3 % of all households were made up of individuals and 23.2% had someone living alone over 65 years. The average household size is 2.12 persons, the families of 2.74.

In relation to the entire city, the population is composed of 21.7 % under the age of 18, 6.5 % from 18 to 24, 24.7% between 25 and 44 years, 18.1% between 45 and 64 years and 29.0% over 65 years. The median is 43 years. Approximately 53.6 % of the population is female.

The median income for a household is $ 29,643, a family of $ 38,000. The per capita income is $ 16,307. Approximately 11.0 % of the population and 6.7 % of families are below the poverty line.

Education

The Spring Grove Public Schools house the kindergarten and grades 1 to 12