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Sauk Centre is a city in
Stearns County Stearns County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,292. Its county seat and largest city is St. Cloud. The county was founded in 1855. It was originally named for Isaac Ingalls Stevens, ...
,
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...
, United States. The population was 4,555 at the 2020 census. Sauk Centre is part of the St. Cloud
Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
. Sauk Centre is the birthplace of
Sinclair Lewis Harry Sinclair Lewis (February 7, 1885 – January 10, 1951) was an American writer and playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States (and the first from the Americas) to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, which was ...
, a novelist and winner of the
Nobel Prize in Literature ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , caption = , awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature , presenter = Swedish Academy , holder = Annie Ernaux (2022) , location = Stockholm, Sweden , year = 1901 , ...
. It inspired his fictional Gopher Prairie, the setting of Lewis's 1920 novel '' Main Street''.


History

The town was originally named by a lottery. The eight original town shareholders submitted suggestions for a name, and Sauk Centre was selected. The name was submitted by Alexander Moore, who originally bought and platted the town. Sauk refers to the many place names associated with the Sauk tribe (Sauk River, Sauk Rapids, Little Sauk, Osakis, etc). Centre (the British spelling of "center") refers to the town's central location between Sauk Rapids and Lake Osakis. When the Sauk Centre post office was established it used the spelling "Sauk Center", until 1936 when the city won its fight to spell the name as Moore suggested. Local lore has it that five refugees from the Sauk tribe had been killed by settlers in an ambush on the shores of Lake Osakis away. Sauk Centre contains the
Sinclair Lewis Boyhood Home The Sinclair Lewis Boyhood Home is a historic house museum and National Historic Landmark in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, United States. From 1889 until 1902 it was the home of young Sinclair Lewis (1885–1951), who would become the most famous Ame ...
, a
National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places liste ...
. Two other properties and a historic district are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
: The Palmer House built in 1901 and expanded in 1916, the
Minnesota Home School for Girls The Minnesota Home School for Girls was a reformatory in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, United States. It was Minnesota's first single-sex reformatory for girls from its establishment in 1911 to 1967, when it switched to a coeducational model and shorte ...
built 1911–1935, and the Original Main Street Historic District built 1920–1947.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of ; is land and is water. Sauk Centre is located along
Interstate 94 Interstate 94 (I-94) is an east–west Interstate Highway connecting the Great Lakes and northern Great Plains regions of the United States. Its western terminus is just east of Billings, Montana, at a junction with I-90; its eastern term ...
/
U.S. Highway 52 U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a major United States highway in the central United States that extends from the northern to southeastern region of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S. Highways, US 52 primarily follows ...
,
U.S. Highway 71 U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstat ...
, and
Minnesota State Highway 28 Minnesota State Highway 28 (MN 28) is a state highway in west-central and central Minnesota, which travels from South Dakota Highway 10 at the South Dakota state line near Browns Valley and continues east to its intersection with ...
. It is approximately northwest of the
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origin ...
/
Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
metropolitan area. The city is considered to be in the middle of the state. Sauk Lake and Sauk River are the most notable water features of the area. Fairy Lake and Lily Lake are located just outside of the city limits.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, there were 4,317 people, 1,851 households, and 1,174 families living in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was . There were 1,994 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.6%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.8%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.1% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 2.2% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.9% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race were 4.4% of the population. There were 1,851 households, of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.6% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.8% were from 25 to 44; 24.3% were from 45 to 64; and 21.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.


2000 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 3,930 people, 1,616 households, and 1,042 families living in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 1,057.2 people per square mile (407.9/km). There were 1,709 housing units at an average density of 459.7 per square mile (177.4/km). The racial makeup of the city was 98.68%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.31%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.13% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.25% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.38% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any kind were 0.53% of the population. There were 1,616 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.01. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $37,644, and the median income for a family was $47,623. Males had a median income of $33,382 versus $20,399 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $18,390. About 2.3% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.


Churches

* Harvest Community Church * Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church * Saint Paul's Catholic Church (home of the first U.S. shrine dedicated to the
Divine Mercy The Divine Mercy is a form of God's compassion, an act of grace based on trust or forgiveness. In Catholicism, it refers specifically to a devotion which had its origin in the apparitions of Jesus Christ reported by Faustina Kowalska. Etym ...
of Jesus, dedicated 1982) * First Lutheran Church (ELCA) * Zion Lutheran Church (LCMS) * Faith Baptist Church * United Church of Christ Methodist Church * River of Life Assembly of God Church * Good Samaritan Episcopal Church * Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses * Sauk Centre United Methodist Church * Tierra Prometida A/D


Notable people

*
Joshua Harrison Bruce Joshua Harrison Bruce Sr. (March 22, 1833 – April 22, 1891) was an American farmer and politician. Bruce was born in Ladoga, Montgomery County, Indiana. He settled in Sauk Centre, Minnesota Sauk Centre is a city in Stearns County, Minnes ...
- farmer and Minnesota legislator * Benjamin F. DuBois — banker and Minnesota legislator *
Ody J. Fish Ody J. Fish (June 16, 1925 – February 6, 2007) was Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. Biography Fish was born Odilon Fish in Sauk Centre, Minnesota in 1925. He married Mary Ellen Koebke and have two children. In 2007, he died of esoph ...
— Chairman of the
Republican Party of Wisconsin The Republican Party of Wisconsin is a right-wing political party in Wisconsin and is the Wisconsin affiliate of the United States Republican Party (GOP). The state party chair is Paul Farrow. The state party is divided into 72 county parties f ...
*
Rachael Ellering Rachael Ellering (born December 28, 1992) is an American professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in box ...
— professional wrestler *
Sinclair Lewis Harry Sinclair Lewis (February 7, 1885 – January 10, 1951) was an American writer and playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States (and the first from the Americas) to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, which was ...
— American novelist and playwright, 1930 Nobel Prize winner in Literature *
Joseph T. Niehaus, Sr. Joseph T. Niehaus Sr. (February 23, 1906 – August 8, 1989) was an American farmer, businessman, and politician. Niehaus was born on a farm near Melrose, Minnesota, and went to high school. Niehaus took agricultural courses in vocational school a ...
- farmer, businessman, beekeeper, and Minnesota legislator *
Sylvester Uphus Sylvester Bernard Uphus (December 29, 1927 – January 1, 2017) was an American farmer and politician. Born on a farm near Greenwald, Minnesota, Uphus served in the United States Navy during World War II. He went to the College of Saint Be ...
— farmer and Minnesota legislator *
Harry C. Van Norman Harry C. Van Norman (May 16, 1874 – October 11, 1929) was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 2nd district from 1924 to 1927 and alderman of Chicago's 27th ward from 1927 until his death after a long illness in 1929. In ...
- businessman and Illinois legislator * Cory Undlin - NFL Coach


Education

There are two schools in the town: Holy Family and Sauk Centre Public School. Holy Family is a Catholic private school; it enrolls students from kindergarten to 6th grade. Sauk Centre Public School has two departments: elementary (kindergarten to 6th grade) and secondary school (7th to 12th grade). The mascot of Sauk Centre Public Schools is the Mainstreeters, in honor of Lewis' novel.


Other

A violent local incident in 1996, where the elderly Paul Crawford shot and killed four members of the neighboring Schloegl family over a property dispute, was featured in the episode "Lake of Madness" on the
Investigation Discovery Investigation Discovery (stylized and branded on-air as ID since 2008) is an American multinational pay television network dedicated to true crime documentaries owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. As of February 2015, approximately 86 million Amer ...
series ''
Fear Thy Neighbor ''Fear Thy Neighbor'' is an American-Canadian true crime documentary television series which premiered on April 14, 2014 on the Investigation Discovery channel. The narrator for the series is voice actress Tish Iceton. The series is an intern ...
''. The episode aired on April 20, 2015.


References


External links


City of Sauk Centre official website

Tri-CAP (Transit/bus)


at Open-Public-Records.com {{authority control Cities in Stearns County, Minnesota Cities in Minnesota St. Cloud, Minnesota metropolitan area