Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the state of

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 to ...

. The population was 44,488 according to the 2020 census, making it the 21st-largest city in Minnesota, and the 5th-largest outside of the

Minneapolis–Saint Paul Minneapolis–Saint Paul is a metropolitan area in the Upper Midwestern United States centered around the confluence of the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix rivers in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is commonly known as the Twin Cities ...

metropolitan area. It is along a large bend of the Minnesota River at its confluence with the

Blue Earth River The Blue Earth River ( dak, Makhátho Wakpá) is a tributary of the Minnesota River, long, in southern Minnesota in the United States. Two of its headwaters tributaries, the Middle Branch Blue Earth River and the West Branch Blue Earth Rive ...

. Mankato is across the Minnesota River from North Mankato. Mankato and North Mankato have a combined population of 58,763 according to the 2020 census. It completely encompasses the town of Skyline. North of Mankato Regional Airport, a tiny non-contiguous part of the city lies within Le Sueur County. Most of the city is in Blue Earth County. Mankato is the larger of the two principal cities of the Mankato-North Mankato metropolitan area, which covers Blue Earth and Nicollet Counties and had a combined population of 103,566 at the 2020 census. The U.S. Census Bureau designated Mankato a Metropolitan Statistical Area in November 2008. In 2017, Schools.com named Mankato the second-best small college town in the United States.

History

Execution of 38 Sioux Indians at Mankato Minnesota 1862

Mankato Township was not settled by European Americans until Parsons King Johnson in February 1852, as part of the 19th-century migration of people from the east across the Midwest. New residents organized the city of Mankato on May 11, 1858, the day Minnesota became a state. The city was organized by Johnson, Henry Jackson, Daniel A. Robertson, Justus C. Ramsey, and others. A popular story says that the city was supposed to have been named ''Mahkato'', but a typographical error by a clerk established the name as Mankato. According to

Warren Upham Warren Upham (March 8, 1850 – January 29, 1934) was an American geologist, archaeologist, and librarian who is best known for his studies of glacial Lake Agassiz. Biography Warren Upham was born in Amherst, New Hampshire and attended Dartmout ...

, quoting historian Thomas Hughes of Mankato, "The honor of christening the new city was accorded to Col. Robertson. He had taken the name from Nicollet's book, in which the French explorer compared the 'Mahkato' or Blue Earth River, with all its tributaries, to the water nymphs and their uncle in the German legend of

Undine Undines (; also ondines) are a category of elemental beings associated with water, stemming from the alchemical writings of Paracelsus. Later writers developed the undine into a water nymph in its own right, and it continues to live in modern ...

...No more appropriate name could be given the new city, than that of the noble river at whose mouth it is located." While it is uncertain that the city was intended to be called Mahkato, the Dakota called the river ''Makato Osa Watapa'' ("the river where blue earth is gathered"). The Anglo settlers adapted that as "Blue Earth River".

Frederick Webb Hodge Frederick Webb Hodge (October 28, 1864 – September 28, 1956) was an American editor, anthropologist, archaeologist, and historian. Born in England, he immigrated at the age of seven with his family to Washington, DC. He was educated at America ...

, in the ''Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico'', said the town was named after the older of the two like-named chiefs of the

Mdewakanton The Mdewakanton or Mdewakantonwan (also spelled ''Mdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ'' and currently pronounced ''Bdewákhaŋthuŋwaŋ'') are one of the sub-tribes of the Isanti (Santee) Dakota ( Sioux). Their historic home is Mille Lacs Lake (Dakota: ''Mde W� ...

nation of the Santee Dakota, whose village stood on or near the site of the present town. '' Ishtakhaba'', also known as Chief Sleepy Eye, of the Sisseton band, was said to have directed settlers to this location. He said the site at the confluence of the Minnesota and

s was well suited to building and river traffic, and yet safe from flooding. On December 26, 1862, United States Volunteers of the State of Minnesota carried out the largest mass execution in U.S. history at Mankato after the Dakota War of 1862. Companies of the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Minnesota Infantry Regiments, and Minnesota Cavalry oversaw the hanging of 38 men: 35 Santee Sioux and 3 biracial French/native American, for their involvement in the war crimes committed during the uprising. 9th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, The Civil War - Battle Unit Details, Union Minnesota Volunteers, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior websit

/ref>10th Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, Battle Unit Details, Union Minnesota Volunteers, National Park Service, Department of the Interior websit

/ref> The crimes included intentional killings, mutilations and rapes of hundreds of unarmed civilians. A USV military tribunal reviewed nearly 500 cases, of which 303 received a death sentence, but Abraham Lincoln, President Lincoln requested the court files. He reviewed them, placing the rape cases at the top, and pardoning 265. Episcopal Bishop

Henry Benjamin Whipple Henry Benjamin Whipple (February 15, 1822 – September 16, 1901) was the first Episcopal bishop of Minnesota, who gained a reputation as a humanitarian and an advocate for Native Americans. Summary of his life Born in Adams, New York, he was ...

urged leniency to which Lincoln responded that he had to take a balanced approach. His position and dismissals were unpopular in Minnesota. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the event a large granite marker was erected that stood at the site until 1971, when the city took it down. Today, a different monument marks the execution site. Across the street are two monuments to the indigenous people in what it called Reconciliation Park. The Blue Earth County Library, Main street and Reconciliation Park cover the immediate vicinity of the execution site. In 1880, Mankato was Minnesota's fourth-most populous city, with 5,500 residents. Former Vice President

Schuyler Colfax Schuyler Colfax Jr. (; March 23, 1823 – January 13, 1885) was an American journalist, businessman, and politician who served as the 17th vice president of the United States from 1869 to 1873, and prior to that as the 25th speaker of the Hous ...

died while traveling through Mankato on January 13, 1885.

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 t ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The

, Blue Earth, and Le Sueur rivers all flow through or near the city.

Climate

Mankato has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

, type ''Dfa'' (hot summer subtype). Winters are cold, with snow cover (continuous most winter seasons) beginning typically between mid-November and mid-December, ending in March most years. However, Mankato often receives less snow than areas to its north and east. For example,

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 origins ...

, northeast of Mankato, averages over of snow per winter season, compared to Mankato's seasonal average of . The coldest month, January, has an average monthly temperature around . Dangerously low wind-chill temperatures are a significant hazard during the winter months, as Arctic air outbreaks rush into the area from Canada, borne on high winds; this can bring about ground blizzard conditions, especially in nearby rural areas. Summers are warm, with occasional but usually brief hot, humid periods, often interspersed with pushes of cooler air from Canada, often preceded by showers and thunderstorms. The hottest month, July, has an average monthly temperature around . Precipitation falls year round, but falls mostly as snow from December to February, sometimes March, and as showers and thunderstorms during the warmer season, from May to September. Mankato's average wettest months are from June to August, with frequent thunderstorm activity. Mankato lies on the northern fringe of the central United States’ main tornado belt, with lower risk than in Iowa and Missouri to the south. The highest-risk months for severe thunderstorms and (rarely) tornadoes, are May through July. However, a very unusual early tornado outbreak affected areas within of Mankato on March 29, 1998, when an F3 tornado hit St. Peter, to Mankato's north. On August 17, 1946, tornadoes struck southwestern areas of Mankato and the town of Wells to the southeast, killing 11 people.

Demographics

2020 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 in ...

of 2020, there were 44,693 people and 17,196 households residing in the city. The city's racial makeup was 85.7%

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 o ...

, 6.9%

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, 3.4% Asian, 1.3% 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 2.6% 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 forme ...

or Latino people of any race were 4.4% of the population. The city's gender makeup was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 39,309 people, 14,851 households, and 7,093 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 15,784 housing units at an average density of . The city's racial makeup was 89.9%

, 4.0%

, 0.3% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 0.8% from

, and 2.1% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 2.9% of the population. There were 14,851 households, of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.0% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 52.2% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age in the city was 25.4 years. 16.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 32.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 16.6% were from 45 to 64; and 10.6% were 65 years of age or older. The city's gender makeup was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 32,427 people, 12,367 households, and 6,059 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,132.5 people per square mile (823.2/km). There were 12,759 housing units at an average density of 839.1 per square mile (323.9/km). The city's racial makeup was 92.55%

, 1.90%

, 0.34% Native American, 2.81% Asian, 0.10%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.94% from

, and 1.36% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 2.22% of the population. There were 12,367 households, of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.0% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.90. 16.9% of the city's residents were under the age of 18; 32.5% were between age 18 and 24; 23.9% were from 25 to 44; 15.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11.3% were age 65 or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males. The city's median household income was $33,956, and the median family income was $47,297. Males had a median income of $30,889 versus $22,081 for females. The city's per capita income in 2010 was $25,772. About 8.5% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over. In 2010, the

unemployment rate Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the refere ...

was 5.7%.

Economy

Top employers

According to the City's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture

Major events

*Minnesota State University was home to the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...

summer training camp for 52 years. The Vikings announced their training camp would move to Eagan starting in 2018.

Places of interest

*The Betsy & Tacy Houses *

Blue Earth County Courthouse The Blue Earth County Courthouse is the courthouse of Blue Earth County, Minnesota, United States, in the city of Mankato, the county seat. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. History The building, completed in 1889, was t ...

, listed on the National Register of Historic Places ( NRHP) * Federal Courthouse and Post Office (NRHP) * First National Bank of Mankato (NRHP) * First Presbyterian Church (NRHP) * Good Counsel Hill * Happy Chef original restaurant and company headquarters; Mankato also is home to the last surviving 36-foot Happy Chef statue *The Hubbard House Blue Earth County Historical Society – French Second Empire style built in 1871 (NRHP) * ISG Field, home of the Mankato Moondogs of the

Northwoods League The Northwoods League is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. The league is amateur, and players are not paid, so as to maintain their college el ...

, a collegiate summer baseball league *The Cray Mansion (NRHP) *

River Hills Mall River Hills Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Mankato, Minnesota. The mall's anchor stores are Barnes & Noble, JCPenney, Target, Cinemark Theatres, and Scheels All Sports. There are 2 vacant anchor stores that were once Herberger's and Sears. A ...

* Sibley Park is a city park along the river in Mankato. *The Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, an arena in downtown Mankato formerly operated under the names Mankato Civic Center, Midwest Wireless Civic Center, Alltel Center, Verizon Wireless Center, and Verizon Center

Government and politics

Mankato is in Minnesota's 1st congressional district, represented by

Brad Finstad Bradley Howard Finstad (born May 30, 1976) is an American farmer, agricultural consultant, and politician serving as the U.S. representative for . Finstad represents a large section of southern Minnesota situated along the border with Iowa. The ...

. It is in

Minnesota Senate The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are h ...

district 19, represented by Nick Frentz, and Minnesota House district 19B, represented by Luke Frederick. Mankato voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.

Education

The Mankato Area Public Schools are consolidated to include the cities of Mankato, North Mankato, Eagle Lake, and Madison Lake. There are ten elementary schools (Franklin, Eagle Lake, Kennedy, Washington, Roosevelt, Jefferson, Monroe, Hoover, Rosa Parks, and Bridges); two middle schools (Dakota Meadows Middle School and Prairie Winds Middle School); and two high schools ( Mankato West High School and Mankato East High School). Mankato has four parochial schools: Loyola Catholic School, Immanuel Lutheran Grade School and High School (K–12), Mount Olive Lutheran School (K–8) and Risen Savior Lutheran School (K–8). There is also a public

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

, Kato Public Charter School. The alternative school Central High, on Fulton Street, is another educational option. The Blue Earth County Library, part of the Traverse des Sioux Library System, serves the city.

Higher education institutions

* Minnesota State University was opened as the second state normal school in 1868 and is the second largest university in the state of Minnesota by enrollment. With an annual operating budget of over $200 million, Minnesota State provides a net economic benefit of over $452 million annually to Minnesota's south-central region. It is one of the largest employers in the Mankato area. * South Central College *

Bethany Lutheran College Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) is a private Christian liberal arts college in Mankato, Minnesota. Founded in 1927, BLC is operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The campus overlooks the Minnesota River valley in a community of 53,000. ...

* Rasmussen University

Media

The major daily newspaper in the area is the '' Mankato Free Press''.

Television

KMNF-LD KMNF-LD (channel 7) is a low-power television station in Mankato, Minnesota, United States, affiliated with NBC and The CW Plus. It is owned by Gray Television alongside dual CBS/Fox affiliate KEYC-TV (channel 12). Both stations share studios ...

(

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

) * KEYC-TV (

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

)

Radio

FM

* 89.1 FM,

KTIS (AM) Faith Radio is a radio station network based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, owned and operated by University of Northwestern - St Paul and is a non-profit, listener-supported radio station relying on donations from the local community throughout th ...

, Christian talk and teaching * 89.7 FM, KMSU, college radio * 90.5 FM, KNGA,

Minnesota Public Radio Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), is a public radio network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, YourClassical MPR and The Current, MPR operates a 46-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest. MPR ha ...

* 91.5 FM, KGAC, classical * 93.1 FM, KATO-FM, classic hits * 94.1 FM,

KXLP KXLP (94.1 FM) is a radio station in Mankato, Minnesota (licensed to Eagle Lake) and serving the Minnesota River Valley. The 94.1 FM frequency went on the air September 21, 2007, airing a classic rock format that migrated from a sister station ...

, classic rock * 94.9 FM, KTIS-FM, contemporary Christian music * 95.3 FM,

KCMP KCMP (89.3 FM, 89.3 The Current) is a radio station owned by Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) that broadcasts a AAA music format including a significant rotation of songs by local artists. Licensed to Northfield, Minnesota and covering the Minnea ...

, adult album alternative * 95.7 FM, KMKO-FM, active rock * 96.7 FM, KDOG, top 40 * 99.1 FM, KEEZ-FM, adult contemporary * 100.5 FM, KXAC, country * 101.5 FM,

KEMJ KEMJ (101.5 FM, "101-5 The Emoji") is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format serving the St. James/ Fairmont, Minnesota area. The station is currently owned by Linder Radio Group. On April 1, 2020, the then-KRRW changed it ...

, adult contemporary * 101.7 FM, KMKO-FM, active rock * 102.7 FM, KTOE, news/talk * 103.1 FM,

KFSP *''See also KFAN Sports Radio Network KFSP (1230 AM) is a radio station licensed to Mankato, Minnesota and serving the greater Mankato area and the Minnesota River Valley with a sports format. The station is an affiliate of the regional KFA ...

, sport talk * 103.5 FM,

KYSM-FM KYSM-FM (103.5 FM, "Country 103.5") is an American radio station licensed to Mankato and serving the Minnesota River Valley. The station currently airs a country music format. Country 103.5 was purchased by Three Eagles Communications from its ...

, country * 104.5 FM, KJLY, Christian * 105.1 FM,

, adult album alternative * 105.5 FM,

KRBI-FM KRBI-FM (105.5 FM, "River 105") is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of St. Peter, Minnesota and broadcasting to the Mankato area and the Minnesota River Valley. It currently airs a classic hits music format. The station i ...

, adult contemporary * 107.1 FM, KJLY, Christian

AM

* 860, KNUJ (AM), news/talk * 1230,

, sports talk * 1420, KTOE, news/talk

Notable people

Barry Anderson Grant Barry Anderson (born October 24, 1954) is an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. He is a former member of the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Early life and education Anderson was born on October 24, 1954, and grew up in Mankato ...

, Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court * Walter Jackson Bate, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, born in Mankato in 1918 * Daniel Buck, Minnesota jurist and politician * Con Bunde, Alaska state legislator and educator *

Frederick Russell Burnham Frederick Russell Burnham DSO (May 11, 1861 – September 1, 1947) was an American scout and world-traveling adventurer. He is known for his service to the British South Africa Company and to the British Army in colonial Africa, and for teach ...

, "father of the international scouting movement" born near Mankato in 1861 * Joseph Francis Busch, Roman Catholic prelate, Diocese of Rapid City, Diocese of Saint Cloud, Minnesota *

Howard Burnham Mather Howard Burnham (May 27, 1870 – May 4, 1917),Report of Death of American Citizens Abroad, no. 554, dated May 11, 1917, American Consulate, Nice, France. was an American who went by the name of Howard; his brother was the celebrated scout ...

, mining engineer, born near Mankato in 1870 *

Jimmy Chin Jimmy Chin (born ) is an American professional mountain athlete, photographer, film director, and author. Chin has been a professional climber and skier on The North Face Athlete team for over 20 years. In 2006, Chin achieved the first succes ...

, professional climber and mountaineer, Academy Award winner for Best Documentary * George Contant, outlaw of the American West, brother of John Sontag * Marvel Cooke, journalist, writer and civil rights activist * David R. Cummiskey, Minnesota legislator * Craig Dahl, NFL safety, New York Giants * Adolph Olson Eberhart, seventeenth

Governor of Minnesota The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty people have been governor of Minnesota, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. ...

* William S. Ervin,

Attorney General of Minnesota The attorney general of Minnesota is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. State of Minnesota. Thirty individuals have held the office of Attorney General since statehood. The incumbent is Keith Ellison, a DFLer. Election ...

* Ronald G. Evans, Minnesota legislator and businessman * Cliff Fagan, basketball referee, Basketball Hall of Fame * Sal Frederick, Minnesota legislator and businessman * Kelly Gage, Minnesota legislator and lawyer * Albert P. Halfhill, tuna packing industry * Milton Hanna,

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

veteran,

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

recipient * Justin Hartwig, former NFL center * Geoff Herbach, novelist * Robert Louis Hodapp, Roman Catholic bishop * Ron Johnson, Republican U.S. Senator * Jack Kodell, stage magician *

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 ...

, author *

Mike Lindell Michael James Lindell (born June 28, 1961), also known as the My Pillow Guy, is an American businessman, political activist, and conspiracy theorist. He is the founder and CEO of My Pillow, Inc., a pillow, bedding, and slipper manufacturing ...

, founder of MyPillow and conspiracy theorist * Maud Hart Lovelace, author of the Betsy-Tacy series of books * Bob Paffrath, professional football player * Mark Piepho, Minnesota politician and businessman * Mike Ploog,

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

and film-production artist * Edmund Mann Pope, United States military officer, businessman, and Minnesota state senator * Dudley Riggs,

Brave New Workshop The Brave New Workshop (BNW), based in Minneapolis, Minnesota was founded by Dudley Riggs in 1958 and is the longest running sketch and improvisational comedy theater in the US. BNW continues the tradition, of writing, producing, and performing ...

, graduated from

Minnesota State University Mankato Minnesota State University, Mankato (MNSU, MSU, or Minnesota State) is a public university in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. It is Minnesota's second-largest university and has over 123,000 living alumni worldwide. Founded in 1868, it is t ...

* Joseph Rosser, Secretary of

Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Minnesota and west ...

and lawyer * Daniel L. Ryan, Roman Catholic bishop * Ervin Harold Schulz, businessman, newspaper editor, and Minnesota politician * Roy F. Schulz, farmer and Minnesota politician *

Julia Sears Julia Sears (1839–1929) was a pioneering academic and suffragist, achieving a milestone early in her career as she became the first woman to head a public college in the United States, in 1872. The school was Mankato Normal School, now Minnesot ...

, pioneering feminist and suffragette * John Sontag, outlaw, born in Mankato; crimes in Minnesota and California * Steven B. Szarke, born in Mankato, Minnesota state legislator and lawyer *

Glen Taylor Glen Allen Taylor (born April 20, 1941) is an American billionaire business magnate and politician from Minnesota. A self-made businessman, Taylor made his fortune from being the founder and owner of Minnesota-based Taylor Corporation, one of th ...

, owner of the

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...

and Minnesota Lynx basketball teams * John Eaton Tourtellotte, lawyer, Civil War general * Adam Thielen, NFL wide receiver,

, graduated from Minnesota State University * Arthur S. Thomas, Chief of Chaplains of the

US Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sig ...

* Alma Wagen, first female guide at Mount Rainier National Park *

Tim Walz Timothy James Walz ( ; born April 6, 1964) is an American politician and retired educator. A member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he has served as the 41st governor of Minnesota since 2019. Born in West Point, Nebraska, Wal ...

, 41st

, former

US Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

for Minnesota's 1st congressional district *

Cedric Yarbrough Cedric Percelle Yarbrough (born March 20, 1973) is an American actor and comedian who stars in series '' Reno 911!'' as Deputy S. Jones and as Kenneth on the ABC sitcom '' Speechless'', as well as voicing Gerald Fitzgerald on the Netflix comedy ...

, actor, graduated from Minnesota State University *

Steve Zahn Steven James Zahn (; born November 13, 1967) is an American actor and comedian. His film roles include ''Reality Bites'' (1994), ''That Thing You Do!'' (1996), ''Stuart Little'' (1999), '' Shattered Glass'' (2003), ''Sahara'' (2005), '' Chicken Li ...

, actor and comedian, was raised in Mankato

Infrastructure

Transportation

Public transportation in Mankato is provided by the Mankato Transit System. The city is served by Mankato Regional Airport which has no commercial flights. Under MnDOT's 2015 State Rail Plan, Mankato is listed as a Tier 1 Corridor for regional rail service from Minneapolis and/or St. Paul. U.S. Highways 14 and 169 and Minnesota State Highways 22 and 60 are four of the main routes in Mankato.

Major highways

The following routes are within the city of Mankato. * U.S. Highway 14 * U.S. Highway 169 *

Minnesota State Highway 22 Minnesota State Highway 22 (MN 22) is a highway in south-central and central Minnesota, which runs from Winnebago County Road R50 at the Iowa state line near Kiester and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with St ...

Minnesota State Highway 60 Trunk Highway 60 (MN 60) is a highway in southern Minnesota, which runs from Iowa Highway 60 at the Iowa state line (at Bigelow) and continues east-northeast to its eastern terminus at the Wisconsin state line (at Wabasha), where the route ...

In popular culture

Mankato was the basis for Deep Valley in Maud Hart Lovelace's '' Betsy-Tacy'' series of children's books and novels. The children's/young adult wing of the Blue Earth County Library is named in her honor. In

's 1920 novel '' Main Street'', heroine Carol Milford is a former Mankato resident. Lewis describes Mankato as follows: "In its garden-sheltered streets and aisles of elms is white and green New England reborn", alluding to its many migrants from New England, who brought their culture with them. Lewis wrote a substantial portion of the novel while staying at the J.W. Schmidt House at 315 South Broad Street, as now marked by a small plaque in front of the building. In the ''

Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books is a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adolescence in the American Midwest (Wisconsin, Kansas, ...

'' television series, Mankato is a trading town that the citizens of Walnut Grove visit. It does not appear in the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. The 1972 film '' The New Land,'' a sequel to '' The Emigrants'' (1971), both by Swedish director

Jan Troell Jan Gustaf Troell (born 23 July 1931) is a Swedish writer-director, and cinematographer. His realistic films, with a lyrical photography in which nature is prominent, have placed him in the first rank of modern Swedish film directors along with ...

, depicts the mass execution of 38 Dakota Indians at the end of the 1862 Dakota War. In 1996, Don Descy created city-mankato.us as a teaching tool and example that not everything on the Internet should be believed.

References

External links

City of Mankato official websiteMankato Chamber of CommerceGreater Mankato Convention & Visitors Bureau
{{Authority control Cities in Blue Earth County, Minnesota Cities in Le Sueur County, Minnesota Cities in Nicollet County, Minnesota Mankato – North Mankato metropolitan area Cities in Minnesota County seats in Minnesota Dakota toponyms 1852 establishments in Minnesota Territory