Pierz is a city in Morrison County,

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, United States. The population was 1,418 at the 2020 census.

History

Pierz was named for Father Francis Xavier Pierz (), a

Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

who came to Minnesota in the early 1850s as a missionary to the native

Ojibwe The Ojibwe (; Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics, syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains, n ...

people. The town was incorporated on January 12, 1892, under the name "Rich Prairie", but on August 15, 1894, the residents voted to change the name to Pierz in F. X. Pierz's honor.

Geography

Pierz is in eastern Morrison County. It is bordered to the south, east, and west by Pierz Township, also to the south by the city of Genola, and to the north by Buh Township. Minnesota State Highways 25 and 27 are the main routes in the city. MN 25 leads north to Brainerd and south to Foley, while MN 27 leads west to Little Falls, the Morrison

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

, and east-northeast to Onamia. Highways 25 and 27 leave Pierz together to the north, splitting north of town. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the city of Pierz has an area of , all of it recorded as land. The Skunk River passes through the southeast part of the city, flowing south and then west to join the

Platte River The Platte River () is a major American river, in the state of Nebraska. It is about long; measured to its farthest source via its tributary, the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, w ...

, a south-flowing tributary of the

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 1,393 people, 585 households, and 339 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 605 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.6%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population. There were 585 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.1% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 25.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age in the city was 42.5 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.2% were from 25 to 44; 19.8% were from 45 to 64; and 27.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 41.3% male and 58.7% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,277 people, 512 households, and 321 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 522 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.67%

, 0.39% Native American, and 0.94% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.08% of the population. There were 512 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were

living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.91. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 30.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $27,292, and the median income for a family was $34,167. Males had a median income of $29,107 versus $21,250 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $14,638. About 6.0% of families and 13.6% 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 12.7% of those under age 18 and 20.8% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Every year Pierz celebrates

Oktoberfest Oktoberfest (; ) is the world's largest , featuring a beer festival and a travelling carnival, and is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, from mid- or late-September to the first Sunday in October. The annual event attracts more than seven milli ...

during the last weekend in August. There is a medallion search with daily clues; the winner gets $500 in "Pierz Bucks" from local businesses to spend in town. There is also a parade and festival at the city park plus other events, including live Oktoberfest music and games for children. In the summer, Pierz hosts the Commercial Club's Rock, Roll, & Stroll event. It takes place on Main Street on the first Thursday of June, July, August, and September. During the R.R.S. classic cars roll-in to Pierz to park. These cars are works of art and are admired by many. Car owners, admirers, and pedestrians can find local food stands, business specials, and entertainment throughout town. The Pierz Commercial Club sponsors the event and provides prizes for classic car owners. In 2015, the prizes totaled over $1,000. Pierz is home to Independent School District 484, where close to 1,200 students are served in grades preK-12. Students are offered a wide variety of outside activities including sports and clubs. The 2017 football season, led by coach Leo Pohlkamp, won the state title.

Notable people

* Joey Browner,

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

(former resident) * Mary Kiffmeyer, Minnesota Secretary of State (1999–2007) * John Stumpf, former CEO,

Wells Fargo Bank Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with a significant global presence. The company operates in 35 countries and serves over 70 million customers worldwide. It is a systemically important fi ...

References

External links

*
Pierz Schools site
{{authority control Cities in Morrison County, Minnesota Cities in Minnesota