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Minnesota Counties
There are eighty-seven Counties in Minnesota. On October 27, 1849 nine large Minnesota Counties were created. Among them were Benton, Dahkotah, Itasca, Ramsey, Mahkahta, Pembina, Wabashaw, Washington, and Wahnata. Of those Benton, Dakota, Itasca, Ramsey, Wabasha, and Washington still exist as their original name. With the creation of Kittson County on March 9, 1878, Pembina County no longer existed. When Minnesota was organized as a state, 57 of the present 87 Counties were established. The last county to be created was Lake of the Woods County in 1923Waseca County, Minnesota
Waseca County Education, Geography, and History
Waseca County is a county located in the state of Minnesota. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 19,136. Its county seat is Waseca
Etymology - Origin of Waseca County Name
Waseca is a Dakota word meaning "rich and fertile," apparently in reference to the soil found in the county.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Waseca County History
The Santee branch of the Dakota Indians inhabited the land of Waseca County before the first white settlers located
here. The Asa and Eliza Sutlief family filed the first claim in the county in Wilton Township in 1854. By the time the county was organized in
1857, most of the areas in the county were established except Alton and Freedom Townships and the western edge of St. Mary and Wilton
Townships, where a portion of the Winnebago Indian Reservation existed until 1863. When the Winnebagos were moved the land was opened for
settlement. Settlers arrived, established homes and rural communities or villages were founded. Some of these early communities have become
"memory towns,"vanishing into the landscape. Others have remained and flourished.
Waseca is a Dakota word, which means rich, especially in provisions. In Dakota writing and books the word waseca is spelled as we spell the
name and is used to mean fertile. The soil in Waseca County is very fertile. The name Waseca was first applied to the earliest farming
settlement in 1855, near the present city of Waseca.
Waseca is located in Woodville Township and is the county seat for Waseca County. The city of Waseca was platted in July 1867, on the line of
the Winona and St. Peter Railroad. Waseca was incorporated as a village on March 2, 1868, and as a city on February 23, 1881. It succeeded
Wilton as the county seat in 1870. The post office began in Woodville in 1864 and was changed to Waseca in 1867.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 433 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 423 square miles (1,100 km2) is
land and 9.6 square miles (25 km2) (2.2%) is water. Waseca is one of seven southern Minnesota counties that have no forest ecosystems, only
prairie and savanna soils exist in these counties.
The Le Sueur River flows through a part of the county.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Rice County (northeast)
- Steele County (east)
- Freeborn County (southeast)
- Faribault County (southwest)
- Blue Earth County (west)
- Le Sueur County (northwest)
Education
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