Mankato (/mænˈkeɪtoʊ/
man-KAY-toh) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the
U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Blue Earth County. It is the
21st-largest city in Minnesota and fourth-largest outside of the
Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, with a population of 44,488 at the 2020 census,
while the Mankato–North Mankato metropolitan area has an estimated 105,000
residents.
Mankato lies along a large bend of the Minnesota River at
its confluence with the Blue Earth River. The city is home to Minnesota State
University, the state's second-largest university by enrollment.
History
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, 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...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, 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 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 Blue Earth Rivers 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. A USV military tribunal reviewed
nearly 500 cases, of which 303 received a death sentence, but President Abraham
Lincoln requested the court files. He reviewed them, placing the rape cases at
the top, and pardoning 265. Episcopal Bishop Henry Benjamin Whipple 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 Native
Americans in what is 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 died while traveling
through Mankato on January 13, 1885.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a
total area of 20.229 square miles (52.39 km2), of which 19.879 square miles
(51.49 km2) is land and 0.350 square miles (0.91 km2) is water. The Minnesota,
Blue Earth, and Le Sueur rivers all flow through or near the city.
Mankato, Minnesota
Climate
Mankato has a humid continental climate, 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, 75 miles (121 km) northeast of
Mankato, averages over 54 inches (140 cm) of snow per winter season, compared
to Mankato's seasonal average of 35 inches (89 cm). The coldest month, January,
has an average monthly temperature of around 14 °F (−10 °C). 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 of around 73 °F (22.8 °C). 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 a 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 20 miles (32 km) of Mankato on March 29, 1998, when an F3
tornado hit St. Peter, 13 miles (21 km) to the north. On August 17, 1946,
tornadoes struck the southwestern areas of Mankato and the town of Wells to the
southeast, killing 11 people.
Demographics
Historical population
1870 3,482 —
1880 5,550 59.4%
1890 8,838 59.2%
1900 10,599 19.9%
1910 10,365 −2.2%
1920 12,469 20.3%
1930 14,039 12.6%
1940 15,654 11.5%
1950 18,809 20.2%
1960 23,797 26.5%
1970 30,895 29.8%
1980 28,651 −7.3%
1990 31,477 9.9%
2000 32,427 3.0%
2010 39,309 21.2%
2020 44,488 13.2%
2023 (est.) 45,742 2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census
2020 Census
As of the 2022 American Community Survey, there are 17,605
estimated households in Mankato with an average of 2.31 persons per household.
The city has a median household income of $61,726. Approximately 22.5% of the
city's population lives at or below the poverty line. Mankato has an estimated
71.1% employment rate, with 37.6% of the population holding a bachelor's degree
or higher and 93.6% holding a high school diploma.
The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to
report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than
100%) were English (89.5), Spanish (2.7%), Other Indo-European (1.6%), Asian
and Pacific Islander (2.2%), and Other (3.9%).
The median age in the city was 26.5 years.
2020 census
Mankato, Minnesota – racial and ethnic composition
As of the 2020 census, there were 44,488 people, 17,576
households, and 8,344 families residing in the city. The population density was
2,305.2 inhabitants per square mile (890.0/km2). There were 18,855 housing
units at an average density of 977.0 inhabitants per square mile (377.2/km2).
The racial makeup was 79.02% White, 8.42% African American, 0.53% Native American,
3.83% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.35% from some other races, and 5.79%
from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.82% of the
population, 16.9% of residents were under the age of 18, 5.0% were under 5
years of age, and 12.5% were 65 and older.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 39,309 people, 14,851
households, and 7,093 families residing in the city. The population density was
2,195.3 inhabitants per square mile (847.6/km2). There were 15,784 housing
units at an average density of 881.3 per square mile (340.3/km2). The racial
makeup was 89.94% White, 4.03% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.78%
Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from some other races, and 2.07% from two
or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.93% 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 2000 census, there were 32,427 people, 12,367
households, and 6,059 families residing in the city. The population density was
2,132.5 inhabitants per square mile (823.4/km2). There were 12,759 housing
units at an average density of 839.1 inhabitants per square mile (324.0/km2).
The racial makeup was 92.55% White, 1.90% African American, 0.34% Native
American, 2.81% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from some other races, and
1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic 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 ages 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 median income for a household in the city was $33,956,
and the median income for a family was $47,297. Males had a median income of
$30,889 versus $22,081 for females. The per capita income for the city was
$17,652. 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.
Economy
Top employers
According to the City's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial
Report, the largest employers in the city are:
1 Mankato
Area Public Schools ISD #77 2,123 8.06%
2 Immanuel
St. Joseph's - Mayo Health System 1,300 4.94%
3 Minnesota
State University, Mankato 1,300 4.94%
4 Walmart
Distribution Center 525 1.99%
5 Blue Earth
County 491 1.86%
6 Mankato
Clinic 425 1.61%
7 Mankato
Rehabilitation Center Inc. Industrial Operation 375 1.42%
8 Compeer
Financial 362 1.37%
9 Johnson
Outdoors-Mankato 360 1.37%
10 The City of
Mankato 313 1.19%
— Total
employers 7,574 28.75%
Arts and culture
Major events
Minnesota State University was home to the Minnesota Vikings'
summer training camp for 52 years. The Vikings announced their training camp
would move to Eagan starting in 2018.
Places of interest
The original Happy Chef Restaurant and corporate offices on
U.S. Highway 169
The Betsy & Tacy Houses
Blue Earth County Courthouse, listed on the National
Register of Historic Places (NRHP)
Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota
Federal Courthouse and Post Office (NRHP)
First National Bank of Mankato (NRHP)
First Presbyterian Church (NRHP)
Good Counsel Hill
Happy Chef's original restaurant and company headquarters,
Mankato, is also home to the last surviving 36-foot (11 m) 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, a collegiate summer baseball league
The Cray Mansion (NRHP)
River Hills Mall
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.
Vetter Stone Amphitheater
Library
The Blue Earth County Library, part of the Traverse des
Sioux Library System, serves the city.
Government
Mankato is in Minnesota's 1st congressional district,
represented by Brad Finstad. It is in Minnesota Senate 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, Kato Public Charter School. The alternative school Central
High, on Fulton Street, is another educational option.
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
Rasmussen University
Media
The major daily newspaper in the area is the Mankato Free
Press.
Television
KMNF-LD 7 (NBC/CW)
KEYC-TV 12 (CBS/Fox)
K14KE-D 14 (Independent, repeater of KSTC)
K26CS-D 26 (PBS, repeater of KTCA)
K29IE-D 29 (PBS, repeater of KTCI)
K30FN-D 30 (ABC, repeater of KSTP-TV)
Radio
FM
89.1 FM, KTIS (AM), Christian talk and teaching
89.7 FM, KMSU, college radio
90.5 FM, KNGA, Minnesota Public Radio
91.5 FM, KGAC, classical
93.1 FM, KATO-FM, classic hits
94.1 FM, KXLP, classic rock
94.9 FM, KTIS-FM, contemporary Christian music
95.3 FM, KCMP, 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, adult contemporary
101.7 FM, KMKO-FM, active rock
102.7 FM, KTOE, news/talk
103.1 FM, KFSP, sports talk
103.5 FM, KYSM-FM, country
104.5 FM, KJLY, Christian
105.1 FM, KCMP, adult album alternative
105.5 FM, KRBI-FM, adult contemporary
107.1 FM, KJLY, Christian
AM
860, KNUJ (AM), news/talk
1230, KFSP, sports talk
1420, KTOE, news/talk
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
Mankato's main routes.
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 60
Minnesota State
Highway 83
In popular culture
The protagonist of Sinclair Lewis's 1920 novel Main Street,
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 1996, Don Descy created city-mankato.us as a teaching
tool and example that not everything on the Internet should be believed.
Hotdish
In 2016, Food & Wine credited a 1930 Mankato church
congregation cookbook as the first written record of a hotdish recipe. Many
churches publish cookbooks with recipes submitted by their congregation as fundraisers.
The source included neither the name of the woman who invented the recipe nor
the source. Mankato resident Joyce Nelson had a copy of the 1930 Lutheran
church recipe book, and it was found that the recipe was indeed included in
that year's cookbook. Mrs. C. W. Anderson had submitted a recipe for a "HOT
DISH" made with hamburger, onions, Creamette pasta, celery, a can of
peas, tomato soup, and tomatoes.
Notable people
Barry Anderson, Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme
Court
Walter Jackson Bate, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, was born
in Mankato in 1918
Daniel Buck, Minnesota jurist and politician
Con Bunde, Alaska state legislator and educator
Frederick Russell Burnham, "father of the
international scouting movement," was born near Mankato in 1861
Howard Burnham, mining engineer, born near Mankato in 1870
Joseph Francis Busch, Roman Catholic prelate, Diocese of
Rapid City, Diocese of Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Jimmy Chin, 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
William S. Ervin, Attorney General of Minnesota
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
Milton Hanna, Civil War veteran, Medal of Honor 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, author
Mike Lindell, founder of MyPillow
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 and film-production artist
Edmund Mann Pope, United States military officer,
businessman, and Minnesota state senator
Jeanne Audrey Powers, leader within The United Methodist
Church and advocate for women and LGBTQ+ people in the church
Dudley Riggs, Brave New Workshop, graduated from Minnesota
State University, Mankato.
Joseph Rosser, Secretary of Minnesota Territory 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, 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, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves and
Minnesota Lynx basketball teams
Adam Thielen, NFL wide receiver, Minnesota Vikings,
graduated from Minnesota State University
Arthur S. Thomas, Chief of Chaplains of the US Air Force
John Eaton Tourtellotte, lawyer, Civil War general
Alma Wagen, the first female guide at Mount Rainier National
Park
Tim Walz, 41st Governor of Minnesota, former US
Representative for Minnesota's 1st congressional district, and running mate for
Kamala Harris in the 2024 United States presidential election
Cedric Yarbrough, actor, graduated from Minnesota State
University
Steve Zahn, actor and comedian, was raised in Mankato
Melissa Peterman, actress and comedian, graduated from
Minnesota State University
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mankato,_Minnesota
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