Winona County, Minnesota

County in Minnesota, United States

County in Minnesota

Winona County

County

Winona County Courthouse

Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota

Minnesota's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 43°59′N 91°46′W﻿ / ﻿43.98°N 91.77°W﻿ / 43.98; -91.77
Country|  United States
State|  Minnesota
Founded| February 23, 1854
Named after| Winona (Native American)
Seat| Winona
Largest city| Winona
Area

• Total

| 642 sq mi (1,660 km2)
• Land| 626 sq mi (1,620 km2)
• Water| 15 sq mi (40 km2)  2.4%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 49,671

• Estimate

(2024)

| 49,973
• Density| 77/sq mi (30/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 1st
Website| www.co.winona.mn.us

Winona County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, its population was 49,671.[1] Its county seat is Winona.[2] Winona County comprises the Winona Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## History

[edit]

Maiden's Rock, from which legend has it the Dakota maiden named Winona leapt to her deathWinona County History Center

The Wisconsin Territory was established by the federal government effective July 3, 1836, and existed until its eastern portion was granted statehood (as Wisconsin) in 1848. The federal government set up the Minnesota Territory effective March 3, 1849. The newly organized territorial legislature created nine counties across the territory in October of that year. One of those counties, Wabasha, had its southern section partitioned off on March 5, 1853, into a new county, Fillmore. On February 23, 1854, the legislature partitioned the northern part of Fillmore County, plus a small section of Wabasha, to create Winona County, with the village of Winona as county seat.[3] The county name was taken from the village name, which is said to derive from a Dakota legend about a woman, Winona (a relative of Chief Wabasha), who was betrothed to a warrior she did not love. Rather than marry him, she jumped to her death from a rock on Lake Pepin now called "Maiden's Rock".[4] This is known as the Winona legend.[5]

The county boundaries have not changed since 1854.

## Geography

[edit]

Soils of Winona County[6]

Winona County lies on Minnesota's border with Wisconsin and is part of the driftless area that defines southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois. The Mississippi, flowing south-southeast, defines the county's eastern border. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (St. Paul District[7]) maintains the region's lock-and-dam system.

The Whitewater River flows north-northeast through the northwest part of the county toward its discharge into the Mississippi just above Winona County. The eastern part of the county drains into the Mississippi by east-flowing streams including Rollingstone Creek, Garvin Brook, Cedar Creek, and Big Trout Creek. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills with the east portion particularly etched by drainages and lightly sprinkled with lakes. The land is devoted to agriculture where possible.[8] The terrain slopes to the south and east,[9] with its highest point at 1,365 ft (416 m) ASL on a hill two miles (3.2 km) east of Wilson.[10] The county has an area of 642 square miles (1,660 km2), of which 626 square miles (1,620 km2) is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) (2.4%) is water.[11]

Winona County borders Wabasha County, Olmsted County, Fillmore County and Houston County.

### Transit

[edit]

* Winona Transit Service
* Jefferson Lines
* Amtrak (Empire Builder)

### Major highways

[edit]

* Interstate 90
* U.S. Highway 14
* U.S. Highway 61
* Minnesota State Highway 43
* Minnesota State Highway 74
* Minnesota State Highway 76
* Minnesota State Highway 248

### Public airports

[edit]

* Winona Municipal Airport (ONA) (Max Conrad Field), NW of Winona

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Wabasha County \- northwest
* Buffalo County, Wisconsin \- north
* Trempealeau County, Wisconsin \- northeast
* La Crosse County, Wisconsin \- east
* Houston County \- south
* Fillmore County \- southwest
* Olmsted County \- west

### Protected areas[8]

[edit]

* Great River Bluffs State Park
* John A Latsch State Park
* Richard John Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
* Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (part)
* Whitewater State Park
* Whitewater State Wildlife Management Area (part)
* Callahan Unit
* McCarthy Ravine Unit
* South Branch Unit
* Upper South Branch Unit

### Lakes[8]

[edit]

* Airport Lake
* Bartlet Lake
* Bollers Lake
* Hunters Lake
* Lake Goodview
* Lake Winona
* Rileys Lake

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1860| 9,208| | —
1870| 22,319| | 142.4%
1880| 27,107| | 21.5%
1890| 33,797| | 24.7%
1900| 35,686| | 5.6%
1910| 33,398| | −6.4%
1920| 33,653| | 0.8%
1930| 35,144| | 4.4%
1940| 37,795| | 7.5%
1950| 39,841| | 5.4%
1960| 40,937| | 2.8%
1970| 44,409| | 8.5%
1980| 46,256| | 4.2%
1990| 47,828| | 3.4%
2000| 49,985| | 4.5%
2010| 51,461| | 3.0%
2020| 49,671| | −3.5%
2024 (est.)| 49,973| [12]| 0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2020[1]

### 2020 census

[edit]

Winona County Racial Composition[17] Race  | Num.  | Perc.

|
|

White (NH)  | 44,178  | 88.9%
Black or African American (NH)  | 892  | 1.8%
Native American (NH)  | 84  | 0.2%
Asian (NH)  | 933  | 1.9%
Pacific Islander (NH)  | 0  | 0%
Other/Mixed (NH)  | 1,695  | 3.41%
Hispanic or Latino | 1,889  | 3.8%

### 2000 census

[edit]

2022 US Census population pyramid for Winona County, from ACS 5-year estimates

As of the census of 2000, there were 49,985 people, 18,744 households, and 11,696 families in the county. The population density was 79.8 per square mile (30.8/km2). There were 19,551 housing units at an average density of 31.2 per square mile (12.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.80% White, 0.77% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.87% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. 1.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 41.8% were of German, 13.9% Norwegian, 9.9% Polish and 7.4% Irish ancestry.

There were 18,744 households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.30% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.60% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.04.

The county population contained 22.80% under the age of 18, 18.60% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,700, and the median income for a family was $49,845. Males had a median income of $31,926 versus $23,406 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,077. About 5.60% of families and 12.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

In 2016, Winona County planning commissioners voted to approve new permits for existing commercial dog breeding operations, also known as "puppy mills", despite overwhelming evidence of animal cruelty and neglect. Due to the high number of kennels in the county, Winona county has earned the dubious title "Puppy Mill Capital of Minnesota".[18]

## Micropolitan Statistical Area

[edit]

See also: List of metropolitan areas of the United States

The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has designated Winona County as the Winona, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA), with Winona as its principal city.[19] The US Census Bureau ranked this μSA as the 591st most populous Core Based Statistical Area of the United States as of April 1, 2020.

## Politics

[edit]

Winona County has historically been a swing county at the federal level, but in the 21st century leans Democratic. Winona County's seat is considered a college town[20] due to the presence of Winona State University and Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. In 2016, the county backed Donald Trump, the first time a Republican presidential nominee carried the county since 1988. In 2020, the county backed Joe Biden with a plurality. Trump won the county again in 2024, this time with 51% of the vote.[21] In the 2022 elections, Winona County voted for the Republican nominee for all statewide offices.

United States presidential election results for Winona County, Minnesota[22] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 14,288  | 51.40% | 12,929  | 46.51%  | 580  | 2.09%
2020 | 13,227  | 48.68%  | 13,333  | 49.07% | 613  | 2.26%
2016 | 12,122  | 46.49% | 11,366  | 43.59%  | 2,586  | 9.92%
2012 | 11,480  | 42.16%  | 14,980  | 55.01% | 772  | 2.83%
2008 | 10,975  | 39.29%  | 16,308  | 58.38% | 652  | 2.33%
2004 | 12,686  | 46.26%  | 14,231  | 51.90% | 505  | 1.84%
2000 | 10,773  | 45.04%  | 11,069  | 46.28% | 2,076  | 8.68%
1996 | 7,955  | 36.80%  | 10,272  | 47.52% | 3,389  | 15.68%
1992 | 8,585  | 35.02%  | 9,707  | 39.59% | 6,226  | 25.39%
1988 | 11,012  | 50.92% | 10,310  | 47.68%  | 302  | 1.40%
1984 | 11,981  | 55.03% | 9,577  | 43.99%  | 212  | 0.97%
1980 | 10,332  | 45.11% | 9,814  | 42.85%  | 2,757  | 12.04%
1976 | 10,436  | 47.62%  | 10,939  | 49.92% | 539  | 2.46%
1972 | 10,910  | 56.45% | 8,080  | 41.81%  | 337  | 1.74%
1968 | 7,998  | 45.85%  | 8,627  | 49.46% | 818  | 4.69%
1964 | 6,345  | 35.71%  | 11,397  | 64.14% | 28  | 0.16%
1960 | 9,271  | 52.14% | 8,484  | 47.72%  | 25  | 0.14%
1956 | 9,743  | 61.30% | 6,048  | 38.05%  | 102  | 0.64%
1952 | 10,723  | 64.51% | 5,834  | 35.10%  | 64  | 0.39%
1948 | 6,880  | 44.93%  | 8,281  | 54.08% | 152  | 0.99%
1944 | 8,296  | 57.19% | 6,117  | 42.17%  | 93  | 0.64%
1940 | 9,599  | 56.83% | 7,187  | 42.55%  | 105  | 0.62%
1936 | 5,353  | 34.42%  | 9,268  | 59.60% | 930  | 5.98%
1932 | 4,751  | 35.70%  | 8,305  | 62.41% | 252  | 1.89%
1928 | 7,459  | 53.16% | 6,484  | 46.21%  | 88  | 0.63%
1924 | 5,670  | 43.53%  | 1,111  | 8.53%  | 6,245  | 47.94%
1920 | 7,888  | 69.81% | 2,896  | 25.63%  | 516  | 4.57%
1916 | 2,916  | 47.94% | 2,907  | 47.80%  | 259  | 4.26%
1912 | 1,042  | 16.54%  | 3,004  | 47.68% | 2,254  | 35.78%
1908 | 3,014  | 48.23%  | 3,072  | 49.16% | 163  | 2.61%
1904 | 3,734  | 61.22% | 2,063  | 33.83%  | 302  | 4.95%
1900 | 3,305  | 47.35%  | 3,436  | 49.23% | 239  | 3.42%
1896 | 3,935  | 51.51% | 3,528  | 46.18%  | 176  | 2.30%
1892 | 2,734  | 39.95%  | 3,701  | 54.08% | 409  | 5.98%

Winona County is represented in the Minnesota House of Representatives by Steve Jacob (R) and Aaron Repinski (R). Jeremy Miller (R) and Steve Drazkowski (R) represent it in the Minnesota Senate. Winona County is in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, which is represented by Brad Finstad (R).[23]

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Altura
* Dakota
* Elba
* Goodview
* La Crescent (mostly in Houston County)
* Lewiston
* Minneiska (partly in Wabasha County)
* Minnesota City
* Rollingstone
* St. Charles
* Stockton
* Utica
* Winona (county seat)

### Census-designated place

[edit]

* Dresbach
* Homer
* Pickwick

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Bethany
* Centerville
* Clyde
* Donehower
* Fremont
* Lamoille
* Nodine
* Oakridge
* Pine Creek
* Ridgeway
* Saratoga
* Troy
* Whitman
* Wilson
* Witoka
* Wyattville

### Ghost towns

[edit]

* Ashton
* Beaver
* Enterprise
* Grover
* Whitewater Falls
* Clyde

### Townships

[edit]

* Dresbach
* Elba
* Fremont
* Hart
* Hillsdale
* Homer
* Mount Vernon
* New Hartford
* Norton
* Pleasant Hill
* Richmond
* Rollingstone
* Saint Charles
* Saratoga
* Utica
* Warren
* Whitewater
* Wilson
* Wiscoy

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Winona County, Minnesota

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
4. ^ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. pp. 581–4.
5. ^ Porter, Cynthya (February 1, 2009). "Homecoming To Explore Roles Of American Indian Women". Winona Daily News (reprinted at Diversity Foundation). Retrieved October 21, 2015.
6. ^ Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 43 - 48. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2.
7. ^ "ASACE St. Paul District".
8. ^ a b c Winona County MN Google Maps (accessed April 24, 2019)
9. ^ "Find an Altitude/Winona County MN" Google Maps (accessed April 19, 2019)
10. ^ Winona County High Point, Minnesota. PeakBagger (accessed April 24, 2019)
11. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
12. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". Retrieved March 18, 2024.
13. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
15. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
16. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
17. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Winona County, Minnesota".
18. ^ Post, Winona. "Winona County's dirty little secret: It's the puppy mill capital of Minnesota - Winona Post > Opinion". www.winonapost.com. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
19. ^ "OMB Bulletin No. 13-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). United States Office of Management and Budget. February 28, 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2017. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
20. ^ "College Towns". American Communities Project. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
21. ^ Simon, Steve (November 21, 2024). "2024 State Canvassing Board Certificate". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 22, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
22. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
23. ^ "Republican Rep. Brad Finstad sworn in to finish Hagedorn's House term". August 12, 2022.

## Further reading

[edit]

* DeLorme's Minnesota Atlas and Gazetteer (ISBN 0-89933-333-8)

## External links

[edit]

* Winona County
* Winona County Health and Demographic Data
* Winona County Board

Places adjacent to Winona County, Minnesota

| Wabasha County | Buffalo County, Wisconsin | Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

|
|

|  |
Olmsted County |

Winona County, Minnesota

| La Crosse County, Wisconsin
|  |
Fillmore County | Houston County |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Winona County, Minnesota, United States

County seat: Winona

Cities|

* Altura
* Dakota
* Elba
* Goodview
* La Crescent‡
* Lewiston
* Minneiska‡
* Minnesota City
* Rollingstone
* St. Charles
* Stockton
* Utica
* Winona

Map of Minnesota highlighting Winona County

Townships|

* Dresbach
* Elba
* Fremont
* Hart
* Hillsdale
* Homer
* Mt. Vernon
* New Hartford
* Norton
* Pleasant Hill
* Richmond
* Rollingstone
* Saratoga
* St. Charles
* Utica
* Warren
* Whitewater
* Wilson
* Wiscoy

CDPs|

* Dresbach
* Homer
* Pickwick

Unincorporated
communities|

* Beaver
* Bethany
* Centerville
* Clyde
* Donehower
* Fremont
* Hart
* Lamoille
* New Hartford
* Nodine
* Oakridge
* Pine Creek‡
* Ridgeway
* Saratoga
* Troy
* Whitman
* Wilson
* Witoka
* Wyattville

Ghost towns|

* Ashton
* Enterprise
* Grover
* Whitewater Falls

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Minnesota portal
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* v
* t
* e

State of Minnesota

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43°59′N 91°46′W﻿ / ﻿43.98°N 91.77°W﻿ / 43.98; -91.77

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