St. Cloud, Minnesota: Difference between revisions

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St. Cloud was a [[waystation]] on the Middle and Woods branches of the [[Red River Trails]] between the Canadian border at [[Pembina, North Dakota|Pembina]] and St. Paul. The cart trains often consisted of hundreds of [[Red River ox carts|ox carts]]; the carters would camp west of the city and cross the Mississippi in St. Cloud or in Sauk Rapids, just to the north.
St. Cloud was a [[waystation]] on the Middle and Woods branches of the [[Red River Trails]] between the Canadian border at [[Pembina, North Dakota|Pembina]] and St. Paul. The cart trains often consisted of hundreds of [[Red River ox carts|ox carts]]; the carters would camp west of the city and cross the Mississippi in St. Cloud or in Sauk Rapids, just to the north.


The City of St. Cloud was incorporated in 1856. It developed from three distinct settlements, known as Upper Town, Middle Town, and Lower Town, that were established beginning in 1853.<ref>3 Towns Into 1 City, A Narrative Record of Significant Factors in The Story Of St. Cloud Minnesota.</ref> (The remnants of the deep ravines that separated the three are still visible today.) Middle Town was settled primarily by Catholic [[German-Americans]], who were attracted to the region by Father [[Francis Xavier Pierz]]. Lower Town was founded by settlers from [[New England]] and the [[mid-Atlantic states]]. Upper Town, or Arcadia, was plotted by [[General]] [[Sylvanus Lowry]], a slave-holding Southerner from [[Kentucky]]. Lowry was St. Cloud's first mayor, serving only one year.
The City of St. Cloud was incorporated in 1856. It developed from three distinct settlements, known as Upper Town, Middle Town, and Lower Town, that were established beginning in 1853.<ref>3 Towns Into 1 City, A Narrative Record of Significant Factors in The Story Of St. Cloud Minnesota.</ref> The remnants of the deep ravines that separated the three are still visible today. Middle Town was settled primarily by Catholic [[German-Americans]], who were attracted to the region by Father [[Francis Xavier Pierz]]. Lower Town was founded by settlers from [[New England]] and the [[mid-Atlantic states]]. Upper Town, or Arcadia, was plotted by [[General]] [[Sylvanus Lowry]], a slave-holding Southerner from [[Kentucky]]. Lowry was St. Cloud's first mayor, serving only one year.


Lowry battled [[Abolitionist]] newspaper editor [[Jane Grey Swisshelm]]. At one point Swisshelm's newspaper office was broken into and the press thrown into the Mississippi. St. Cloud's experience with slavery was brief. Lowry and other Southerners left St. Cloud when the Civil War broke out. Lowry died soon after in 1865.
Lowry battled [[Abolitionist]] newspaper editor [[Jane Grey Swisshelm]]. At one point Swisshelm's newspaper office was broken into and the press thrown into the Mississippi. St. Cloud's experience with slavery was brief. Lowry and other Southerners left St. Cloud when the Civil War broke out. Lowry died soon after in 1865.

Revision as of 07:10, 20 January 2008

St. Cloud, Minnesota
City
Nickname: 
The Granite City
Location in the state of Minnesota.
Location in the state of Minnesota.
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountiesStearns, Benton, Sherburne
Founded1856[1]
Government
 • MayorDave Kleis
Area
 • Total30.9 sq mi (80.1 km2)
 • Land30.2 sq mi (78.1 km2)
 • Water0.8 sq mi (2.0 km2)
Elevation
1,030 ft (314 m)
Population
 (2005)
 • Total64,232
 • Density1,959.9/sq mi (756.7/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
56301, 56302, 56303, 56304, 56393, 56397, 56398
Area code320
FIPS code27-56896Template:GR
GNIS feature ID0650559Template:GR
Websitewww.ci.stcloud.mn.us
Red River cart at Saint Cloud

St. Cloud (/ˌseɪntˈklaʊd/) is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the major population center in the state's central region. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 59,107. It is the county seat of Stearns County6. Although mostly in Stearns County, the city extends into Benton County and Sherburne County. The population in 2005 is estimated to be 64,232, with 6,726 in Benton County, 6,629 in Sherburne County, and 50,877 in Stearns County.[2] It is surrounded by a small metropolitan area, with Waite Park, Sauk Rapids, Sartell, St. Joseph and St. Augusta directly bordering the city, and Kimball, Clearwater, Clear Lake, Rockville, and Cold Spring nearby. The Mississippi River flows through the city.

St. Cloud is 65 miles northwest of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area along Interstate Highway 94, U.S. Highway 10, and State Highway 23. It is sometimes considered to be part of the Twin Cities region, and the media markets for the two areas overlap.

History

St. Cloud was a waystation on the Middle and Woods branches of the Red River Trails between the Canadian border at Pembina and St. Paul. The cart trains often consisted of hundreds of ox carts; the carters would camp west of the city and cross the Mississippi in St. Cloud or in Sauk Rapids, just to the north.

The City of St. Cloud was incorporated in 1856. It developed from three distinct settlements, known as Upper Town, Middle Town, and Lower Town, that were established beginning in 1853.[3] The remnants of the deep ravines that separated the three are still visible today. Middle Town was settled primarily by Catholic German-Americans, who were attracted to the region by Father Francis Xavier Pierz. Lower Town was founded by settlers from New England and the mid-Atlantic states. Upper Town, or Arcadia, was plotted by General Sylvanus Lowry, a slave-holding Southerner from Kentucky. Lowry was St. Cloud's first mayor, serving only one year.

Lowry battled Abolitionist newspaper editor Jane Grey Swisshelm. At one point Swisshelm's newspaper office was broken into and the press thrown into the Mississippi. St. Cloud's experience with slavery was brief. Lowry and other Southerners left St. Cloud when the Civil War broke out. Lowry died soon after in 1865.

Stephen Miller was St. Cloud's only citizen to serve as Minnesota governor, beginning in 1863. Miller was a businessman, writer and active abolitionist. He led the state's Republican electoral that voted for Abraham Lincoln in 1860.[4]. With no previous military experience, Miller was promoted from private through the rank of Colonel in the Minnesota's First Regiment of Volunteers.[5]

While in military service, Miller also served as commander of Mankato's Camp Lincoln, where 38 Dakota men were mass executed for their role in the Dakota War of 1862. As governor, Miller supported higher education, including the state normal schools, one of which later became St Cloud State University. In his final legislative address as governor, he made a strong but unsuccessful argument for adopting a black suffrage amendment to the state constitution.

Minnesota had previously been organized as a territory in 1849. The area had been opened to legal ownership by non-Native Americans following treaty negotiations with the Winnebago tribe in 1851 and 1852.

St. Cloud was named after Saint-Cloud, the Paris suburb, by John Wilson, a Maine native with French Huguenot ancestry. Wilson would later relate that his decision came from his interest in Napoleon, whose favorite palace was located in Saint-Cloud.

Steamboats once docked at St. Cloud, although river levels were not reliable. Granite quarries have operated in the area since the 1880s, giving St. Cloud its nickname, "The Granite City."

In 1917, Samuel C. Pandolfo started the Pan Motor Company in St. Cloud. Pandolfo claimed that St. Cloud would become the new Detroit for all the Pan-Cars produced. He was later convicted and imprisoned for attempting to defraud investors.[6]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 30.9 square miles (80.1 km²), of which, 30.2 square miles (78.1 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.0 km²) of it (2.62%) is water.

Climate

St. Cloud lies in the cool summer-type Humid continental climate zone (Köppen Dfb), with warm, humid summers and very cold winters with heavy snowfall. January is the coldest month, with an average high temperature of 19° F (-7° C) and an average low temperature of -1° F (-18° C). July is the warmest month, with an average high of 82° F (28° C) and an average low of 58° F (14° C).

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Avg high °F (°C) 19 (-7) 26 (-3) 38 (3) 55 (13) 69 (21) 77 (25) 82 (28) 79 (26) 69 (21) 56 (13) 37 (3) 23 (-5)
Avg low temperature °F (°C) -1 (-18) 7 (-14) 19 (-7) 32 (0) 44 (7) 53 (12) 58 (14) 55 (13) 46 (8) 34 (1) 20 (-7) 5 (-15)

Transportation

St. Cloud is a regional transportation hub within Minnesota. Major roadways including Interstate Highway 94, U.S. Highway 10, and Minnesota State Highways 15 and 23 pass through the city.[7]

Bus service within the city and to neighboring Sartell and Sauk Rapids is offered through St. Cloud Metro Bus, and there is a Greyhound Lines station downtown. Several rail lines run through the city as well, which is a stop on Amtrak's Empire Builder line. A commuter rail line running from the Twin Cities known as the Northstar Corridor will reach the city in a second phase.

St. Cloud is also home to St. Cloud Regional Airport, which makes daily connecting flights to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport on Northwest Airlines.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 59,107 people, 22,652 households, and 12,254 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,959.9 people per square mile (756.7/km²). There were 23,249 housing units at an average density of 770.9/sq mi (297.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.75% White, 2.37% African American, 0.72% Native American, 3.11% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.

There were 22,652 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.9% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 24.1% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,346, and the median income for a family was $50,460. Males had a median income of $33,670 versus $23,759 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,769. About 5.0% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The city of St. Cloud is served by two major public high schools: St. Cloud Technical and St. Cloud Apollo High School, along with one major private high school: Cathedral High School. St. Cloud Technical Senior High School is the older of the two public high schools, opening in 1917, and is located just west of downtown on the city's south side. Apollo High School was opened in 1970 and serves the expanding north side of the city. Other high schools and secondary schools that serve the city of St. Cloud include: St. Robert Bellarmine's Academy, St. Cloud Christian School, Immaculate Conception Academy, and St. Cloud Alternative Learning Center.

St. Cloud is also home to multiple higher education facilities including the second largest university in the state: St. Cloud State University. As of 2007, there are 17,892 students attending SCSU. Other post-secondary institutions and campuses in St. Cloud include: St. Cloud Technical College (SCTC), Rasmussen College, and the Minnesota School of Business.

Sites of interest

Media

The main newspaper is the St. Cloud Times. ion (previously PAX) network affiliate KPXM (channel 41) is licensed to serve the city, though the signal also covers the Twin Cities region. It carries a lot of news programming from Minneapolis-St. Paul station KARE (channel 11), which has a marketing agreement with channel 41. UTVS (channel 21) serves as the local television station for the city of St. Cloud. The station is student-run by St. Cloud State University.Radio stations include:

Minnesota Public Radio began in nearby Collegeville at St. John's University.

Politics

St. Cloud is in Minnesota's 6th congressional district and is currently represented by Michele Bachmann (R). St. Cloud is in Minnesota House of Representatives district 15A which is currently represented by Steve Gottwalt (R) and 15B, currently represented by Larry Haws (DFL), and represented in State Senate District 15 by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Tarryl Clark (DFL).

Sister cities

See also

References

  1. ^ Dominik, John J. (1986). That You May Find Healing. St. Cloud, Minn: St. Cloud Hospital. p. 5.
  2. ^ "Minnesota population estimates: number and characteristics of the current population". Minnesota Department of Administration. Retrieved 2006-11-14.
  3. ^ 3 Towns Into 1 City, A Narrative Record of Significant Factors in The Story Of St. Cloud Minnesota.
  4. ^ John J. Dominik Jr., "Three Towns Into One City, St. Cloud Minesota, 1976, St Cloud Area Bicentennial Commission, page 13
  5. ^ Minnesota Historical Society "Governors of Minnesota, Stephen Miller, Fourth State Governor"
  6. ^ "Pan History". St Cloud Antique Auto Club, Inc. 2007-01-01. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
  7. ^ "St. Cloud, Minnesota". Google Maps. Retrieved 2007-05-19.

External links

Template:Mapit-US-cityscale

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