St. Charles, Minnesota

St. Charles, Minnesota
City
1910 postcard from St. Charles
Nickname(s): Gateway to Whitewater
Motto: City with a Smile
Location of St. Charles, Minnesota
Coordinates: 43°58′11″N 92°3′51″W / 43.96972°N 92.06417°W / 43.96972; -92.06417
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Winona
Government
• Type	Mayor - Council
• Mayor	John Schaber[1]
• Administrator	Nick Koverman
Area[2]
• Total	3.86 sq mi (10.00 km2)
• Land	3.86 sq mi (10.00 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	1,129 ft (344 m)
Population (2010)[3]
• Total	3,735
• Estimate (2012[4])	3,699
• Density	967.6/sq mi (373.6/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	55972
Area code(s)	507
FIPS code	27-56788[5]
GNIS feature ID	0650549[6]
Website	www.stcharlesmn.org

St. Charles is a city in Winona County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,735 at the 2010 census.^[7] It promotes itself as the gateway to Whitewater State Park, which is located 7 miles (11 km) north of the city on Minnesota State Highway 74.

History

St. Charles was laid out in 1854, and named for Saint Charles Borromeo (1538–1584), an Italian saint and cardinal.^[8] A post office has been in operation at St. Charles since 1855.^[9] St. Charles was incorporated in 1870.^[8]

The city was evacuated on April 17, 2009, when a large fire at North Star Foods, a poultry processing plant, threatened anhydrous ammonia tanks.^[10] Residents were allowed to return the next day.^[11]

Geography and transportation

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.86 square miles (10.00 km²), all of it land.^[2]

U.S. Highway 14 bisects the city from east to west, as does the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad. Minnesota State Highway 74 goes through the city from south to north, running along Whitewater Avenue, also known as Main Street. A freeway entrance to Interstate 90 is immediately south of the city.

The Whitewater River runs through the northern part of the city.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census^[3] of 2010, there were 3,735 people, 1,416 households, and 985 families residing in the city. The population density was 967.6 inhabitants per square mile (373.6/km²). There were 1,532 housing units at an average density of 396.9 per square mile (153.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.8% White, 0.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.5% Asian, 3.0% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.8% of the population.

There were 1,416 households of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.4% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.15.

The median age in the city was 35.8 years. 28% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.3% were from 25 to 44; 22.8% were from 45 to 64; and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.6% male and 50.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 3,295 people, 1,238 households, and 870 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,005.3 people per square mile (387.9/km²). There were 1,276 housing units at an average density of 389.3 per square mile (150.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.62% White, 0.97% African American, 0.27% Native American, 3.61% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 2.70% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.95% of the population.

There were 1,238 households out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,813, and the median income for a family was $50,375. Males had a median income of $31,653 versus $23,173 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,727. About 7.5% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

St. Charles is part of the St. Charles School District and houses both the elementary and high school. There is also St. Charles Public Library.

Art and culture

The annual city festival is Gladiolus Days which is always held the weekend before labor day in August. It honors the late Carl H. Fischer, a local resident who developed many varieties of that flower. Fischer created a business called Noweta Gardens which developed hundreds of different varieties of Gladiolus. The community gained the title of "Gladiolus Capitol of the World".

Notable people

• Erastus Milo Cravath (1833–1900), field secretary with the American Missionary Association, spent his last years at St. Charles
• P/O Arthur Donahue (1913–1942), pilot who fought for the RAF and died during the Battle of Britain
• Carl H. Fischer (1907–2005), floriculturalist
• Brad Nessler, ESPN commentator

References

External links

• City Website

• 
  Historic Trinity Episcopal Church, now a city park
• 
  House of Hidden Treasure, one of the oldest homes in the city, now an antique shop
• 
  North Star Foods the day after it was destroyed by fire

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
Townships	Dresbach Elba Fremont Hart Hillsdale Homer Mt. Vernon New Hartford Norton Pleasant Hill Richmond Rollingstone Saratoga St. Charles Utica Warren Whitewater Wilson Wiscoy
CDP	Homer
Unincorporated communities	Beaver Bethany Centerville Clyde Donehower Dresbach Fremont Lamoille Nodine Pickwick Pine Creek‡ Ridgeway Saratoga Troy Wilson Witoka Wyattville
Ghost towns	Ashton Enterprise Grover Whitewater Falls
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Coordinates: 43°58′18.84″N 92°3′53.64″W / 43.9719000°N 92.0649000°W / 43.9719000; -92.0649000