Bigelow, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Bigelow is a city in Nobles County
, Minnesota
, United States
. The population was 235 at the 2010 census.
, the city has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land. The town of Bigelow is located in southcentral Nobles County
in section 31 of Bigelow Township. The southern corporate limit of the town is defined by the Iowa
border.
Main highways include:
Other important transportation:
. The first two were Worthington
and Brewster
. All three towns appeared on the map in 1871, though Bigelow remained nothing more than that - a spot on a map - until the spring of 1872, when the tracks of the St. Paul & Sioux City Railway reached the site of the present-day town. Throughout the summer of 1872, the site was occupied only by a large tent which furnished shelter for the construction crew. A railroad depot was constructed in September 1872, and Mr. S. O. Morse assumed duties as station agent. He went into partnership with a man named Frothingham, and the two established a small grocery store in the depot. This was the only business established in 1872.
Source of Name: Even before railroad tracks had reached present-day Bigelow, the town's future name had been decided. It was named after Charles Henry Bigelow. Bigelow was president of the St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company. He was also a director of the St. Paul & Sioux City Railway, and the board decided to flatter him by naming a new town after him. Bigelow Township was also named after Mr. Bigelow. There is no record of Charles Bigelow visiting the town that bears his name, though it is likely he passed through on the railroad that he helped to create.
Incorporation: The townsite was platted and a dedication was made on September 24, 1873. Two new business came to town in 1873. S. D. Tinnes opened a general merchandise store and John DeBoos and John Colvin opened a hardware store. A grain dealer, a lumber yard, and a coal business were established in 1874. A school house was also built in that year and began that fall with 24 students. The village grew slowly. The 1880 census gave Bigelow a population of only 28. (One must assume that many of the 24 students enrolled in the Bigelow school resided on farms outside of the village.) Charles L. Davidson, of Hull, Iowa
, purchased the townsite on January 25, 1892, and decided to "boom the town", or attract investment and settlers. His efforts apparently paid off, for by 1894, Bigelow claimed 150 residents. A census taken on November 16, 1899, counted 224 residents. On February 13, 1900, an election was held, and by a vote of 37 to 6 it was decided that the time had come for municipal government. The first president of Bigelow was a Mr. W. C. Wyatt.
Bigelow Today: According to the 2000 census, Bigelow has a population of 231. Perhaps a half-dozen businesses exist in the town. In recent years, Minnesota State Highway 60
, which once passed directly through town, was upgraded to four-lanes, and bypassed Bigelow entirely. Bigelow does not have a public school. Children attend school either in nearby Worthington
or in Ellsworth
. Minnesota's open-enrollment law gives them this option.
of 2000, there were 231 people, 87 households, and 62 families residing in the city. The population density
was 610.7 people per square mile (234.7/km²). There were 96 housing units at an average density of 253.8 per square mile (97.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.64% White, 0.43% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 6.06% from other races
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.36% of the population.
There were 87 households out of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 111.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,750, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $30,417 versus $18,125 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,227. About 13.2% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of eighteen and 21.9% of those sixty five or over.
, represented by Mankato
educator Tim Walz
, a Democrat
. At the state level, Bigelow is located in Senate
District 22, represented by Republican
Doug Magnus
, and in House
District 22B, represented by Republican Rod Hamilton
.
Brad Meester, and Ryan Weber. The city of Bigelow and Bigelow Township are represented by Nobles County Commissioner David Benson.
Nobles County, Minnesota
Nobles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 21,378. Its county seat is Worthington.-Geography:...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 235 at the 2010 census.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land. The town of Bigelow is located in southcentral Nobles County
Nobles County, Minnesota
Nobles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 21,378. Its county seat is Worthington.-Geography:...
in section 31 of Bigelow Township. The southern corporate limit of the town is defined by the Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
border.
Main highways include:
Minnesota State Highway 60Minnesota State Highway 60Minnesota State Highway 60 is a highway in southern Minnesota, which runs from Iowa Highway 60 at the Iowa state line and continues east-northeast to its eastern terminus at the Wisconsin state line , where the route becomes Wisconsin Highway 25 upon crossing the Mississippi River.Highway 60 is...
Other important transportation:
- Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
History
Beginnings: The town of Bigelow was the third community to come into existence in Nobles CountyNobles County, Minnesota
Nobles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 21,378. Its county seat is Worthington.-Geography:...
. The first two were Worthington
Worthington, Minnesota
Worthington is a city in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 12,764 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nobles County.The city's site was first settled in the 1870s as Okabena Station on a line of the Chicago, St...
and Brewster
Brewster, Minnesota
Brewster is a city in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 473 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Brewster has a total area of , all of it land. It is located one-half mile from the Jackson County line, on section 25 of Hersey Township...
. All three towns appeared on the map in 1871, though Bigelow remained nothing more than that - a spot on a map - until the spring of 1872, when the tracks of the St. Paul & Sioux City Railway reached the site of the present-day town. Throughout the summer of 1872, the site was occupied only by a large tent which furnished shelter for the construction crew. A railroad depot was constructed in September 1872, and Mr. S. O. Morse assumed duties as station agent. He went into partnership with a man named Frothingham, and the two established a small grocery store in the depot. This was the only business established in 1872.
Source of Name: Even before railroad tracks had reached present-day Bigelow, the town's future name had been decided. It was named after Charles Henry Bigelow. Bigelow was president of the St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company. He was also a director of the St. Paul & Sioux City Railway, and the board decided to flatter him by naming a new town after him. Bigelow Township was also named after Mr. Bigelow. There is no record of Charles Bigelow visiting the town that bears his name, though it is likely he passed through on the railroad that he helped to create.
Incorporation: The townsite was platted and a dedication was made on September 24, 1873. Two new business came to town in 1873. S. D. Tinnes opened a general merchandise store and John DeBoos and John Colvin opened a hardware store. A grain dealer, a lumber yard, and a coal business were established in 1874. A school house was also built in that year and began that fall with 24 students. The village grew slowly. The 1880 census gave Bigelow a population of only 28. (One must assume that many of the 24 students enrolled in the Bigelow school resided on farms outside of the village.) Charles L. Davidson, of Hull, Iowa
Hull, Iowa
Hull is a city in Sioux County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,960 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hull is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, purchased the townsite on January 25, 1892, and decided to "boom the town", or attract investment and settlers. His efforts apparently paid off, for by 1894, Bigelow claimed 150 residents. A census taken on November 16, 1899, counted 224 residents. On February 13, 1900, an election was held, and by a vote of 37 to 6 it was decided that the time had come for municipal government. The first president of Bigelow was a Mr. W. C. Wyatt.
Bigelow Today: According to the 2000 census, Bigelow has a population of 231. Perhaps a half-dozen businesses exist in the town. In recent years, Minnesota State Highway 60
Minnesota State Highway 60
Minnesota State Highway 60 is a highway in southern Minnesota, which runs from Iowa Highway 60 at the Iowa state line and continues east-northeast to its eastern terminus at the Wisconsin state line , where the route becomes Wisconsin Highway 25 upon crossing the Mississippi River.Highway 60 is...
, which once passed directly through town, was upgraded to four-lanes, and bypassed Bigelow entirely. Bigelow does not have a public school. Children attend school either in nearby Worthington
Worthington, Minnesota
Worthington is a city in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 12,764 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nobles County.The city's site was first settled in the 1870s as Okabena Station on a line of the Chicago, St...
or in Ellsworth
Ellsworth, Minnesota
Ellsworth is a city in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 463 at the 2010 census. The local school district is the Ellsworth Public School.-Geography:...
. Minnesota's open-enrollment law gives them this option.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 231 people, 87 households, and 62 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 610.7 people per square mile (234.7/km²). There were 96 housing units at an average density of 253.8 per square mile (97.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.64% White, 0.43% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 6.06% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.36% of the population.
There were 87 households out of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 111.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,750, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $30,417 versus $18,125 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,227. About 13.2% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of eighteen and 21.9% of those sixty five or over.
Politics
Bigelow is located in Minnesota's 1st congressional districtMinnesota's 1st congressional district
Minnesota's 1st congressional district extends across southern Minnesota from the border with South Dakota to the border with Wisconsin. The First District is primarily a rural district built on a strong history of agriculture, although this is changing rapidly due to strong population growth in...
, represented by Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
educator Tim Walz
Tim Walz
Timothy James Walz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party .The district comprises the state's southern end, running along the entire border with Iowa...
, a Democrat
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
. At the state level, Bigelow is located in Senate
Minnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...
District 22, represented by Republican
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
Doug Magnus
Doug Magnus
Douglas Rudy "Doug" Magnus is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate, representing District 22, which includes all of Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone and Rock counties in the southwestern part of the state...
, and in House
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
District 22B, represented by Republican Rod Hamilton
Rod Hamilton
Rodney W. "Rod" Hamilton is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 22B, which includes all or portions of Cottonwood, Jackson and Nobles counties in the southwestern part of the state...
.
Local Politics
The mayor of Bigelow is Bryan Brandt. City Council members are Terry Neugebauer, Robert Paplow,Brad Meester, and Ryan Weber. The city of Bigelow and Bigelow Township are represented by Nobles County Commissioner David Benson.