Editing Darwin, Minnesota

{{short description|City in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Darwin, Minnesota
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = WaterTowerDarwinMN.jpg
|image_caption            = Darwin water tower
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Meeker_County_Minnesota_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Darwin_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in Meeker County and the state of Minnesota

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Minnesota]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Minnesota|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Meeker County, Minnesota|Meeker]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           =<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023">{{cite web |title=2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Minnesota |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2023_Gazetteer/2023_gaz_place_27.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=January 19, 2024}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 5.38
|area_land_km2            = 5.17
|area_water_km2           = 0.21
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.08
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.00
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.08

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     =<ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US2714842&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Darwin city, Minnesota: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=January 19, 2024}}</ref>
|population_total         = 348
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_est           = 
|population_density_km2   = 67.36
|population_density_sq_mi = 174.44

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      =<ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1109
|coordinates              = {{coord|45|05|49|N|94|24|49|W|region:US-MN|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 55324
|area_code                = [[Area code 320|320]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 27-14842<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2393721<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2393721}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Darwin''' is a city in [[Meeker County, Minnesota|Meeker County]], [[Minnesota]], United States. The population was 348 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020"/>

It is one of several places claiming to be home of the [[Biggest ball of twine|largest ball of twine]] in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/09/twisted-the-battle-to-be-the-worlds-largest-ball-of-twine/379828/|title=Twisted: The Battle to Be the World's Largest Ball of Twine|first=Tim|last=Hwang|date=September 9, 2014|website=The Atlantic}}</ref>

==History==
Darwin was [[plat]]ted in 1869 and named for E. Darwin Litchfield, a major stockholder of the [[Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Upham|first=Warren|title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ShcLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA339|year=1920|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|page=339}}</ref> A post office has been in operation at Darwin since 1869.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MN&county=Meeker |title=Meeker County |publisher=Jim Forte Postal History |accessdate=July 21, 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721232711/http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MN&county=Meeker |archivedate=July 21, 2015 }}</ref>

==Geography==
Darwin is in east-central Meeker County, along [[U.S. Route 12]], which passes through the northeast portion of the city. US 12 leads northwest {{convert|6|mi|0}} to [[Litchfield, Minnesota|Litchfield]], the [[county seat]], and east-southeast {{convert|5|mi|0}} to [[Dassel, Minnesota|Dassel]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Darwin has a total area of {{convert|2.08|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|2.00|sqmi|sqkm|2}} are land and {{convert|0.08|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, or 3.99%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023"/> Turtle Lake lies partly within the city, along its eastern border, while Lake Darwin lies just outside the southeast corner of the city.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 56
|1920= 132
|1930= 156
|1940= 224
|1950= 273
|1960= 273
|1970= 361
|1980= 282
|1990= 252
|2000= 276
|2010= 350
|2020= 348
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=November 13, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 350 people, 139 households, and 91 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|175.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 153 housing units at an average density of {{convert|76.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.4% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.1% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.4% of the population.

There were 139 households, of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 2.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.5% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.10.

The median age in the city was 38.7 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27% were from 25 to 44; 27.5% were from 45 to 64; and 14.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.7% male and 48.3% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 276 people, 119 households, and 79 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|368.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 130 housing units at an average density of {{convert|173.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 92.03% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.72% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 5.80% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.45% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 5.07% of the population.

There were 119 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,286, and the median income for a family was $37,321. Males had a median income of $31,000 versus $22,500 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $16,813.  About 6.0% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 8.5% of those 65 or over.

==Parks and recreation==
[[File:TwineBallMuseumDarwinMN.jpg|thumb|right|The Darwin Twine Ball Museum]]
Darwin is the home of Darwin–Dassel Park.

The Twine Ball Museum is located at Darwin, adjacent to the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota.  It is located on 1st Street and Weird Alley, the latter named for [[Weird Al Yankovic]], the author of the song [[The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota]].

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===
[[U.S. Route 12 in Minnesota|U.S. Highway 12]] serves as a main route in the community. The BNSF main line to Seattle runs through Darwin.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Darwin, Minnesota}}
{{Portal|United States}}

{{Meeker County, Minnesota}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Cities in Meeker County, Minnesota]]