Editing Walnut Grove, Minnesota

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

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = CornerWalnutGroveMN.jpg
|image_caption            = U.S. Post Office, First State Bank Building, and water tower in Walnut Grove
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Redwood_County_Minnesota_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Walnut_Grove_Highlighted.svg
|map_caption              = Location of Walnut Grove, Minnesota
|image_map1               =
|map_caption1             =

<!-- 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        = [[Redwood County, Minnesota|Redwood]]

<!-- Government -->
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         = 1874
|established_title2       = Incorporated
|established_date2        = 1879
|established_title3       = 
|established_date3        = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Paulette Koch

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_27.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=July 24, 2022}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 2.82
|area_land_km2            = 2.82
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.09
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.09
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_total         = 751
|population_density_km2   = 265.89
|population_density_sq_mi = 688.36

<!-- 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             = 1211
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|13|30|N|95|28|09|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 56180
|area_code                = [[Area code 507|507]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 27-67846<ref name="GR2">{{Cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=U.S. Census website |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2397182<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2397182}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.walnutgrovemn.org/}}
}}

'''Walnut Grove''' is a city in [[Redwood County, Minnesota|Redwood County]], [[Minnesota]], United States. The population was 871 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name="2010 Census (City)">{{Cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table |title=2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File |website=American FactFinder |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=April 27, 2011}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Another name formerly associated with the area is '''Walnut Station'''.<ref name="epodunk.com">{{Cite web |url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=21523 |title=Profile for Walnut Grove, Minnesota |website=ePpodunk|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514180128/http://epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=21523|archivedate=May 14, 2019}}</ref>

==History==
In 1862 a massacre occurred at [[Lake Shetek]] that became known as [[Slaughter Slough]].  One of the survivors, Henry W. Smith, escaped and made his way to Walnut Grove to warn the village.  A John Renniker was killed Northeast of Walnut Grove and is included with those that died at the slough.<ref>Shetek Massacre, Layne Lohre and Wendy Lyle, October 29, 1999, The Tracy Headlight Newspaper, August 16, 1962, Lake Shetek Massacre Edition 2024 [http://www.rrcnet.org/~historic/shetekll.htm#:~:text=Easlick%2C%20the%20mother%2C%20and%20the,but%20made%20it%20out%20alive.]</ref>

Walnut Grove was [[plat]]ted in 1874.<ref name="Upham 453">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog |title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance |last=Upham |first=Warren |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society |year=1920 |page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n472 453]}}</ref> It was named for a grove of [[black walnut]] trees near the original town site.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OspBAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA135 |title=A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways |last=Chicago and North Western Railway Company |year=1908 |page=135}}</ref> It was incorporated in 1879.<ref name="Upham 453" />

Walnut Grove gained more than 250 residents between 2001 and 2006. The residents are [[Hmong people|Hmong]]. This has increased the population to nearly 900, and Hmong now comprise 42 percent of the students in the Westbrook-Walnut Grove School District.<ref>{{cite news|author=Erik Posz|url=http://www.redwoodfallsgazette.com/articles/2006/12/19/news/news03.txt |title=It's not just for Norwegians|work=Redwood Gazette|date=December 19, 2006|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610010925/http://www.redwoodfallsgazette.com/articles/2006/12/19/news/news03.txt |archivedate=June 10, 2015 }}</ref>

===Little House===
[[File:MuseumWalnutGroveMN.jpg|thumb|Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove]]
Walnut Grove is the site of the [[Laura Ingalls Wilder]] Museum,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lauraingallswilderhome.com |title=Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum  }}</ref> dedicated to the author of the ''[[Little House on the Prairie]]'' books. Wilder and her family lived in the area for a part of her childhood and the location is the setting for the ''Plum Creek'' part of the ''Little House'' book series. [[Charles Ingalls]], her father, was the community's first justice<ref name="epodunk.com" /> and her only brother, Charles Frederick "Freddy" Ingalls (November 1, 1875 – August 27, 1876), was born in Walnut Grove. The name "Walnut Grove" was also used in the ''Little House on the Prairie'' [[Little House on the Prairie (TV series)|television series]], although the program was filmed in California.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.06|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all  land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{Cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=November 13, 2012}}</ref>

Walnut Grove lies along [[U.S. Route 14 in Minnesota|U.S. Route 14]], which connects it with [[Tracy, Minnesota|Tracy]] to the west and [[Revere, Minnesota|Revere]] to the east. The town is located on [[Plum Creek (Cottonwood River)|Plum Creek]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 153
|1890= 127
|1900= 447
|1910= 366
|1920= 663
|1930= 586
|1940= 753
|1950= 890
|1960= 886
|1970= 756
|1980= 753
|1990= 625
|2000= 599
|2010= 871
|2020= 751
|align-fn=center
|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]
}}

===2010 census===
At the 2010 [[census]],<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{Cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=U.S. Census website |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=November 13, 2012}}</ref> the city had 871 people, 313 households and 210 families. The [[population density]] was {{convert|821.7|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. There were 367 housing units at an average density of {{convert|346.2|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The city's racial make-up was 63.4% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 35.0% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.0% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]] and 0.1% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 313 households, of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present and 32.9% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.53.

The median age was 36.8 years. 31.3% of the city's population was under age 18; 7.9% was from age 18 to 24, 18.3% was from age 25 to 44, 23.1% was from age 45 to 64 and 19.3% was age 65 or older. The city's sex make-up was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.

===2000 census===
At the 2000 census,<ref name="GR2" /> the city had 599 people, 291 households and 178 families. The [[population density]] was {{convert|577.7|/sqmi}}. There were 341 housing units at an average density of {{convert|328.9|/sqmi}}. The city's racial make-up was 97.66% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.67% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.17% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.17% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.17% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] and 0.17% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.17% of the population.

There were 291 households, of which 21.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.67.

19.4% of the city's population was under age 18, 6.5% was from age 18 to 24, 22.7% was from age 25 to 44, 22.7% was from age 45 to 64 and 28.7% was age 65 or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The city's [[median household income]] was $24,013 and the median family income was $34,167. Males had a median income of $24,750 and females $20,192. The [[per capita income]] was $15,637. About 5.0% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
{{Main|WWG Public Schools}}
In the late 1990s, the [[Westbrook, Minnesota|Westbrook]] Wildcats and the Walnut Grove Loggers combined school districts and sports teams to form the Westbrook-Walnut Grove Chargers.

* Schools: one high school in Westbrook (Grades 7–12) and one elementary school in Walnut Grove (Grades K–6)
* Mascot: Chargers
* School colors: [[Red]] and [[Silver (color)|silver]]

==Notable people==
* [[Norman R. DeBlieck]], farmer and Minnesota state legislator<ref>{{cite web | title=Remembering Norman R. DeBlieck | website=Stephens Funeral Service | date=2024-04-26 | url=https://stephensfuneralservice.com/obituaries/norman-r-deblieck/310/ | access-date=2025-03-26}}</ref>
* [[Lester Mondale]], Unitarian minister<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uua.org/programs/ministry/news/obituaries2004.html|title=In Memoriam: Unitarian Universalist Ministers 2003 - 2004|access-date=April 10, 2021|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061221192805/http://www.uua.org/programs/ministry/news/obituaries2004.html|archivedate=December 21, 2006}}</ref>
* [[Leo Thorsness]], Medal of Honor recipient<ref>{{cite news|last1=Goldstein|first1=Richard|title=Leo Thorsness, Decorated Veteran Held Captive With McCain, Dies at 85|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/03/us/obituary-leo-thorsness-dead-vietnam-medal-of-honor.html|accessdate=April 10, 2021|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 4, 2017|page=B15|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
* [[Laura Ingalls Wilder]], author<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hoover.archives.gov/LIW/timeline/timeline.html |title=Laura Ingalls Wilder Timeline |work=Laura Ingalls Wilder |publisher=The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum; National Archives and Records Administration (hoover.archives.gov) |access-date=April 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025222424/http://www.hoover.archives.gov/LIW/timeline/timeline.html |archive-date=October 25, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Sister cities==
{{unreferenced section|date=September 2022}}
* [[Westbrook, Minnesota]], and Walnut Grove are sister cities because Westbrook-Walnut Grove (WWG) Public Schools is distributed between both towns.
* [[De Smet, South Dakota]], and Walnut Grove are sister cities because of the impact that [[Laura Ingalls Wilder]] has had on both of the cities.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.walnutgrovemn.org/ Walnut Grove, Minnesota – city website]
* [http://www.walnutgrove.org/ Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum site]
* {{cite web | last=Atoigue | first=Zeta | title=Day 192: Hmong Community, Walnut Grove, Minnesota | website=APIAHiP | date=July 31, 2024 | url=https://apiahip.org/everyday/day-192-hmong-community-walnut-grove-minnesota | access-date=March 3, 2025}}

{{Redwood County, Minnesota}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Redwood County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1879]]
[[Category:1879 establishments in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Cities in Minnesota]]