Plato, Minnesota

Last updated

Plato, Minnesota
City
Plato MN 1.jpg
Downtown Plato
McLeod County Minnesota Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Plato Highlighted.svg
Location in McLeod County and the state of Minnesota
Coordinates: 44°46′21″N94°02′23″W / 44.77250°N 94.03972°W / 44.77250; -94.03972 [1]
Country United States
State Minnesota
County McLeod
Area
[2]
 • Total
0.35 sq mi (0.91 km2)
 • Land0.35 sq mi (0.90 km2)
 • Water0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
[1]
994 ft (303 m)
Population
 (2020) [3]
 • Total
329
 • Density948.13/sq mi (366.30/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
55370
Area code 320
FIPS code 27-51460 [4]
GNIS feature ID2396225 [1]

Plato is a city in southeastern McLeod County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 329 at the 2020 census. [3]

Contents

History

A post office called Plato has been in operation since 1858. [5] The city was named for Plato, a Greek philosopher. [6]

At approximately 10:13 PM on Thursday, November 10, 1955, a Studebaker sedan carrying six teenagers was struck by a westbound Milwaukee Road passenger train at one of the town's two railroad crossings, leaving no survivors. The largest loss of life in McLeod County history sent shockwaves across Minnesota and across the country.

The group were out celebrating a farewell party for one of its members: 18-year-old Robert A. Luedtke, who had recently enlisted in the United States Navy and was ordered to leave his home for basic training four days later.

The following people lost their lives in the disaster:

  1. Milton E. Brelje (16) [7]
  2. Roger L. Frauendienst (16) [8]
  3. Margaret A. Fuller (15) [9]
  4. Robert A. Luedtke (18) [10]
  5. Kari M. Olson (16) [11]
  6. Maurice R. Olson (14) [12]

In an investigation made and concluded by the McLeod County Police Department, the primary cause of the accident was the driver's failure of judgement via speeding.

Geography

Plato lies one half mile north of U.S. Highway 212 on a county road between Glencoe, the McLeod county seat, 5 miles (8 km) to the west, and Norwood Young America 6 miles (10 km) to the east. Downtown Minneapolis is 48 miles (77 km) to the east.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.35 square miles (0.91 km2), of which 0.005 square miles (0.013 km2), or 1.42%, are water. [2] Buffalo Creek flows past the northwest corner of the community and the dry Kinneson Lakebed lies to the east and northeast. [13]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880 49—
1890 130165.3%
1900 23278.5%
1910 2382.6%
1920 2515.5%
1930 242−3.6%
1940 28316.9%
1950 263−7.1%
1960 2806.5%
1970 3038.2%
1980 39028.7%
1990 355−9.0%
2000 336−5.4%
2010 320−4.8%
2020 3292.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [14]

2010 census

At the 2010 census, [15] there were 320 people, 139 households and 97 families residing in the city. The population density was 914.3 inhabitants per square mile (353.0/km2). There were 146 housing units at an average density of 417.1 per square mile (161.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.1% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, and 0.9% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.

There were 139 households, of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.2% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.72.

The median age was 44.6 years. 18.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 3.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.2% were from 25 to 44; 31.6% were from 45 to 64; and 17.8% were 65 years of age or older. The population was 50.6% male and 49.4% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, [4] there were 336 people, 144 households and 99 families residing in the city. The population density was 985.0 inhabitants per square mile (380.3/km2). There were 145 housing units at an average density of 425.1 per square mile (164.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.81% White, 0.60% Asian, and 0.60% from two or more races.

There were 144 households, of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.76.

22.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.

The median household income was $55,179 and the median family income was $62,917. Males had a median income of $36,250 compared with $29,018 for females. The per capita income was $24,434. None of the families and 2.8% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 7.1% of those over 64.

References

  1. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Plato, Minnesota
  2. 1 2 "2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Minnesota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  3. 1 2 "P1. Race – Plato city, Minnesota: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ↑ "McLeod County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  6. ↑ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 318.
  7. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101150219/milton-earl-brelje
  8. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32101665/roger-leo-frauendienst
  9. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101149942/margaret-ann-fuller
  10. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115643523/robert-arthur-luedtke
  11. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80161053/kari-marie-olson
  12. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80161190/maurice_randall-olson
  13. ↑ Plato, MN, 7.5 minute topographic quadrangle, USGS, 2016
  14. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  15. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.