The first European likely to have visited the Nobles County area of southwestern Minnesota was French explorer Joseph Nicollet. Nicollet mapped the area between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in the 1830s. He called the region "Sisseton Country" in honor of the Sisseton band of Dakota Indians then living there. It was a rolling sea of wide open prairie grass that extended as far as the eye could see. One small lake in Sisseton Country was given the name "Lake Okabena" on Nicollet's map, "Okabena" being a Dakota word meaning "nesting place of the herons".[8]
The town of Worthington was founded by "Yankees" (immigrants from New England and upstate New York who were descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the 1600s).[9]
In 1871, the St. Paul & Sioux City Railway Company began connecting its two namesake cities with a rail line. The steam engines of that time required a large quantity of water, and water stations were needed every eight to twelve miles (13 to 19km) along their routes. One of these stations, at the site of present-day Worthington, was designated "The Okabena Railway Station".[10]
In the same year, Professor Ransom Humiston of Cleveland, Ohio, and Dr. A.P. Miller, editor of the Toledo Blade, organized a company to locate a colony of New England settlers who had already settled in Northern Ohio along the tracks of the Sioux City and St. Paul Railway. These people were "Yankee" settlers whose parents had moved from New England to the region of Northeast Ohio known as the Connecticut Western Reserve. They were primarily members of the Congregational Church, though due to the Second Great Awakening, many of them had converted to Methodism and Presbyterianism, and some had become Baptists before coming to what is now Minnesota. This colony, the National Colony, was to be a village of temperance, a place where evangelical Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Baptists could live free of the temptations of alcohol. A town was plotted, and the name was changed from the Okabena Railway Station to Worthington, Miller's mother-in-law's maiden name.[11]
On April 29, 1872, regular passenger train service to Worthington started, and on that first train were the first of the National Colony settlers. One early arrival described the scene:
We were among the first members of the colony to arrive at the station of an unfinished railroad… There was a good hotel, well and comfortably furnished, one or two stores neatly furnished and already stocked with goods, [and] several other[s] in process of erection… The streets, scarcely to be defined as such, were full of prairie schooners, containing families waiting until masters could suit themselves with "claims," the women pursuing their housewifely avocations meanwhile—some having cooking stoves in their wagons, others using gypsy fires to do their culinary work; all seeming happy and hopeful.[12]
Some settlers from New England were drinking men, most of them Civil War veterans from Massachusetts and Maine, and they came into conflict with the temperance movement.[13] A curious event took place on Worthington's very first Fourth of July celebration. Hearing that there was a keg of beer in the Worthington House Hotel, Humiston entered the hotel, seized the keg, dragged it outside, and destroyed it with an axe. A witness described what happened next:
Upon seeing this, the young men of the town thought it to be rather an imposition, and collected together, procured the services of the band, and under the direction of a military officer marched to the rear of the hotel, and with a wheelbarrow and shovel took the empty keg that had been broken open, and playing the dead march with flag at half staff marched to the flagpole in front of Humiston's office where they dug a grave and gave the empty keg a burial with all the honors attending a soldier's funeral.
They then, with flag at full mast and with lively air, marched back to the ice house, procured a full keg of beer, returning to the grave, resting the keg thereon. Then a general invitation was given to all who desired to partake, which many did until the keg was emptied... In the evening they reassembled, burning Prof. Humiston in effigy about 10 p.m. Thus ended the glorious Fourth at Worthington, Minn.[14]
Despite tensions between pro- and anti-temperance factions, the town grew rapidly. By the end of summer in 1872, 85 buildings had been constructed where just one year before there had been only a field of prairie grass.
Settlers poured into the region. At first they came almost exclusively from the six New England states due to issues of overpopulation combined with land shortages. Some had come from Upstate New York and had parents and grandparents who had moved to that region from New England during the early 1800s and late 1700s. Due to the large number of New Englanders and New England transplants from upstate New York, Worthington, like much of Minnesota at the time, was very culturally continuous with early New England culture for much of its early history.[9] It was the age of the Homestead Act, when 160 acres (0.65km2) of government land could be claimed for free. All one had to do was live on the land and "improve" it, a vague requirement. In such an atmosphere, settlers without connection to the National Colony also arrived in great number, and few of those were temperance activists. The ensuing winter was severe, and swarms of grasshoppers stripped farmers' fields bare in the summer of 1873. Still, settlers came. 1874 produced a bumper harvest, followed by another grasshopper invasion in 1875. 1876 and 1877 were both good farming years. Grasshoppers returned for the last time in 1879, and a bright future began for southwestern Minnesota. According to the 1880 census, Nobles County had 4,435 residents, 636 of them in Worthington.
In the early 1900s German immigrants began arriving in Worthington in large numbers, not directly from Germany, but mostly from other places in the midwest, especially Ohio, where their communities had already been established.[15]
Unlike in other parts of the country, the Germans did not face xenophobia in Nobles County, but were welcomed by the Yankee population. This led to many writing back to Ohio, which led to chain migration to the region, greatly increasing the German-American population.[15] The "Yankee" population of Americans of English descent did not come into conflict with the German-American community for much of their early history together, but the two communities were divided on the issue of World War I, the Yankee community divided about and the Germans unanimously opposed to American entry into the war. The Yankee community was generally pro-British, but many also did not want the United States to enter the war. The Germans were sympathetic to Germany and did not want the United States to enter into a war against Germany, but the Germans were not anti-British. Before World War I, many German community leaders in Minnesota and Wisconsin spoke openly and enthusiastically about how much better America was than Germany, due primarily (in their eyes) to the presence of English law and the English political culture the Americans had inherited from the colonial era, which they contrasted with the turmoil and oppression in Germany they had so recently fled.[16] Other immigrant groups followed the Germans, including settlers from Ireland, Norway and Sweden.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.337 square miles (24.18km2), of which, 7.952 square miles (20.60km2) is land and 1.385 square miles (3.59km2) is water.[2]
Climate
Climate data for Worthington 2 NNE, Minnesota (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1971−present)
The U.S. Bureau of Census now classifies Worthington as a micropolitan area, with a population of 20,508. The area has had a relatively high level of immigration, mostly Hispanics, in the early 21st century.[23] Some sources credit this immigration trend for revitalizing the city's economy, which had been constrained by a shrinking population.[23]
As of the 2022 American Community Survey, there are 4,570 estimated households in Worthington with an average of 2.92 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $58,690. Approximately 15.4% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line. Worthington has an estimated 62.4% employment rate, with 15.8% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 70.3% holding a high school diploma.
The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (54.5%), Spanish (32.7%), Indo-European (0.4%), Asian and Pacific Islander (7.0%), and Other (5.4%).
The median age in the city was 33.1 years.
2020 census
Worthington, Minnesota – racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the 2020 census, there were 13,947 people, 4,503 households, and 3,089 families residing in the city.[27] The population density was 1,773.8 inhabitants per square mile (684.9/km2). There were 4,737 housing units at an average density of 602.4 inhabitants per square mile (232.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 40.53% White, 6.79% African American, 2.88% Native American, 9.14% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 28.72% from some other races and 11.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 47.03% of the population.[28] 29.0% of residents were under the age of 18, 8.8% were under 5 years of age, and 15.6% were 65 and older.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 12,764 people, 4,458 households, and 2,917 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,740.0 inhabitants per square mile (671.8/km2). There were 4,699 housing units at an average density of 640.2 inhabitants per square mile (247.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 62.17% White, 5.47% African American, 0.71% Native American, 8.65% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 20.53% from some other races and 2.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 35.42% of the population.
There were 4,458 households, of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.6% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.36.
The median age in the city was 33.5 years. 26.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.1% were from 25 to 44; 21.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.1% male and 48.9% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 11,283 people, 4,311 households, and 2,828 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,578.9 inhabitants per square mile (609.6/km2). There were 4,573 housing units at an average density of 639.9 inhabitants per square mile (247.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 76.81% White, 1.91% African American, 0.49% Native American, 7.06% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 11.49% from some other races and 2.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 19.28% of the population.
There were 4,311 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,250, and the median income for a family was $44,643. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,880 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,078. About 9.1% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
Worthington hosts many annual events: Windsurfing Regatta & Music Festival (June), International Festival (July), King Turkey Day (September), and Holiday Parade (November).
The mayor of Worthington is Rick von Holdt. City council members meet in City Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of every month to discuss objectives and goals for the city.[32] The city is divided into two wards, with one at-large council member. The mayor and council members are elected to four-year terms. Current Worthington city council members, in addition to Von Holdt, include:[33]
Larry Janssen, 1st Ward
Chris Kielblock, 1st Ward
Mike Kuhle, 2nd Ward
Amy Ernst, 2nd Ward
Chad Cummings, At Large
Education
Worthington is served by Independent School District 518. Worthington's school mascot is the Trojan, and its high school athletic teams play in the Big South Conference.[34] ISD 518 is known regionally[35] for its robust music program offerings, with band, string orchestra, choir, and theater ensembles open to all students.[36] Worthington Senior High School's 'Spirit of Worthington' Trojan Marching Band, with over 160 members, is an ensemble that has performed nationally 5 times. The Trojans' performances included two at the 75th and 78th annual McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago in 2008 and 2011, respectively.[37][38] In 2019, the Trojans were a featured band at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia.[39][40]
Worthington Christian School, which serves grades K-8.
St. Mary's Elementary School, which serves grades K-6.
Worthington's local higher education institution is Minnesota West Community and Technical College. Minnesota West's Worthington campus is a two-year college that offers associate degrees in a wide variety of majors, along with diplomas and certificates in areas from practical nursing to accounting, among others.[41]
Worthington and the surrounding area are served by the Nobles County Library, part of the Plum Creek Library System, which is based in the city.
The Globe serves Worthington, Nobles County, and surrounding areas with a print newspaper, an e-paper and website. It was purchased by the Forum Communications Company in 1995 and publishes a print edition on Wednesdays and an e-edition on Saturdays.[42][43]
There is a sister-city relationship between Worthington and Crailsheim, Germany, the first such relationship in history between an American and a German city.[44] The relationship began in 1947, when Martha (Cashel) McCarthy and her parents led a campaign to collect clothing and food for Crailsheim's citizens (who had endured the destruction of 90% of their city ten days prior to the end of World War II).[45]
Nobles County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,290. Its county seat is Worthington. Nobles County comprises the Worthington, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Osceola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census the population was 6,192, making it the state's fifth-least populous county. It is named for Seminole war chief Osceola. The county seat is Sibley, named for H. H. Sibley of Minnesota.
Worthington is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. The population was 382 at the time of the 2020 census, up from 381 in 2000. Iowa Highway 136 passes through Worthington, which is situated north of Cascade and south of Dyersville.
Ham Lake is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. It is a suburb in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. The population was 15,296 at the 2010 census. It is in the Anoka-Hennepin School District, one of Minnesota's largest school districts.
Okabena is a town in Jackson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 203 at the 2020 census. The community's name is a Dakota term meaning "the nesting place of herons."
Fulda is a city in Murray County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,371 at the 2020 census, up from 1,318 in 2010.
Slayton is a city in and the county seat of Murray County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,013 at the 2020 census.
Bigelow is a city in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 235 at the 2010 census.
Bloom Township is a township in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 213 at the 2000 census.
Ransom Township is a township in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 271 at the 2000 census.
Rushmore is a town in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 365 at the 2020 census.
Worthington Township is a township in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 316 at the 2000 census.
Hector is a city in Renville County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,012 at the 2020 census.
Arlington is a city in Sibley County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,233 at the 2010 census.
St. Joseph or Saint Joseph is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 7,029 at the 2020 census. It is home to the College of Saint Benedict.
New Germany is a city in Carver County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 372 at the 2010 census. A large proportion of the early settlers being natives of Germany caused the name to be selected.
Worthington is a borough in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 594 at the 2020 census.
Stanton is a city in and the county seat of Martin County, Texas, United States. Stanton was founded as Marienfeld by German immigrants that were some of the first settlers in this region of Texas. The population was 2,657 at the 2020 census.
Ortonville is a city in and the county seat of Big Stone County in the U.S. state of Minnesota at the southern tip of Big Stone Lake, along the South Dakota border. The population was 2,021 at the 2020 census. Big Stone Lake State Park is nearby.
Brooten is a city in Stearns and Pope counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota, United States. The population was 626 as of the 2020 census. Almost the entire city is within Stearns County, with a small portion in Pope County.
References
↑ "City Council". City of Worthington, Minnesota. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
↑ "Station: Worthington 2 NNE, MN". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
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