Owatonna, Minnesota
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Owatonna is a city in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 22,434 at the 2000 census. In July of 2005 Owatonna was estimated to have increased in population to 24,133, 7.6% more than in 2000. It is the county seat of Steele County6. Rice Lake State Park is nearby. Owatonna is home to the Steele County Fairgrounds, which hosts the Steele County Free Fair August.
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[edit] History
Owatonna was first settled in 1853 around the ironically named Straight River which is anything but straight. Local legend suggests that the name "Owatonna" is also an ironic name for the river, but the term "Ouitunya" (or straight) refers to the "morally strong traders" and not the rather whimsical and winding river.
In 1883, Owatonna was the site of the State Fair and soon the county established its own fair in Owatonna, the Steele County Free Fair or SCFF, the largest free fair in Minnesota.
All the attention on the area in the late 1800s caused the city administration (and a fly-by-night corporation from which the city administrators profited) to devise a tourism and bottled water scheme in which a fake mystical story centered around a "Princess Owatonna" was concocted. According to the story, Princess Owatonna, daughter of Chief Wabena, fell ill. The chief had heard of the wonderful curative effects of water bubbling from the ground in what is now Owatonna, and decided that only their magical restorative properties could save his daughter. After drinking the waters, Princess Owatonna was miraculously cured, lending her name and image to both the town and the newly minted bottled water company. A statue of the marketing scheme appears in Owatonna's Mineral Springs Park, next to Maple Creek, a tributary of the Straight river, and a fountain, where visitors can see the springs and drink the water that "saved" a princess.
The Minnesota State School for Dependent and Neglected Children was built in 1886. The school took in orphans from around the state and taught them "the value of drill, discipline and labor". The children who died in the institution and were interred in the graveyard behind the school. In 1945, the orphanage was shut down and the facility began to serve handicapped children. In 1974, the City purchased the compound for its office space. Renamed 'West Hills', it continues to serve as the city's administration complex and home to many civic non-profit organizations including a Senior activity center, the Owatonna Arts Center, two non-profit day-care centers, a chemical dependency half-way house and Big Brothers/Big Sisters, among others.
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.8 km² (12.7 mi²). 32.6 km² (12.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.55%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 22,434 people, 8,704 households, and 5,936 families residing in the city. The population density was 687.4/km² (1,779.9/mi²). There were 8,940 housing units at an average density of 273.9/km² (709.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.09% White, 1.56% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.92% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.31% of the population[1]
There were 8,704 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% 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 3.08[2].
In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males[3].
The median income for a household in the city was $45,660, and the median income for a family was $54,883. Males had a median income of $37,691 versus $25,511 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,513. About 4.3% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over[4].
[edit] Economy
Owatonna is an economic stronghold in Southern Minnesota, with many diverse industries. Federated Insurance is the largest employer with 1521 employees, followed by Viracon which has 1434 employees[5]. Both have their headquarters in Owatonna. Other large employers in the community are SPX Corporation, Cabela's, Truth Hardware, ISD 761, Wenger Corporation, and Owatonna Clinic - Mayo Health Systems[6] Recently Owatonna has seen a large amount of commercial growth in just the past several years. Some of these are Lowe's, Fleet Farm, Kohl’s, OfficeMax, MGM Liquors, GameStop, Slumber Land Furniture Outlet, Hollywood Video, East Wind Buffet, Star Bucks Coffee, Caribou Coffee, Dunn Bros. Coffee, Papa Murphy's, Sbarros, Famous Dave’s, Timber Lodge Steak House, and many others.
[edit] Government
Owatonna is governed by a Mayor and City Council. As of 2007 its mayor is Thomas Kuntz.[7]
The city is located in Minnesota’s 26th District represented by Senator Dick Day, a Republican, who was first elected to the state senate in 1990 and has been re-elected five times. In 1998, Senator Day was elected leader of his caucus. He currently sits on the Business, Industry and Jobs Finance; Transportation Budget and Policy Division; State and Local Government Operations and Oversight; and Transportation Committees.
Owatonna also sits in District 26A, represented by State Representative Connie Ruth, a Republican. She was first elected State Representative in 2000, and is currently in her fourth term. Representative Ruth sits on the following committees: Biosciences and Emerging Technology; Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division; Higher Education and Work Force Development Policy and Finance Division; Transportation and Transit Policy Subcommittee; and Transportation Finance Division.
Owatonna is located in Minnesota's 1st congressional district, represented by Mankato educator Tim Walz, a Democrat.
[edit] Education
[edit] Public schools[edit] Elementary schools
[edit] Middle school
[edit] High school
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[edit] Private schools
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[edit] Higher education |
[edit] Sites of Interest
[edit] National Farmers Bank
In the middle of Owatonna's downtown is the National Farmer's Bank, widely recognized as one of the premier pieces of the "Prairie School of Architecture" in America. Designed by Louis Sullivan, the building was finished in 1908 and features gold leaf arches, stained glass windows, and nouveau baroque art designs. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is now occupied by a branch of Wells Fargo Bank.
[edit] State School Museum
The State School Museum[8] is located at West Hills on the grounds of the former state orphanage, the Minnesota State School for Dependent and Neglected Children.
[edit] Sports and Recreation
[edit] Southern Minnesota Express
In 2005, Owatonna became home to a new NAHL Junior A hockey expansion team, dubbed the Southern Minnesota Express. The team held a contest within the city to name the team, and provide the logo for the franchise. The club plays their home games at the Four Seasons Centre in Owatonna. The team surprised many by winning the Central Division title for both the regular season and postseason and making it to the NAHL Championship series in 2006.
[edit] Culture and Society
[edit] Churches
[edit] Notable natives
- Casey Driessen, fiddler.
- Har Mar Superstar, musician and songwriter, was born in Owatonna.
- Craig Minowa, rising musician star, lead singer of Cloud Cult, & also founder of Minnesota record label Earthology records.
- Theodore Marcus Hansen, Lutheran pastor and educator, pastor in Owatonna from 1948-1952.
- Don Laughlin, founder of the resort town of Laughlin, Nevada, born and raised in Owatonna.
- E.G. Marshall, known for his role as the nervous Juror #3 in the Henry Fonda classic, 12 Angry Men and as the lead in the TV series The Defenders, was born in Owatonna on June 18th, 1910.
- Kari Schroht Reuvers, 1978 Princess Kay of the Milky Way
- Harry Williams, the author of the World War I and World War II classic song, "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", and sometime director for Mack Sennett graduated from Pillsbury Military Academy.
- Kathy Zeman, 1976 Princess Kay of the Milky Way
[edit] Media
[edit] External links
- City of Owatonna Website
- Owatonna Development
- City of Owatonna Police Website
- Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism
- Finding Minnesota: Owatonna Video from WCCO news profiling the legend of Owatonna
- A Sweet Spot Worth A Stop In Owatonna Video from WCCO news featuring local institution: Costas' Restaurant & Candies
