During and after the American Civil War, the Minnesota legislature wanted to name a county after President Abraham Lincoln. Acts were proposed to effect this change in 1861, in 1866, and in 1870, but each time the effort failed by vote or was ignored by the county's citizens. The final effort was an act passed on March 6, 1873, dividing Lyon County into approximately equal halves, with the western half to be named Lincoln. The county voters approved this act in the November 1873 election, and Governor Horace Austin proclaimed the county's existence on December 5, 1873, with Lake Benton as county seat. In 1900 a new town closer to the county's center was platted, and in 1902 the county seat was moved to that settlement, Ivanhoe.[5]
Geography
Lincoln County lies on Minnesota's border with South Dakota. The Lac qui Parle River flows northeast through the upper eastern part of the county on its way to discharge into the Minnesota River. The county's terrain consists of rolling hills and is mostly devoted to agriculture.[6] The terrain slopes to the north and east, with its highest point on its lower west border, at 1,991 ft (607 m) ASL.[7] The county has an area of 548 square miles (1,420 km2), of which 537 square miles (1,390 km2) is land and 12 square miles (31 km2) (2.1%) is water.[8]
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 census data
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,429 people, 2,653 households, and 1,785 families in the county. The population density was 12.0 per square mile (4.6/km2). There were 3,043 housing units at an average density of 5.67 per square mile (2.19/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.82% White, 0.05% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.42% from other races, and 0.23% from two or more races. 0.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 36.1% were of German, 25% English, 17.5% Norwegian, 10.9% Polish and 10.5% Danish ancestry.
There were 2,653 households, out of which 27.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 4.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.70% were non-families. 30.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93.
The county population contained 23.70% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 23.00% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 24.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,607, and the median income for a family was $38,605. Males had a median income of $26,494 versus $20,083 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,009. About 7.00% of families and 9.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.60% of those under age 18 and 15.00% of those age 65 or over.
Lincoln County has been a swing district in recent decades. Up to 2016 it has selected the Democratic candidate in 56% of presidential elections since 1980. Like most white, rural counties in America, however, the GOP has made significant advances in the county recently.
United States presidential election results for Lincoln County, Minnesota[16]
United States
Minnesota
