Roseau County was once the home of many Ojibwe, Sioux, and Mandan tribes. Archeologists have found artifacts within the county belonging to these tribes that date back 7,200 years.[3] More recent history includes fur trappers and European-based explorers. By 1822, a fur-trading post was established in the area. In 1885, the future Roseau City hosted four settlers; by 1895 there were 600, and the area was incorporated as Roseau City.[4]
By the mid-1880s the early settlers of eastern Kittson County were feeling the disadvantage of their location, far from the county seat, and petitioned the government for a separate county. On December 31, 1894,[5] Governor Knute Nelson proclaimed the eastern portion of Kittson a new county, to be named Roseau.[6] On February 11, 1896, the next governor, David Marston Clough, added part of Beltrami County to Roseau County. Roseau City was named the county seat.[4]
Roseau County is in far northern Minnesota. Its northern boundary abuts Canada. The Roseau River drains the upper part of the county, flowing west into Kittson County on its way to the Hudson Bay. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, devoted to agriculture, and dotted with lakes and drainages. There is considerable wooded area, especially in the southeast portion.[8] The county has an area of 1,678 square miles (4,350 km2), of which 1,672 square miles (4,330 km2) is land and 6.5 square miles (17 km2) (0.4%) is water.[9] Roseau is one of 17 Minnesota savanna counties with more savanna soils than prairie or forest soils.
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 census data
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,338 people, 6,190 households, and 4,438 families in the county. The population density was 9.77 per square mile (3.77/km2). There were 7,101 housing units at an average density of 4.25 per square mile (1.64/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.92% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 1.42% Native American, 1.73% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. 0.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 41.0% were of Norwegian, 18.8% German and 10.7% Swedish ancestry.
There were 6,190 households, out of which 38.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.11.
The county population contained 29.80% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 20.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 105.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,852, and the median income for a family was $46,185. Males had a median income of $29,747 versus $23,630 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,053. About 4.60% of families and 6.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.50% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
In presidential elections, Roseau is Minnesota's most reliably Republican-voting county. John McCain's and George W. Bush's best performances in Minnesota were in Roseau County. Bush won it twice, with over 65% of the vote. It was also one of the few Minnesota counties that George H. W. Bush won in 1992 and Bob Dole won in 1996.
United States
Minnesota
