Red Wing, Minnesota

Red Wing
City
View toward downtown Red Wing and the Mississippi River, with Barn Bluff on the right
Flag
Motto(s):  "Come for a visit, stay for a lifetime"[1]
Location of the city of Red Wing within Goodhue County in the state of Minnesota
Coordinates: 44°34′N 92°32′W / 44.567°N 92.533°W / 44.567; -92.533Coordinates: 44°34′N 92°32′W / 44.567°N 92.533°W / 44.567; -92.533
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Goodhue
Government
• Type	Mayor – Council
• Mayor	Mike Wilson[2]
Area [3]
• Total	41.42 sq mi (107.28 km2)
• Land	34.84 sq mi (90.22 km2)
• Water	6.59 sq mi (17.06 km2)
Elevation	750 ft (226 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	16,459
• Estimate  (2019)[4]	16,320
• Density	468.48/sq mi (180.88/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	55066
Area code	651
FIPS code	27-53620
GNIS ID	0649885[5]
Website	City of Red Wing

Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, along the upper Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census.^[6] It is the county seat of Goodhue County.^[7][8]

This city is named for early 19th-century Dakota Sioux chief, Red Wing.^[8][9] The federal government established a Mdewakanton Sioux Indian reservation—now Prairie Island Indian Community—in 1889 along the Mississippi River to free up land for new settlers. The city of Red Wing developed around it.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation placed Red Wing on its 2008 distinctive destinations list because of its "impressive architecture and enviable natural environment."^[10]

History[]

Main Street, Red Wing, 1860

In the early 1850s, settlers from Mississippi River steamboats came to Red Wing to farm in Goodhue County. They encroached on traditional territory of the Mdewakanton Sioux.

The settlers cleared the land for wheat, the annual crop of which could pay the cost of the land. Before the railroads were constructed across the territory of Goodhue County, it produced more wheat than any other county in the country.^{[citation needed]} In 1873, Red Wing led the country in the amount of wheat sold by farmers.^[11] The warehouses in the port of Red Wing could store and export more than a million bushels of wheat.^[11]

Once the railroads connected southern Minnesota with Minneapolis and Saint Anthony where the largest flour mills were built, the port at Red Wing lost prominence.^[11]

The Aurora Ski Club in Red Wing, which was founded on February 8, 1887, was one of the first ski clubs formed in North America, reflecting skills of Scandinavian immigrants in the area.^{[citation needed]} Aurora club members introduced in the 1880s, what became known as "Red Wing Style" ski techniques, which was patterned after the Telemark skiing form.^{[citation needed]} The term "Red Wing style" continued in use in the United States well into the twentieth century.^{[citation needed]}

The first North American ski jumping record was set by Norwegian immigrant Mikkjel Hemmestveit. His 37-foot flight in 1887 was established at the Aurora Ski Club's McSorley Hill.^[12][13]

The federal government established a Mdewakanton Sioux Indian reservation in 1889, along the Mississippi River to free up land for new settlers. It is now within the boundaries of the city of Red Wing, and is known as the Prairie Island Indian Community.^{[citation needed]}

The first settlers in town built small mills, factories, and workshops, similar to ones they were familiar with in New England and the upper Midwest, from where many had come.^[11] Numerous immigrants from Germany, Ireland, Norway and Sweden settled in this area and were also skilled craftsmen. Some early industries were tanning and shoe-making, while other businessmen manufactured farm equipment, bricks, barrels, boats, furniture, pottery, and clothing buttons. Consumables included beer and lumber. Service industries including stone-cutting, hospitality, and retailing.^[11] The St. James Hotel remains a working token of the earlier time.^[11]

Red Wing was once home to Hamline University, founded in 1854 as the first institution of higher education in the state of Minnesota. It closed in 1869 because of low enrollment due to diversion of students to the American Civil War. Chartered in St. Paul in 1871, it reopened there in 1880.

Red Wing Seminary was a Lutheran Church seminary, founded in 1879. Red Wing Seminary was the educational center for the Hauge's Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod in America, commonly known as the Hauge Synod. Red Wing Seminary operated until 1917.^[14]

Red Wing also was the home of Minnesota Elementarskola a Swedish elementary school that was the predecessor to Gustavus Adolphus College, a private liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). The school was founded in Red Wing in 1862 by Eric Norelius, it moved to East Union in 1863 and then in St. Peter the college was built in 1873–1876.

The Red Wing Pottery and stoneware industry began in 1861, when county potter John Paul discovered the large, glacially deposited clay pits beds on the northwest of the city, close to Hay Creek. The first commercial pottery company, Red Wing Stoneware, was founded in 1877.^[15] It used clay from the area of the Hay Creek headwaters, close to Goodhue, near a hamlet named Claybank. A railroad branch line was built to carry clay to Red Wing for this important industry. The factory buildings remain, but only traces of the railroad, abandoned in 1937, are left.^[16]

20th century to present[]

The Minnesota Correctional Facility – Red Wing is housed in the former Minnesota State Training School, built in 1889. The original Romanesque building was designed by Warren B. Dunnell. He was the architect of a number of historical public buildings in Minnesota.

The institution was the subject of "Walls of Red Wing", a folk song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan (who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016).

In the last half of the twentieth century, the United States Army Corps of Engineers built Lock and Dam No. 3 and deepened the channel on the Mississippi River to improve navigation in this area. Such projects have revitalised Mississippi River traffic for shipping grain and coal. The port of Red Wing has gained business as a result.^[11]

In 1973, the Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant was opened along the river. The federal government had authorized the project in consultation with the Minnesota state government. The facility is owned and operated by Xcel Energy.

In early March, Red Wing shut down some city facilities and the public library^[17] later on March 17, 2020, the Mayor Sean Dowse Addressed the People of Red Wing about coronavirus and the city facilities^[18] on March 31, 2020, a Report of COVID-19 was reported in Red Wing from an Corrections Facility^[19][20]

Geography[]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 41.19 square miles (106.68 km²), of which 34.60 square miles (89.61 km²) is land and 6.59 square miles (17.07 km²) is water.^[21] The city is at the northern edge of the Driftless Area of karst topography.

Neighborhoods[]

The city of Red Wing has several neighborhoods or other places annexed by the city. These include:

• Burnside Township
• East Red Wing
• Eggleston

Demographics[]

2010[]

As of the 2010 Census, there were 16,459 people, 7,017 households, and 4,328 families residing in the city. The population density was 475.7 inhabitants per square mile (183.7/km²). There were 7,539 housing units at an average density of 217.9 per square mile (84.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.5% White, 1.9% African American, 2.2% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 1.2% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population.

There were 7,017 households, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.3% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.84.

The median age in the city was 41.8 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.7% were from 45 to 64; and 18.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

2000[]

At the 2000 Census, there were 16,116 people, 6,562 households, and 4,166 families in the city. The population density was 455.3 per square mile (175.8 km²). There were 6,867 housing units at an average density of 194.0 per square mile (74.9/km²). The racial makeup was 94.33% White, 1.32% African American, 2.22% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population.

There were 6,562 households, of which 30.4% had children under 18 with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family 2.94.

In the city, the population was 24.6% under 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% 65 or older. The median was 39. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.

The median income for a household was $43,674, and the median for a family was $54,641. Males had a median of $36,576 versus $25,477 for females. The per capita income was $21,678. About 3.9% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those 65 or over.

Economy[]

Manufacturers located in Red Wing include Red Wing Shoes, Riedell Skates, and Red Wing Stoneware.^{[citation needed]}

Arts and culture[]

Festivals[]

• Big Turn Music Fest - February
• Prairie Island Indian Community Wacipi (Pow Wow) - July
• Rolling River Music Festival – July
• River City Days – 1st weekend in August
• Hispanic Heritage Festival – 2nd weekend in September
• MN Children's Book Festival - 3rd weekend in September
• Fall Festival of the Arts – 2nd weekend in October
• Holiday Stroll - Friday after Thanksgiving

Library[]

Red Wing Public Library is a member of Southeastern Libraries Cooperating, the SE Minnesota library region.^[23]

Parks and recreation[]

Baypoint Park

The Cannon Valley Trail has its eastern terminus in Red Wing. Treasure Island Resort and Casino is operated by the nearby Prairie Island Indian Reservation.

Government[]

Red Wing City Hall, listed on the National Register of Historic Places

The mayor is Sean Dowse.^[24] His term is January 2017 to January 2021.

Media[]

Radio[]

KCUE, an AM classic country station, and KWNG, an FM classic hits station, are both licensed to Red Wing.^{[citation needed]}

Infrastructure[]

Transportation[]

Red Wing is connected to Wisconsin by Red Wing Bridge (officially named the Eisenhower Bridge); it carries U.S. Route 63 over the Mississippi River and its backwaters. U.S. Routes 61 and 63 and Minnesota State Highways 19 and 58 are the main intercity highways. Minnesota State Highway 292 also is in the city.

Red Wing Regional Airport is located across the Mississippi River in Pierce County, Wisconsin, near Wisconsin Highway 35 .

Red Wing's Amtrak station is served by Amtrak's Empire Builder daily in each direction between Chicago to the east, and Seattle and Portland on the west.

Notable people[]

Sister cities[]

Red Wing has three sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

• Ikata, Japan
• Quzhou, China
• Kongsberg, Norway

See also[]

• Red Wing Collectors Society
• Red Wing High School

References[]

Further reading[]

• Sky Crashers: A History of the Aurora Ski Club (Goodhue County Historical Society: 2004)
• Red Wing Reflections of a River Town (Red Wing Republican Eagle: 2007)

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Red Wing, Minnesota.

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Red Wing".

• City of Red Wing, MN – Official site
• Red Wing Visitors and Convention Bureau – Visitor Information
• Red Wing Chamber of Commerce