Barrett, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Barrett is a city in Grant County
, Minnesota
, United States
. The population was 415 at the 2010 census. Troy Johnson is the mayor.
, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), of which, 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (1.90%) is water.
The town of Barrett wraps around the southwest side of Barrett Lake, which is formed by the Pomme de Terre River
.
of 2000, there were 355 people, 142 households, and 81 families residing in the city. The population density
was 172.2 people per square mile (66.5/km²). There were 163 housing units at an average density of 79.1 per square mile (30.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.87% White, 0.56% Native American, and 0.56% from two or more races.
There were 142 households out of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were married couples
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.63.
In the city the population was spread out with 15.5% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 38.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females there were 82.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $37,813. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,954. About 6.8% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
, which also includes the communities of Elbow Lake, Hoffman, Kensington, and Wendell. The West Central Area secondary school (grades 5-12) is located in Barrett, while elementary facilities are located in Elbow Lake and Kensington. Barrett was chosen as the location for the secondary facility as it is centrally located in the school district. The facility opened in the fall of 1995.
Herald, reported that, some five years earlier, local farmer Victor Setterlund had found on his land, near Barrett Lake, a heart-shaped stone weighing about 75 lbs (34 kg), bearing a runic inscription. Translated, the runic message was "Year ????. Four maidens camped on this hill." Hjalmar Holand, principal promoter of the Kensington Runestone
(found not far to the south-east of Barrett in 1898) interpreted the year symbols as 1362, the same as the Kensington stone, but debunker Johan Holvik thought they should be read as 1776. The two experts did agree that the stone seemed to be a hoax. When Holvik revisited the area and asked Setterlund what the year symbols were meant to represent, the farmer confessed that he had indeed carved the stone himself, using a list of runes in a textbook, and intended the date 1876, adding "It sure doesn't take much to put some people on if they want to believe you bad enough."
Grant County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,289 people, 2,534 households, and 1,740 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 3,098 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 415 at the 2010 census. Troy Johnson is the mayor.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), of which, 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (1.90%) is water.
The town of Barrett wraps around the southwest side of Barrett Lake, which is formed by the Pomme de Terre River
Pomme de Terre River (Minnesota)
The Pomme de Terre River is a tributary of the Minnesota River, 106 miles long, in western Minnesota in the United States. Via the Minnesota River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 875 square miles in an agricultural region...
.
Major Highways
U.S. Route 59U.S. Route 59U.S. Route 59 is a north–south United States highway . A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, U.S. 59 is now a border-to-border route, Part of NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It parallels U.S. Route 75 for nearly its entire route, never much more than away, until it veers southwest...
Minnesota State Highway 27Minnesota State Highway 27Minnesota State Highway 27 is a highway in west-central and east-central Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 28 in Browns Valley and continues east to its eastern terminus at its interchange with Interstate 35 in Moose Lake....
(About 5 miles south of city limits)
Minnesota State Highway 55Minnesota State Highway 55Minnesota State Highway 55 is a highway in west-central, central, and east-central Minnesota, which runs from the North Dakota state line near Tenney and continues east and southeast to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S...
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 355 people, 142 households, and 81 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 172.2 people per square mile (66.5/km²). There were 163 housing units at an average density of 79.1 per square mile (30.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.87% White, 0.56% Native American, and 0.56% from two or more races.
There were 142 households out of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.63.
In the city the population was spread out with 15.5% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 38.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females there were 82.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $37,813. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $13,954. About 6.8% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
Barrett is part of the West Central Area School DistrictWest Central Area School District
The West Central Area School District is located in the west central part of Minnesota. It consists of the towns of Kensington, Hoffman, Barrett, Elbow Lake, and Wendell. There are also students from Herman, Donnelly, Ashby, Evansville, Fergus Falls, Nashua, and Campbell.The district has two...
, which also includes the communities of Elbow Lake, Hoffman, Kensington, and Wendell. The West Central Area secondary school (grades 5-12) is located in Barrett, while elementary facilities are located in Elbow Lake and Kensington. Barrett was chosen as the location for the secondary facility as it is centrally located in the school district. The facility opened in the fall of 1995.
History and culture
- "Farm & Home Oil" has recently replaced Carroll's General Store as only store and gas station in town. Barrett has a single restaurant and bar The Barrett Inn and The Barrett Inn II and 1/2.
- Barrett is the home of Prairie Wind Players community theatreCommunity theatreCommunity theatre refers to theatrical performance made in relation to particular communities—its usage includes theatre made by, with, and for a community...
. Founded in 1979, PWP has produced over 80 plays, drawing in artists and patrons from miles around. The Prairie Wind Player's 1993 production of Jesus Christ SuperstarJesus Christ SuperstarJesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
made national headline's for its innovative casting (nearly all characters were portrayed by women, including Jesus).
- Barrett is also the headquarters for Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre, which tours Minnesota and Wisconsin throughout the year bringing a professional theatrical experience to the youth of each community in just one week.
- A common joke among those familiar with Barrett is that it is actually the center of the universeUniverseThe Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
. Barrett folks like to say that everyone "Comes from, comes to, or knows someone from Barrett."
The "Elbow Lake" Runestone
In August 1949, the nearest local newspaper to Barrett, the Elbow LakeElbow Lake, Grant County, Minnesota
Elbow Lake is a city in, and the county seat of, Grant County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,176 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
Herald, reported that, some five years earlier, local farmer Victor Setterlund had found on his land, near Barrett Lake, a heart-shaped stone weighing about 75 lbs (34 kg), bearing a runic inscription. Translated, the runic message was "Year ????. Four maidens camped on this hill." Hjalmar Holand, principal promoter of the Kensington Runestone
Kensington Runestone
The Kensington Runestone is a 200-pound slab of greywacke covered in runes on its face and side which, if genuine, would suggest that Scandinavian explorers reached the middle of North America in the 14th century. It was found in 1898 in the largely rural township of Solem, Douglas County,...
(found not far to the south-east of Barrett in 1898) interpreted the year symbols as 1362, the same as the Kensington stone, but debunker Johan Holvik thought they should be read as 1776. The two experts did agree that the stone seemed to be a hoax. When Holvik revisited the area and asked Setterlund what the year symbols were meant to represent, the farmer confessed that he had indeed carved the stone himself, using a list of runes in a textbook, and intended the date 1876, adding "It sure doesn't take much to put some people on if they want to believe you bad enough."
Places of interest
- The Lakeside PavilionPavilion (structure)In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
is one of the few surviving lakeside facilities of its kind in Minnesota. The community of Barrett has worked to restore and renovate the Pavilion. It remains a popular place for dances and community events. The Pavilion available for rental May 1 through September 30. - Roosevelt HallRoosevelt Hall (Minnesota)Roosevelt Hall is a community auditorium and gymnasium building in Barrett, Minnesota, in Grant County. The building was built by the Civil Works Administration, a predecessor of the Works Progress Administration, in 1934. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 for...
was constructed by local carpenters and other workers hired under federal Civil Works AdministrationCivil Works AdministrationThe Civil Works Administration was established by the New Deal during the Great Depression to create manual labor jobs for millions of unemployed. The jobs were merely temporary, for the duration of the hard winter. Harry L. Hopkins was put in charge of the organization. President Franklin D...
. Roosevelt Hall has been the location of Barrett's community center and public school gymnasium, 1934–53; a bowling alley, 1957–71; a youth center, 1973–74; an insulation manufacturing plant (1977–79). It is now owned and used by the Prairie Wind Players and listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.