Waltham Township, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Waltham Township is a township
in Mower County
, Minnesota
, United States
. The population was 416 at the 2000 census. The largest town in the township is Waltham
with a population
of 196 people. All other area in the township is unincorporated
.
, came in the summer of 1855. The entire township was later sold to land speculators. John C. Mason bought more than a quarter of the township, primarily in the northeast corner. His agent, A.J. Burbank, came in 1864, built a three-story hotel
, surveyed
the land and sold most of it off into small parcels. The township was officially organized in 1866. The village of Waltham
was originally about a mile east of where it sits now. The Chicago Great Western Railway
stretched across the prairie of Waltham Township and the people of the village decided to relocate. The current village of Waltham was platted in 1885. In 1911 the village had two general store
s, a physician
, a shoe shop, a livery
, a creamery
, a stock buyer, a carpenter shop, a flour mill, and a variety of small shops.
, the township has a total area of 35.9 square miles (93.0 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 416 people, 146 households, and 117 families residing in the township. The population density
was 11.6 people per square mile (4.5/km²). There were 150 housing units at an average density of 4.2/sq mi (1.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.56% White, 0.48% Asian, 0.96% from other races
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.
There were 146 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% were married couples
living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% were non-families. 13.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 108.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $47,500, and the median income for a family was $49,643. Males had a median income of $28,611 versus $23,889 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $16,228. About 4.2% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
on the southern border with Red Rock Township
. It is located along Mower County Highway 16.
Township (United States)
A township in the United States is a small geographic area. Townships range in size from 6 to 54 square miles , with being the norm.The term is used in three ways....
in Mower County
Mower County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,603 people, 15,582 households, and 10,315 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 16,251 housing units at an average density of 23 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 416 at the 2000 census. The largest town in the township is Waltham
Waltham, Minnesota
Waltham is a city in Waltham Township, Mower County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 151 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
with a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 196 people. All other area in the township is unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
.
History
Nels Johnson, the earliest settlerSettler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
, came in the summer of 1855. The entire township was later sold to land speculators. John C. Mason bought more than a quarter of the township, primarily in the northeast corner. His agent, A.J. Burbank, came in 1864, built a three-story hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, surveyed
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
the land and sold most of it off into small parcels. The township was officially organized in 1866. The village of Waltham
Waltham, Minnesota
Waltham is a city in Waltham Township, Mower County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 151 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
was originally about a mile east of where it sits now. The Chicago Great Western Railway
Chicago Great Western Railway
The Chicago Great Western Railway was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. It was founded by Alpheus Beede Stickney in 1885 as a regional line between St. Paul and the Iowa state line called the Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad...
stretched across the prairie of Waltham Township and the people of the village decided to relocate. The current village of Waltham was platted in 1885. In 1911 the village had two general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
s, a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, a shoe shop, a livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
, a creamery
Creamery
In a dairy, the creamery is the location of cream processing. Cream is separated from whole milk; pasteurization is done to the skimmed milk and cream separately. Whole milk for sale has had some cream returned to the skimmed milk....
, a stock buyer, a carpenter shop, a flour mill, and a variety of small shops.
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 township has a total area of 35.9 square miles (93.0 km²), all of it land.
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 416 people, 146 households, and 117 families residing in the township. 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 11.6 people per square mile (4.5/km²). There were 150 housing units at an average density of 4.2/sq mi (1.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.56% White, 0.48% Asian, 0.96% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.
There were 146 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% 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, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% were non-families. 13.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 108.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $47,500, and the median income for a family was $49,643. Males had a median income of $28,611 versus $23,889 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 township was $16,228. About 4.2% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Mayville
Mayville is a small unincorporated communityUnincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
on the southern border with Red Rock Township
Red Rock Township, Minnesota
Red Rock Township is a township in Mower County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 715 at the 2000 census. The largest town in the township is Brownsdale with a population of 718 people. All other area in the township is unincorporated. The township is named for a large, red rock in...
. It is located along Mower County Highway 16.
Cemeteries
- St. Michael's Lutheran Cemetery is located in the northwest corner of the southwest quadrant of section 20 of the township. Its oldest known burialBurialBurial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
dates to 1870. - Trinity Lutheran Cemetery is located in the northeast corner of the northeast quadrant of section 19 of the township. Its oldest known burialBurialBurial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
dates to 1880.
Further reading
- Mill on the Willow: A History of Mower County, Minnesota by various authors. Library of Congress No. 84-062356