Alexandria, Minnesota
Alexandria, Minnesota | ||
---|---|---|
FIPS code 27-00928 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 2393918[3] | |
Sales tax | 7.375%[6] | |
Website | alexandriamn.city |
Alexandria is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Minnesota, United States.[7] The population was 14,335 as of the 2020 census.[4] Alexandria is near I-94, along Minnesota State Highways 27 and 29. It is ten miles (16 km) south of Lake Carlos State Park.
History
First settled in 1858, it was named after brothers Alexander and William Kinkead from Maryland. The form of the name alludes to Alexandria, Egypt, a center of learning and civilization.[8]
The village of Alexandria was incorporated February 20, 1877. Its city charter was adopted in 1908, and it was incorporated as a city in 1909. W. E. Hicks was pivotal to the town's early development. He purchased the townsite in 1868 and established a mill, hotel, newspaper, and store. He donated property for a courthouse, jail, and two churches: Methodist and Congregational.[citation needed]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 16.70 square miles (43.25 km2), of which 15.96 square miles (41.34 km2) is land and 0.74 square miles (1.92 km2) is water.[9] Many of the people who live in Alexandria are not calculated into the population because they are spread out of the city and live on and around the many lakes.[citation needed]
Climate
Alexandria has a dry-winter
with cold, snowy winters and warm (sometimes hot and humid) summers. The autumn and spring are generally pleasant. Average annual precipitation (both snow and rain) is about 25 inches.Climate data for Alexandria, Minnesota (Alexandria Municipal Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1940–present | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 58 (14) |
58 (14) |
78 (26) |
95 (35) |
97 (36) |
102 (39) |
101 (38) |
104 (40) |
98 (37) |
91 (33) |
76 (24) |
58 (14) |
104 (40) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 40.1 (4.5) |
43.5 (6.4) |
58.7 (14.8) |
76.8 (24.9) |
87.1 (30.6) |
90.6 (32.6) |
91.3 (32.9) |
89.7 (32.1) |
85.9 (29.9) |
78.3 (25.7) |
59.8 (15.4) |
42.4 (5.8) |
93.7 (34.3) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 19.0 (−7.2) |
23.7 (−4.6) |
36.6 (2.6) |
52.4 (11.3) |
66.3 (19.1) |
75.7 (24.3) |
80.2 (26.8) |
78.3 (25.7) |
69.9 (21.1) |
54.5 (12.5) |
37.6 (3.1) |
24.2 (−4.3) |
51.5 (10.8) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 10.7 (−11.8) |
14.9 (−9.5) |
28.0 (−2.2) |
42.5 (5.8) |
55.9 (13.3) |
66.0 (18.9) |
70.6 (21.4) |
68.5 (20.3) |
60.0 (15.6) |
45.7 (7.6) |
30.3 (−0.9) |
16.9 (−8.4) |
42.5 (5.8) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 2.3 (−16.5) |
6.0 (−14.4) |
19.4 (−7.0) |
32.7 (0.4) |
45.5 (7.5) |
56.4 (13.6) |
60.9 (16.1) |
58.7 (14.8) |
50.1 (10.1) |
37.0 (2.8) |
23.0 (−5.0) |
9.6 (−12.4) |
33.5 (0.8) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | −20.6 (−29.2) |
−16.4 (−26.9) |
−5.3 (−20.7) |
17.0 (−8.3) |
32.6 (0.3) |
44.3 (6.8) |
50.6 (10.3) |
48.1 (8.9) |
35.0 (1.7) |
21.6 (−5.8) |
4.4 (−15.3) |
−14.3 (−25.7) |
−23.3 (−30.7) |
Record low °F (°C) | −38 (−39) |
−34 (−37) |
−34 (−37) |
−2 (−19) |
18 (−8) |
33 (1) |
42 (6) |
38 (3) |
21 (−6) |
9 (−13) |
−18 (−28) |
−32 (−36) |
−38 (−39) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.38 (9.7) |
0.41 (10) |
1.00 (25) |
2.04 (52) |
3.05 (77) |
3.72 (94) |
4.00 (102) |
3.46 (88) |
2.63 (67) |
2.21 (56) |
0.83 (21) |
0.36 (9.1) |
24.09 (612) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 3.6 | 3.7 | 5.2 | 9.0 | 11.5 | 12.3 | 10.8 | 9.5 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 92.3 |
Source: |
Lakes
- Lake Agnes
- Lake Alvin
- Lake Andrew
- Blackwell Lake
- Lake Brophy
- Lake Burgen
- Lake Carlos
- Cork Lake
- Lake Cowdry
- Lake Darling
- Echo Lake
- Lake Geneva
- Lake George
- Grant Lake
- Lake Henry
- Lake Ida
- Lake Irene
- Lake Jessie
- Lake Latoka
- Laura Lake
- Lake Le Homme Dieu
- Lake Louise
- Maple Lake
- Lake Mary[citation needed]
- Mill Lake
- Lake Miltona
- Lake Mina
- Mud Lake
- North Union Lake
- Lake Oscar
- Pocket Lake[citation needed]
- Rachel Lake
- Lake Reno
- Smith Lake
- Lobster Lake
- Stony Lake
- Taylor Lake
- Lake Charley
- Union Lake
- Lake Winona
- Vermont Lake
- Lake Victoria[13]
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1880 | 1,355 | — | |
1890 | 2,118 | 56.3% | |
1900 | 2,681 | 26.6% | |
1910 | 3,001 | 11.9% | |
1920 | 3,388 | 12.9% | |
1930 | 3,876 | 14.4% | |
1940 | 5,051 | 30.3% | |
1950 | 6,319 | 25.1% | |
1960 | 6,713 | 6.2% | |
1970 | 6,973 | 3.9% | |
1980 | 7,608 | 9.1% | |
1990 | 7,838 | 3.0% | |
2000 | 8,820 | 12.5% | |
2010 | 11,070 | 25.5% | |
2020 | 14,335 | 29.5% | |
2022 (est.) | 14,861 | [5] | 3.7% |
U.S. Decennial Census[14] 2020 Census[4] |
2010 census
As of the
There were 5,298 households, of which 21.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 51.8% were non-families. 41.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.74.
The median age in the city was 38.8 years. 19.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 13.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.6% were from 25 to 44; 22.1% were from 45 to 64; and 22% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.
2000 census
As of the
There were 4,047 households, of which 23.7% had children under 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.3% were non-families. 41.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.3% had someone living alone who 65 or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.0% under 18, 15.7% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% over 66. The median age was 37. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 83.7 males.
The median income for a household was $26,851, and the median income for a family was $38,245. Males had a median income of $27,871 versus $20,254 for females. The
Tourism
Resorts
The city is located along a chain of lakes, which makes it a popular resort destination for water and land activities. There are cabin B&Bs and chain hotels along the lakes. Water sporting activities include motorboats, wake surfing, sailing, paddleboarding. Fishing was also historically popular in the city. There are
Events
Local tourism events include:
- Grape Stomphosted by the Carlos Creek Winery every September
- An Apple Fest in October
- The Douglas County Fair every August
- Big Ole Paddlefest every July, a kayaking race on Lake Miltona
- Art in the Park every July.
- Red Willow Arts Coalition Outdoor hosts concerts every Thursday in summer.[16]
Attractions
The city has a museum housing the
Economy
Top employers
According to the Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission,[19][20] the area's top employers are:
# | Employer | # of Employees |
---|---|---|
1 | Alomere Health | 868 |
2 | Douglas Machine, Inc. | 737 |
3 | Alexandria Public Schools | 609 |
4 | Knute Nelson | 482 |
5 | Alexandria Industries | 437 |
6 | 3M | 400 |
7 | Central Specialties | 325 |
8 | Douglas County | 308 |
9 | Brenton Engineering | 265 |
10 | Aagard | 264 |
Education
Most children in Alexandria attend school at
Transportation
Public transportation in town (and within the surrounding area) is provided by Rainbow Rider.
Airport
The Alexandria Municipal Airport, also known as Chandler Field, is a city-owned public-use airport two nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of Alexandria's central business district.
Media
Newspaper
Television
From 1958 until 2012, Alexandria had at least one local television station, either
During KCCO and KSAX's time as semi-satellites, they broadcast local news, weather, and sports through ten-minute cut-in segments during their parent station's newscast. In 2002, KCCO removed its local presence and became a full satellite of WCCO. In June 2012, cost-cutting measures at KSAX resulted in the layoff of all but two employees and the ending of local cut-in broadcasts by any Alexandria television station.[23]
The Alexandria area is also served by
Broadcast
Channel | Callsign | Affiliation | Branding | Subchannels | Owner | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Virtual) | Channel | Programming | ||||
4.1 | K33DB-D (WCCO Translator) |
CBS | WCCO 4 | 4.2 4.3 |
Start TV Dabl |
Selective TV, Inc. |
5.2 | K16CO-D (KSTC Translator) |
Ind. | 45 TV | 5.3 5.4 5.6 |
Selective TV, Inc. | |
9.2 | K30AF-D (WFTC Translator) |
Ind. | FOX 9 Plus | 9.3 9.1 |
Movies! FOX |
Selective TV, Inc. |
9.9 | K32EB-D (KMSP Translator) |
FOX | FOX 9 | 9.4 9.5 9.6 |
Decades
|
Selective TV, Inc. |
10.1 | K27KN-D ( KWCM Translator)
|
PBS | Pioneer Public TV | 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 |
World
PBS Kids |
Selective TV, Inc. |
11.1 | K26CL-D (KARE Translator) |
NBC | KARE 11 | 11.2 11.3 11.4 |
Quest
|
Selective TV, Inc. |
17.1 | K17NW-D | NASA TV | Selective TV, Inc. | |||
18.1 | K18DG-D (KSAX Translator) |
ABC | 5 Eyewitness News | Selective TV, Inc. | ||
20.1 | K20AC-D | Escape | 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 |
Newsmax TV C-SPAN MSNBC Bounce TV |
Selective TV, Inc. | |
21.1 | K21GN-D | KOOL-TV | 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 |
Selective TV, Inc. | ||
22.1 | K36KH-D ( KAWB Translator)
|
PBS | Lakeland PBS | 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 |
First Nations Experience PBS Kids Create PBS Encore Minnesota Channel |
Selective TV, Inc. |
23.1 | K14LZ-D (WUCW Translator) |
CW | CW 23 | 23.2 23.3 23.4 |
Comet Charge! TBD |
Selective TV, Inc. |
41.1 | K34AF-D (KPXM Translator) |
ION | ION | 41.2 41.3 41.4 41.5 41.6 |
HSN
|
Selective TV, Inc. |
42.1 | KSAX (KSTP/KSTC Satellite) |
ABC | 5 Eyewitness News | 42.2 42.3 |
45TV MeTV |
Hubbard Broadcasting |
44.1 | K44GH-D | 3ABN | 44.2 44.4 44.5 44.6 44.7 |
3ABN Proclaim 3ABN Spanish 3ABN Radio 3ABN Radio Spanish Radio 74 |
Edge Spectrum, Inc. |
Radio
AM radio stations
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Frequency | Call sign | Name | Format | Owner |
1490 | KXRA | News/Talk | Paradis Broadcasting Inc. |
FM radio stations
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Frequency | Call sign | Name | Format | Owner |
90.9 | K215BL (KSJR Translator) |
Classical MPR | Classical | Minnesota Public Radio |
91.7 | K219FA (WJFM Translator) |
SonLife Radio | Christian | Jimmy Swaggart Ministries |
92.3 | KXRA | KX92 | Classic rock | Paradis Broadcasting Inc. |
94.3 | KULO | Cool 94.3 | Oldies | Hubbard Broadcasting |
97.3 | KRVY | 97.3 The River | Adult Contemporary |
Iowa City Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
98.5 | KLKX | K-Lakes 98.5 | Adult Standards |
Alexandria Community Radio Educational Organization, Inc. |
99.3 | KXRZ | Z-99 | Hot AC |
Paradis Broadcasting Inc. |
100.3 | K262AT (KXRA-AM Translator) |
News/Talk | Paradis Broadcasting Inc. | |
100.7 | KIKV | KIK FM 100.7 | Country | Hubbard Broadcasting |
Other forms
The city's unofficial mascot "Big Ole" is featured on the cover of the debut album of the National Beekeepers Society.
Culture
The city hosts the annual Vikingland Band Festival parade marching championship.
In the 2000s, Justine Harman, an employee of
A 2018 article in The Oregonian described Alexandria as "conservative-leaning".[25]
Sports
The Alexandria Blizzard is a Tier III junior ice hockey team in the North American 3 Hockey League and play out of the Runestone Community Center. From 2006 to 2012, the organization had a Tier II team in the North American Hockey League. The NAHL franchise relocated to Brookings, South Dakota and the current NA3HL franchise took its place.
Viking Speedway hosts weekly Saturday night dirt track racing from April–September and also periodic special, weekend events throughout the year. Five WISSOTA classes run there: Street Stocks, Midwest Modifieds, Super Stocks, Modifieds, and Late Models. Viking Speedway was awarded WISSOTA's "2005 Track of the Year".
One night per summer, a
Notable people
- Lars K. Aaker, state legislator
- Richard Battey, judge
- Hilda Bettermann, state representative
- Marvin W. Bursch, state legislator and businessman
- Dave Dalby, center for the Oakland Raiders
- Walter H. Campbell, state legislator, businessman and lawyer
- Frederick J. Foslien, state legislator, farmer, and businessman
- John Hammergren, CEO of McKesson Corporation
- Duane Hanson, sculptor
- governor of American Samoa
- Jennifer and Sarah Hart, perpetrators of the Hart family murders[24]
- Hal Haskins, professional basketball player
- John Hawkes, actor
- Todd Hendricks, professional football player
- Jed Johnson, interior designer and film director
- Peter Krause, actor
- Tom Lehman, PGA golfer
- Brock Lesnar, professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist
- Clifford Lofvegren, state legislator, businessman, and farmer
- Knute Nelson, U.S. senator
- Julian O. Newhouse, businessman and state legislator
- fighter ace
- Walter Roth, farmer and state legislator
- Gary Serum, pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
- Henrik Shipstead, U.S. senator
- Bruce P. Smith, halfback for the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams
- Cliff Sterrett, cartoonist
- Hill H. Wilson, businessman and state legislator
- Theodore G. Winkjer, businessman, farmer, and state legislator
See also
References
- ^ "Alexandria, MN".
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Alexandria, Minnesota
- ^ a b c "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ a b "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ "Alexandria (MN) sales tax rate". Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 175.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- PMID 30375988.
- ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
- ^ "Station: Alexandria Muni AP, MN". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
- ^ "Douglas County Minnesota Lakes - Alexandria Lakes Fishing". www.minnesotalakes.net. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
- ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ "Making Memories in Alexandria". minnesotamonthly.com. Minnesota Monthly. May 19, 2023.
- ^ a b Lawton, Beth (May 19, 2023). "From 'Big Ole' to the Bayou: The Other Alexandrias". Alexandria Living.
- ^ Dougherty, Steve (September 11, 2005). "Highway 61, Visited". The New York Times. Retrieved September 4, 2008.
- ^ Edenloff, Celeste (July 27, 2016). "End is near for Big Ole repairs". Echo Press. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
- ^ "Demographics - Living Alexandria Area - Minnesota".
- ^ "Douglas County Economic Development Profile - 2021" (PDF). May 4, 2022. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 5, 2022.
- ^ "Area Largest Employers".
- ^ Zaleski, Jack. Forum Communications Company: A Narrative History 1980-2018. Forum Communications Company.
- ^ "KSAX-TV Alexandria drops local news programming". brainerddispatch.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ a b "Broken Harts Podcast, Episode 1: Full Transcript". Glamour. December 4, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
- ^ "Hart children immediately pulled from public schools after mother's abuse conviction". The Oregonian. April 3, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
External links
- City of Alexandria Official Website
- Alexandria Independent School District
- Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
- Alexandria Hotel & Hospitality, Convention & Visitor's Bureau
- Alexandria Tourism Official Website
- Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission Website
- Alexandria, Minnesota Real Estate
- Alexandria, Minnesota Police Department
- [explorealex.com/big-ole-live-camera Live camera of Big Ole]