| Official Name: | Stillwater |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Nickname: | The Birthplace of Minnesota |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Pushpin Map: | USA |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Name1: | Minnesota |
| Subdivision Name2: | Washington |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Ted Kozlowski |
| Established Title: | First settled |
| Established Date: | October 26, 1843 |
| Area Land Km2: | 20.84 |
| Area Water Km2: | 2.66 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 9.07 |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 23.50 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 19394 |
| Population Density Km2: | 930.66 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 2410.39 |
| Timezone: | CST |
| Utc Offset: | −6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −5 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 8.05 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 1.03 |
| Elevation Ft: | 866 |
| Coordinates: | 45.05°N -141°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Codes |
| Postal Code: | 55082, 55083 |
| Area Code: | 651 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 27-62824 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 2395969 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
Stillwater is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Washington County. It is in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, on the west bank of the St. Croix River, across from Houlton, Wisconsin. Stillwater's population was 19,394 at the 2020 census.[2] [3] Stillwater is often called "the birthplace of Minnesota" due to its role in the establishment of the state.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 7.98sqmi; 6.96sqmi is land and 1.02sqmi is water.[4] State Highways 36, 95, and 96 are three of the community's main routes.
Stillwater receives an average annual snowfall of . Average annual rainfall is 24inches. Each year has an average of 14 days above .
The name "Stillwater" was proposed in 1843 by John McKusick, who built the settlement's first sawmill. McKusick was later a state senator.[5] The name derives from the St. Croix River's calmness near the town center.[6] It is also believed that McKusick had fond memories of Stillwater, Maine, where he had migrated from.
Long before European Americans arrived, the area was occupied by various indigenous peoples for thousands of years. The Dakota people called it Hoġan Wanḳe Kin,[7] a term that encompassed not only the St. Croix River but also Lake St. Croix and a large sandbar across from present-day Afton. The name, meaning "the place where the fish lies", derived from a legend in which a man was transformed into a giant fish (a catfish or a pike, depending on the version) and then into a sandbar.[8] In English, Hoġan Wanḳe Kin has been spelled variously as Hogan-wahnkay-kin, Hogan-wauke-kin and Hogan-wan-kee.[9]
The Ojibwe name for the place was Giigoonzh-agomod, with the slightly different meaning of "where the fish floats".[10] The Ojibwe origin legend is very similar, also involving a man transformed into a giant fish and found floating in the lake. He was ultimately transformed into "a piece of land crossing the lake there" (i.e., the sandbar). In English renderings, Giigo onh-zhagomod has been spelled as Kee-go-shagewa-minnie[11] and Kegan-Shaw-Ga-Nut.
In the 1830s, European Americans were pressing west into this territory. The U.S. government tried to arrange for their settlement in Native American lands, and on July 29 and September 29, 1837, it signed treaties with the local Ojibwe and Dakota nations to allow such settlement in the St. Croix Valley.
The settlement was founded on October 26, 1843, when four partners formed the Stillwater Lumber Company.[12] Settlers were drawn by the area's abundant lumber and river traffic resulting from the industry. This was one of Minnesota's oldest towns, preceding Minneapolis by several years. Stillwater was officially incorporated as a city on March 4, 1854 (the same day as St. Paul).
Stillwater is often called the "birthplace of Minnesota".[13] In 1848, a territorial convention that began the process of establishing Minnesota as a state was held in Stillwater, at the corner of Myrtle and Main streets. Originally part of the Wisconsin Territory, Minnesota officially became a separate territory in 1849 and, after population increases, a state in 1858.
As more evidence of Stillwater's importance at the time, the territorial convention selected three leading Minnesota cities as locations for three important public institutions: Saint Paul was designated as the capital; the University of Minnesota was established at Minneapolis; and Stillwater became the site of the territory's first prison. The Minnesota Territorial Prison (later Minnesota State Prison) was opened in 1853. The prison held Cole, Jim, and Bob Younger, three of the Younger brothers of the James–Younger Gang.
Lumbering was the predominant industry in the St. Croix River Valley in the second half of the 19th century. For many years, lumbermen sent large rafts of logs down the St. Croix. They were collected at the St. Croix Boom Site two miles upstream of Stillwater, and processed in Stillwater's many sawmills. Steamboats were used most widely on the river from 1860 to 1890. A few still operate as entertainment venues today.
David Swain operated a shipyard and engine works in Stillwater. Excursion steamboats, such as the Verne Swain and the Capitol, began to operate in the early 20th century, taking passengers to other cities along the river.[14]
During the American Civil War, Stillwater sent men of the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Company B, 5th Minnesota Infantry Regiment Company K, and the 8th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment Company C, among others, to fight for the Union.[15] [16] [17]
On October 18, 1921, Charles Strite invented the automatic pop-up bread toaster in Stillwater. By 1926, the Toastmaster Company began to market the first household toaster using a redesigned version of Strite's invention.[18] In 1923, Nelson's Ice Cream parlor was established.[19]
In 1931, construction of the Stillwater lift bridge over the St. Croix River was completed at a final cost of $460,174, which was split equally between Minnesota and Wisconsin.[20] The lift bridge is one of the city's most iconic and visible local monuments. It was part of Minnesota State Highway 36 until 2017, when it closed to vehicle traffic. In 2020 it became part of a five-mile trail loop running through Stillwater and Houlton, Wisconsin.[21]
In 1996 the city of Stillwater entered into an agreement with Stillwater Township to annex land. In 2015 the Stillwater city council approved the annexing the last of the land covered by the agreement. The city's western border is now Manning Avenue (County Road 15). The northern border is now mostly, but not entirely, Minnesota Highway 96.[22]
Stillwater was described as the Minnesota headquarters of the Ku Klux Klan in 1991, and has been identified as a "probable" former sundown town.[23]
White: 4,106
Colored: 18
Indian: 1
Total: 4,125
White: 9,020
Colored: 22
Total: 9,046
White: 11,209
Colored: 18
Civilized Indian: 1
Total: 11,260
White: 10,131
Born in U.S. to two U.S.-born parents: 2,447
Born in U.S. to one or two foreign-born parents: 4,910
Born outside U.S. 2,774
African American: 56
Chinese, Japanese, or Indian: 5
Total: 10,199
White: 10,137
Born in U.S. to two U.S.-born parents: 2,384
Born in U.S. to one or two foreign-born parents: 3,683
Born outside U.S. 1,664
African American: 4
Total: 7,735
White: 7,012
Other: 1
White: 99.9%
Other: 0.1%
White: 99.9%
Other: 0.1%
White: 10,159
African American: 1
Indian: 12
Asian: 9
Japanese: 3
Filipino: 6
Other: 6
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,797 households, and 4,115 families living in the city. The population density was 2340sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 5,926 housing units at an average density of 915.7sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 94.0% White, 0.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.
There were 5,797 households, out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $57,154, and the median income for a family was $72,188. Males had a median income of $49,158 versus $33,680 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,163. About 3.0% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
As of the census[24] of 2010, there were 18,225 people, 7,075 households, and 4,885 families living in the city. The population density was 2618.5PD/sqmi. There were 7,576 housing units at an average density of 1088.5/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.1% White, 1.0% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.
There were 7,075 households, of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.
The median age in the city was 40 years. 26.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.3% were from 25 to 44; 29% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.
As of the 2020 census, there were 19,394 people living in the city.
The racial makeup of the city was 89.9% White alone (95.4% White alone or in combination), 1.7% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 5.6% from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 3.2% of the population.
According to the American Community Survey estimates for 2016–2020, the median income for a household in the city was $91,947, and the median income for a family was $109,151. Male full-time workers had a median income of $73,986 versus $67,005 for female workers. The per capita income for the city was $48,553. About 3.3% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.[25] Of the population age 25 and over, 96.4% were high school graduates or higher and 46.6% had a bachelor's degree or higher.[26]
Stillwater has a mix of public district, public charter, and private schools at the primary and secondary levels. The city is served by the Stillwater Area Public Schools system and the nearest high school is Stillwater Area High School in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota.