Koochiching County, Minnesota

Koochiching County (/ˈkuːtʃɪtʃɪŋ/ KOO-chitch-ing) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,062.^[2] Its county seat is International Falls.^[3] A portion of the Bois Forte Indian Reservation is in the county. A small part of Voyageurs National Park extends into its boundary, with Lake of the Woods County to its northwest.

History

About 10,000 years ago almost 90% of Koochiching County was covered by Lake Agassiz. When it receded it left low areas of decayed vegetation (muskeg); as a result, three-quarters of northern Koochiching are underlain with 2 to 50 feet of peat.^[4]

The name "Koochiching" comes from either the Ojibwe word Gojijiing or Cree Kocicīhk (recorded in some documents as "Ouchichiq"), both meaning 'at the place of inlets', referring to the neighboring Rainy Lake and River. Reverend J.A. Gilfillan recorded their meaning, "according to some, Neighbor lake, according to others a lake somewhere", possibly referring to the neighboring Rainy Lake and to Lake Couchiching located in southern Ontario. Early French inhabitants gave the names Lac à la Pluie ('Rainy Lake') and Rivière à la Pluie ('Rainy River') to the nearby bodies of water because of the mist-like rain present at the falls of Rainy River and then to the settlement that became known as International Falls.

This area was among the last in Minnesota to be settled. European settlers in Koochiching County started coming in the late 1800s. Some of the last lands were ceded from the Chippewa in a 1904 Land Act.^[5] Homesteads were being proven primarily in the 1900-1910 decade.^[6] Settlers were lumberjacks and farmers and many other trades, they "suffered through isolation, illness, harsh weather, and poverty... They built schools, churches, and fought for good roads".^[7]

The county is one of the youngest in the state, having been created in 1906 after separating from Itasca County.

Geography

Koochiching County lies on the northern edge of Minnesota. Its northern border abuts the south border of Canada (across the Rainy River). The Rainy River flows west-northwestward along its north border, being fed by several rivers which drain from the county into the Rainy: Rat Root River drains the east central part of the county; Little Fork River flows northward through the eastern part of the county; Big Fork River flows northward through the east-central part of the county; Black River flows northward through the central part of the county; Rapid River and East Fork Rapid River flow north-northwestward through the western part of the county, joining in the northwestern part of the county shortly before exiting the county's west line to discharge into the Rainy, just west of the county's northwestern corner.

The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, with swampy areas where Lake Agassiz basin was deepest. There are also deposits of peat from 1½ to 50 feet in the low areas. The fairly level soil is broken by ledges of Precambrian rock. Bedrock in the area includes Ely greenstone and greenstone schists that are said to be among the oldest on the planet.^[8] The terrain slopes to the north, with its highest point on the western part of its southern border at 1,515 ft (462 m) ASL.^[9] The county has a total area of 3,154 square miles (8,170 km²), of which 3,104 square miles (8,040 km²) is land and 50 square miles (130 km²) (1.6%) is water.^[10] It is the second-largest county in Minnesota by land area (second to neighboring St. Louis County) and third-largest by total area.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 53
• U.S. Highway 71
• Minnesota State Highway 1
• Minnesota State Highway 6
• Minnesota State Highway 11
• Minnesota State Highway 46
• Minnesota State Highway 65
• Minnesota State Highway 217

Adjacent counties

• Rainy River District, Ontario - north
• Saint Louis County - east
• Itasca County - south
• Beltrami County - southwest
• Lake of the Woods County - northwest

Protected areas

Source:^[8]

• East Rat Root River Scientific and Natural Area
• Lost River Peatland Scientific and Natural Area
• Myrtle Lake Peatland Scientific and Natural Area
• Pine Island State Forest
• Smoky Bear State Forest
• South Black River Peatland Scientific and Natural Area
• Superior National Forest (part)
• Voyageurs National Park (part)

Lakes

Source:^[8]

• Bartlett Lake
• Battle Lake
• Cameron Lake
• Clear Lake
• Dark Lake
• Franklin Lake
• Larson Lake
• Little Constance Lake
• Little Lake
• Lost Lake
• Moose Lake
• Myrtle Lake
• Nett Lake (part)
• Pine Lake
• Pocquette Lake
• Rainy Lake (part)
• Rat Root Lake
• Seretha Lake
• Silversack Lake
• Teufer Lake

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 12,062. The median age was 49.9 years. 18.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 25.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.3 males age 18 and over.^[20][21]

The racial makeup of the county was 91.0% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 2.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.4% from some other race, and 5.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.4% of the population.^[21]

54.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 45.5% lived in rural areas.^[22]

There were 5,604 households in the county, of which 21.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.8% were married-couple households, 23.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[20]

There were 7,402 housing units, of which 24.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 78.1% were owner-occupied and 21.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.5%.^[20]

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,355 people, 6,040 households, and 3,962 families in the county. The population density was 4.62 /mi2. There were 7,719 housing units at an average density of 2.49 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 96.12% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 2.15% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. 0.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 21.2% were of Norwegian, 19.8% German, 12.3% Swedish and 7.0% Irish ancestry.

There were 6,040 households, out of which 28.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.30% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 30.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.88.

The county population contained 23.90% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 26.00% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,262, and the median income for a family was $43,608. Males had a median income of $40,642 versus $22,261 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,167. About 8.40% of families and 12.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.10% of those under age 18 and 13.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

From 1932 through 1996, Koochiching County voters tended Democratic, selecting the Democratic nominee in every election save Nixon's 1972 landslide. In 2000, George W. Bush became the first Republican to carry the county since 1972, despite narrowly losing the overall national popular vote. It returned to the Democratic column in the subsequent three elections, although none of the Democratic nominees in those three elections managed as high a vote share as Mondale in 1984 or Dukakis in 1988. In 2016, Donald Trump became the second Republican since 1972 to carry the county, and carried it again in 2020, with an increased majority—the first time the county has ever voted Republican two elections in a row. Trump won Koochiching County for a third time in 2024, taking nearly 62% of the vote, becoming the first ever Republican to win more than 60% of the county's vote.^[23]

Communities

Koochiching County is one of two counties in Minnesota that have no organized civil township governments within the county (the other is neighboring Lake of the Woods County), due to legislative action taken by the county to absorb existing township governments. Survey townships, as defined by the Public Land Survey System exist but are not organized. Six city governments have been created, and the rest of the county consists of unorganized territories and unincorporated communities.

Cities

Source:^[8]

• Big Falls
• International Falls (county seat; named Koochiching until January 1, 1903)
• Littlefork
• Mizpah
• Northome
• Ranier
• South International Falls (part of International Falls since 1987)^[30]

Unorganized territories

• East Koochiching
• Nett Lake
• Northome
• Northwest Koochiching
• Rainy Lake
• South Koochiching

Census-designated place

• Nett Lake (part)

Other unincorporated communities

Source:^[8]

• Birchdale
• Bramble
• Central
• Craigville
• Ericsburg
• Forest Grove
• Frontier
• Gates Corner
• Gemmell
• Grand Falls
• Indus
• Island View
• Jameson
• Laurel
• Lindford
• Loman
• Manitou
• Margie
• Nakoda
• Pelland
• Pinetop
• Rauch
• Ray
• Silverdale
• Wildwood

Ghost towns

Source:^[8]

• Border
• Fairland
• Falls Junction
• Rainy Lake City^[31]
• Ridge
• The Pines
• Wayland

In popular culture

Koochiching County is the location of the fictional town of Frostbite Falls, the home of the animated characters Rocky and Bullwinkle. Frostbite Falls was probably named in honor of International Falls, since International Falls is often referred to as the nation's icebox.^[32]

See also

• Laurel complex
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Koochiching County, Minnesota
• Lake Agassiz Peatlands Natural Area
• Iron Range
• Ernest Oberholtzer

References

1. ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
2. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. ^ Soper, E. K. (1919). "Peat Deposits of Minnesota". Bulletin of the Minnesota Geological Survey. ' (16): 172.
5. ^ "19th century history". Red Lake Nation. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
6. ^ "General Land Office Records". Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
7. ^ Schwankl, Hermoine Gordon (1983). "History of Koochiching County". Koochiching County. Archived April 5, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 7, 2010.
8. ^ Koochiching County MN Google Maps (accessed March 17, 2019)
9. ^ ""Find an Altitude/Koochiching County MN" Google Maps (accessed March 17, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
10. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
11. ^ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Minnesota - Tables 15 and 16 – Race by Sex: 1980 and Tables 16 and 17 – Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980". United States Census Bureau. p. 13-24. Archived October 7, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. – via Wayback Machine
12. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Minnesota: Table 4-6 - Race and Hispanic Origin". United States Census Bureau. p. 17-79. Archived April 24, 2026 at the Wayback Machine. – via Wayback Machine
13. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Koochiching County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau
14. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Koochiching County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau
15. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Koochiching County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau
16. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
17. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
18. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
19. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
20. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
21. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
22. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
23. ^ Simon, Steve (November 21, 2024). "2024 State Canvassing Board Certificate". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived 2025-04-22 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
24. ^ "County Commission | Koochiching County, MN". www.co.koochiching.mn.us. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
25. ^ "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
26. ^ "Rep. Roger Skraba (03A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
27. ^ "Representative Pete Stauber". Representative Pete Stauber. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
28. ^ "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar". www.klobuchar.senate.gov. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
29. ^ "Home". Senator Tina Smith. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
30. ^ History of International Falls (page 4). Accessed March 17, 2019
31. ^ Rainy Lake City - National Park Service (accessed March 17, 2019)^{[dead link]}
32. ^ History of International Falls (p. 5) Accessed March 17, 2019

External links

• County website
• Minnesota Department of Transportation maps (Southwest, Southeast, Northwest, Northeast)
• Koochiching County Historical Museum (Int'l Falls)