Winona County, Minnesota

, from which legend has it the Dakota maiden named Winona leapt to her death The Wisconsin Territory was established by the federal government effective July 3, 1836, and existed until its eastern portion was granted statehood (as Wisconsin) in 1848. The federal government set up the Minnesota Territory effective March 3, 1849. The newly organized territorial legislature created nine counties across the territory in October of that year. One of those counties, Wabasha, had its southern section partitioned off on March 5, 1853, into a new county, Fillmore. On February 23, 1854, the legislature partitioned the northern part of Fillmore County, plus a small section of Wabasha, to create Winona County, with the village of Winona as county seat. The county name was taken from the village name, which is said to derive from a Dakota legend about a woman, Winona (a relative of Chief Wabasha), who was betrothed to a warrior she did not love. Rather than marry him, she jumped to her death from a rock on Lake Pepin now called "Maiden's Rock". This is known as the Winona legend. The county boundaries have not changed since 1854. ==Geography==

Winona County lies on Minnesota's border with Wisconsin and is part of the driftless area that defines southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois. The Mississippi, flowing south-southeast, defines the county's eastern border. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (St. Paul District) maintains the region's lock-and-dam system. The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point at ASL on a hill east of Wilson. The county has an area of , of which is land and (2.4%) is water. Winona County borders Wabasha County, Olmsted County, Fillmore County and Houston County. Transit • Winona Transit Service • Jefferson Lines • Amtrak (Empire Builder) Major highways • Interstate 90 • U.S. Highway 14 • U.S. Highway 61 • Minnesota State Highway 43 • Minnesota State Highway 74 • Minnesota State Highway 76 • Minnesota State Highway 248 Public airports • Winona Municipal Airport (ONA) (Max Conrad Field), NW of Winona Adjacent counties • Wabasha County - northwest • Buffalo County, Wisconsin - north • Trempealeau County, Wisconsin - northeast • La Crosse County, Wisconsin - east • Houston County - south • Fillmore County - southwest • Olmsted County - west ==Demographics==

Racial and ethnic composition 2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 49,671. The median age was 37.2 years. 18.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.8 males age 18 and over. The racial makeup of the county was 89.9% White, 1.8% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.8% from some other race, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.8% of the population. There were 20,111 households in the county, of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.4% were married-couple households, 21.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. ==Micropolitan Statistical Area==

The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has designated Winona County as the Winona, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA), with Winona as its principal city. The US Census Bureau ranked this μSA as the 591st most populous Core Based Statistical Area of the United States as of April 1, 2020. ==Politics==

Winona County has historically been a swing county at the federal level, but in the 21st century leans Democratic. Winona County's seat is considered a college town due to the presence of Winona State University and Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. In 2016, the county backed Donald Trump, the first time a Republican presidential nominee carried the county since 1988. In 2020, the county backed Joe Biden with a plurality. Trump won the county again in 2024, this time with 51% of the vote. In the 2022 elections, Winona County voted for the Republican nominee for all statewide offices. Winona County is represented in the Minnesota House of Representatives by Steve Jacob (R) and Aaron Repinski (R). Jeremy Miller (R) and Steve Drazkowski (R) represent it in the Minnesota Senate. Winona County is in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, which is represented by Brad Finstad (R). ==Communities==

Cities • Altura • Dakota • Elba • Goodview • La Crescent (mostly in Houston County) • Lewiston • Minneiska (partly in Wabasha County) • Minnesota City • Rollingstone • St. Charles • Stockton • Utica • Winona (county seat) Census-designated place • Dresbach • Homer • Pickwick Unincorporated communities • Bethany • Centerville • Clyde • Donehower • Fremont • Lamoille • Nodine • Oakridge • Pine Creek • Ridgeway • Saratoga • Troy • Whitman • Wilson • Witoka • Wyattville Ghost towns • Ashton • Beaver • Enterprise • Grover • Whitewater Falls • Clyde Townships • Dresbach • Elba • Fremont • Hart • Hillsdale • Homer • Mount Vernon • New Hartford • Norton • Pleasant Hill • Richmond • Rollingstone • Saint Charles • Saratoga • Utica • Warren • Whitewater • Wilson • Wiscoy ==See also==