# Historic Lincoln County, Minnesota *Proposed county in Minnesota, approved in 1861 and abandoned in 1868* Historic Lincoln County is the name for a county in [[Minnesota]] that was proposed in the 1860s but never formed. Its planned territory was the north-eastern part of Renville County plus the two southernmost townships of Meeker County.[^1] The [[Minnesota Legislature]] approved the new county in 1861. Residents of neither Renville nor Meeker County ratified it, and the proposal was given up in 1868.[^1] The present-day Lincoln County is a separate county. It sits on the border between Minnesota and South Dakota and was established on March 6, 1873.[^1] The record assembled for this article is a single encyclopedia summary. It does not say why residents of the two existing counties did not ratify the measure, and it does not show any formal act of repeal.[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - The Minnesota Legislature approved the proposed county in 1861.[^1] - Residents of Renville County and Meeker County did not ratify it.[^1] ### What - The proposal was for a new county named Lincoln County, to be formed from parts of Renville and Meeker counties.[^1] ### When - Legislative approval: 1861.[^1] - Abandonment of the proposal: 1868.[^1] - Establishment of the present-day Lincoln County: March 6, 1873.[^1] ### Where - The proposed county would have covered north-eastern Renville County and the two southernmost townships of Meeker County.[^1] - The present-day Lincoln County lies on the Minnesota–South Dakota border.[^1] ### Why - The record does not establish why residents of either existing county withheld ratification.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Historic Lincoln County, Minnesota* (revision 1333869562, retrieved 2026-10-25) — gives the proposed county's boundaries, its 1861 legislative approval, the lack of ratification by residents, its 1868 abandonment, and the March 6, 1873 establishment of the present-day Lincoln County. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_Lincoln_County,_Minnesota