# Kanabec County, Minnesota *County in east-central Minnesota; county seat Mora* Kanabec County is a county in east-central [[Minnesota]], with its seat of government at Mora. The 2020 census counted 16,032 residents.[^1] The legislature authorized the county in 1858 but did not organize it until 1881. In the interval it was administered first from Chisago County and then from Pine County. Its seat was fixed at Brunswick and moved to Mora after the 1882 general election.[^2] As of 2024, the county had chosen the [[Republican Party (United States)]] candidate in 67% of national elections held since 1980.[^3] ## History On March 13, 1858, the [[Minnesota Legislature]] authorized Kanabec County and carved its territory out of Pine County. The act named no county seat, and the county was not organized at that time.[^2] The name comes from the Ojibwe word *ginebig* ("snake"). It was taken from the Snake River, called Kanabecosippi (*Ginebigo-ziibi* in modern spelling), which runs through the county.[^2] For administrative and judicial purposes the area was attached to Chisago County. The county business conducted locally fell to a part-time County Auditor and County Treasurer. They worked from one room in a stopping place at Millet Rapids run by the lumber trader George Staples.[^2] In 1871 the attachment to Chisago ended and the county was assigned to Pine County, an arrangement that continued through 1881.[^2] The 1870 federal census had counted 53 people in the Kanabec area. Settlers then moved into the southern part of the county in the early 1870s. By 1876 the county needed an official building, and a one-room frame structure at Millet Rapids went into service that year.[^2] Detachment from Pine in 1881 completed the county government, and Brunswick was named the seat. The court sat there for a single term. At the 1882 general election, voters chose Mora as the seat by a nearly unanimous margin.[^2] A local farmer bought the former courthouse and moved it to his land to live in. Mora's wooden courthouse served until fire destroyed it in 1894, and a more fire-resistant building replaced it.[^2] ## Geography The Snake River runs south-southeast through the middle of the county. Along the way it receives the Groundhouse River, which flows northeast from the southwest corner, along with Red Creek and Mud Creek. It then turns east into Pine County.[^4] The land is rolling and partly wooded, cut by drainage channels, and used mostly for farming. Elevation falls toward the south and east. The highest ground lies near the northwest corner, at 1,309 feet (399 m) above sea level.[^4] The county covers 534 square miles (1,380 km²) in total. Of that area, 522 square miles (1,350 km²) is land and 12 square miles (31 km²), or 2.3%, is water.[^4] ### Lakes Lakes in the county include the following:[^4] - Ann Lake - Bachman Dam - Bass Lake (part) - Beauty Lake - Featherbed Lake - Fish Lake - Kent Lake - Knife Lake - Lake Eleven - Lake Five - Full of Fish - Lewis Lake - Long Lake - Pennington Lake - Pomroy Lake - Rice Lake - Spring Lake - Thirteen Lake - White Lily Lake ### Adjacent counties The county borders five others: Aitkin County to the north, Pine County to the east, Chisago County to the southeast, Isanti County to the south and Mille Lacs County to the west.[^4] ### Protected areas The county contains six state wildlife management areas: Ann Lake, Bean Dam, Hay-Snake, Rice Creek, Tosher Creek and Whited. It also contains part of the Rum River State Forest.[^4] ### Historic locations Historic locations in the county are the following:[^4] - Ann River Logging Company Farm - Kanabec County Courthouse - Knife Lake prehistoric district - Ogilvie Watertower - C. E. Williams House - Zetterberg Company ## Infrastructure Mora Municipal Airport serves the county. Minnesota State Highways 23, 27, 47, 65, 70 and 107 cross it. The county road system is numbered from County Road 1 to County Road 30.[^5] ## Demographics ### 2020 census The 2020 census recorded 16,032 residents with a median age of 45.4 years. Residents under 18 made up 21.8% of the population, and those 65 or older made up 21.5%. The census counted 101.8 males per 100 females overall, and 102.0 males per 100 females among adults 18 and over.[^6] In the census race categories, 94.1% of residents were recorded as White, 0.4% as Black or African American and 0.8% as American Indian and Alaska Native. A further 0.5% were recorded as Asian, under 0.1% as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.2% as some other race and 3.9% as two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 1.5% of the population. The census classed under 0.1% of residents as urban and 100.0% as rural.[^6] The county had 6,530 households, and 26.6% of them included children under 18. Married couples made up 50.4% of households. Households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present made up 20.5%, and those with a female householder and no spouse or partner present made up 19.6%. About 27.5% of households consisted of individuals, and 12.5% had someone 65 or older living alone.[^6] Of 7,735 housing units, 15.6% were vacant. Owners occupied 81.2% of the occupied units and renters 18.8%. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.9%.[^6] ### 2010 census The 2010 census counted 16,239 people in 6,277 households, a density of 31.1 people per square mile (12.0/km²). In the census race categories that year, 96.6% of residents were recorded as White, 0.6% as Black or African American, 0.8% as Native American or Alaska Native and 0.4% as Asian. A 2014 estimate put the number of housing units at 7,808.[^6] ## Communities ### Cities The county has five cities: Braham (mostly in Isanti County), Grasston, Mora (the county seat), Ogilvie and Quamba.[^7] ### Unincorporated communities The unincorporated communities are Brunswick, Coin, Grass Lake, Kroschel, Lewis Lake, Warman and Woodland.[^7] ### Abandoned communities U.S. post offices once operated at Bronson, Fisk, Heiden, Hillman, Mull, Raritan and Riverdale, which no longer exist.[^7] ### Townships The county has fifteen townships:[^7] - Ann Lake - Arthur - Brunswick - Comfort - Ford - Grass Lake - Hay Brook - Hillman - Kanabec - Knife Lake - Kroschel - Peace - Pomroy - South Fork - Whited ## Politics The county's electorate has shifted toward the Republican Party over recent decades. As of 2024, the Republican nominee had carried the county in 67% of the national elections held since 1980.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Kanabec County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330190, retrieved 2026-10-25), lead section — establishes location, county seat and 2020 population. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanabec_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Kanabec County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330190, retrieved 2026-10-25), History section — establishes the 1858 authorization, the attachments to Chisago and Pine counties, the 1870 census count, the 1876 building, the 1881 organization, the 1882 seat vote and the 1894 courthouse fire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanabec_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Kanabec County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330190, retrieved 2026-10-25), Politics section — establishes the share of national elections since 1980 won by the Republican candidate, as of 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanabec_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Kanabec County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330190, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — establishes the rivers, terrain, elevation, area, lakes, adjacent counties, protected areas and historic locations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanabec_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Kanabec County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330190, retrieved 2026-10-25), Infrastructure section — establishes the airport, state highways and county road numbering. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanabec_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Kanabec County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330190, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section — establishes the 2020 and 2010 census population, age, sex ratio, race-category, household and housing figures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanabec_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia contributors, *Kanabec County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330190, retrieved 2026-10-25), Communities section — establishes the cities, unincorporated communities, former post-office locations and townships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanabec_County,_Minnesota