# Manomin County, Minnesota *Former county in Minnesota, 1857–1869, later merged into Anoka County* Manomin County was a county of [[Minnesota]]. It was created in 1857 and merged into Anoka County in 1869, a separate existence of 13 years.[^1] Its land was taken from Ramsey County. At roughly 16 square miles, it was the smallest county in the United States when it was formed.[^1] Its territory was Fridley Township, named for Minnesota legislator Abram M. Fridley, who chaired the county commissioners for as long as the county existed. The population in 1860 was 136.[^1] The county's organization was disbanded in 1858. The area was then attached in turn to St. Louis, Anoka and Hennepin counties.[^2] On November 2, 1869, voters approved an amendment to Article 11 of the state constitution that brought the area into Anoka County.[^2] The site of the county seat, Manomin, now lies inside the city of Fridley.[^1] The name is a variant spelling of *manoomin*, the Ojibwe word for wild rice, a staple food of the Ojibwe.[^1] The present-day Mahnomen County, created in 1906, has a similar name.[^1] ## History On May 23, 1857, the sections of Fridley township were separated from Ramsey County to form Manomin County. Its seat was Manomin, now Fridley.[^2] Buchanan County, another former Minnesota county, was created on the same date.[^2] In 1858 the county was disbanded and attached for administrative purposes to [[St. Louis County, Minnesota]].[^2] In 1860 its attachment moved to Anoka County, and the area then had 136 residents.[^2] In 1863 it was attached to Hennepin County.[^2] The final merger required a constitutional change. An amendment to Article 11 placing Manomin County within Anoka County received 88.9 percent of the vote at the election of November 2, 1869.[^2] Henry C. Fridley, a son of territorial legislator Abram M. Fridley, recounted the county's situation in a letter dated April 18, 1899.[^3] He wrote that a county "of so small an area and sparsely populated was unable to maintain an organization without embarrassment." He added that it risked "exorbitant taxation" if its management fell into incompetent hands.[^3] He called the county "an elephant on our hands." The constitution barred reducing counties below four hundred square miles, so, he wrote, the amendment was submitted and adopted as "the only way out of the dilemma."[^3] ## Geography The former county's territory now contains the cities of Fridley, Columbia Heights and Hilltop. It also contains part of Spring Lake Park and a small part of [[Coon Rapids]].[^4] The area forms the southward extension of Anoka County that lies between Hennepin and Ramsey counties.[^1] The county's boundary description began in the middle of the channel of the [[Mississippi River]], at the line between townships 29 and 30 north, 24 west of the fourth meridian. The line ran east along that township line to the southeast corner of town 30 of range 24. It then followed that town's east and north lines to the centre of the river channel. From there it ran down the middle of the channel to the starting point.[^4] The county contained 18 sections. Six of them fronted on the Mississippi and were smaller than the 640 acres of a full section.[^4] Manomin County Park lies in Fridley, where Rice Creek meets the Mississippi River. The park is near the site of the former town of Manomin.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Manomin County, Minnesota*, lead section (rev. 1376407618, retrieved 2026-10-25) — dates of existence, origin from Ramsey County, area, Fridley Township, 1860 population, county seat location, the southward extension of Anoka County, Manomin County Park, name origin and Mahnomen County. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manomin_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Manomin County, Minnesota*, History section (rev. 1376407618, retrieved 2026-10-25) — creation on May 23, 1857; Buchanan County; disbandment and the attachments of 1858, 1860 and 1863; the November 2, 1869 Article 11 amendment vote of 88.9 percent. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manomin_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Manomin County, Minnesota*, History section (rev. 1376407618, retrieved 2026-10-25) — text of Henry C. Fridley's letter dated April 18, 1899. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manomin_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Manomin County, Minnesota*, Geography section (rev. 1376407618, retrieved 2026-10-25) — successor cities, the boundary description, and the 18-section composition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manomin_County,_Minnesota