# Pipestone County, Minnesota *County in Minnesota, United States* Pipestone County is a county of the U.S. state of [[Minnesota]] that lies along the state's border with South Dakota. The 2020 census counted 9,424 residents, and the county seat is the city of Pipestone.[^1][^3] The territorial legislature created the county in 1857, and a state act organized it in 1879. A state act of 1862 moved the Pipestone name onto this county from its southern neighbor because the pipestone quarry lies here. The quarry holds deposits of red pipestone that Native Americans used to make pipes. Pipestone National Monument is north of the town of Pipestone.[^2] ## History An act of the territorial legislature dated May 23, 1857, established the county, but no county government was organized then. At first this area was called Rock County, and the Pipestone County name belonged to the neighboring county now called Rock. On February 20, 1862, the Minnesota legislature exchanged the two names so that each county received its current one. The legislature made the change because the pipestone quarry lies in this county.[^2] A further state act, dated January 27, 1879, organized the county and made Pipestone City its seat. The town had been platted in 1876, and its name was later shortened to Pipestone. Native Americans used the quarry's red pipestone deposits to make pipes.[^2] Pipestone National Monument is in the county, a short distance north of the town of Pipestone.[^2] A law signed in March 1915 let each Minnesota county decide whether to allow alcohol production. In Pipestone County's vote, the side favoring a wet county won by 4 votes. Supporters of a dry county appealed to the Minnesota District Court and then to the Supreme Court, and the courts upheld the wet result.[^2] ## Geography The county borders South Dakota. The Rock River begins in the county and runs south into Rock County. Near the southern county line, the East Branch of the Rock River joins it. The land is low and rolling, cut by drainage channels, and is used for farming. It slopes toward the west and south. The county's high point on the upper eastern border is 1,883 ft (574 m) above sea level.[^3] The county covers 466 square miles (1,210 km²). Of that, 465 square miles are land and 0.9 square miles (0.2%) are water.[^3] Pipestone, Mower, Olmsted and Rock are the only four Minnesota counties with no natural lake. Pipestone County's lakes are man-made reservoirs: Indian Lake, and Split Rock Lake in Split Rock Creek State Park.[^3] U.S. Highway 75 and Minnesota State Highways 23, 30 and 269 serve the county. In Minnesota, the neighboring counties are Lincoln to the north, Lyon to the northeast, Murray to the east and Rock to the south. In South Dakota, they are Minnehaha to the southwest, Moody to the west and Brookings to the northwest.[^3] Protected lands include Pipestone National Monument, Split Rock Creek State Park and the Prairie Coteau Scientific and Natural Area. The county also has eight state wildlife management areas: Altona, Burke, Holland, Pheasant Terrace, Pipestone Indian (inside the national monument), Troy, Van Beek and Woodstock.[^3] ## Demographics The 2020 census recorded 9,424 residents with a median age of 41.8 years. Of these residents, 24.9% were under 18 and 21.7% were 65 or older. The census reported 86.6% of residents as White, 1.1% as Black or African American, 1.3% as American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% as Asian, 5.7% as some other race, and 4.6% as two or more races. Residents who were Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 8.5%. The census classified 100.0% of residents as rural.[^4] The same census counted 3,948 households, and 28.4% of them had children under 18. Married couples made up 50.4% of households, and 31.6% were one person living alone. Of the 4,337 housing units, 9.0% were vacant. Owners lived in 76.1% of occupied units and renters in 23.9%.[^4] In 2000 the census counted 9,895 people in 4,069 households, 2,726 of them families. There were 4,434 housing units, and the population density was 21.3 people per square mile.[^4] ## Communities The county has nine cities: Edgerton, Hatfield, Holland, Ihlen, Jasper (partly in Rock County), Pipestone (the county seat), Ruthton, Trosky and Woodstock. Its unincorporated communities are Airlie, Cazenovia, Cresson and Diamond Corner. It has twelve townships: Aetna, Altona, Burke, Eden, Elmer, Fountain Prairie, Grange, Gray, Osborne, Rock, Sweet and Troy.[^5] ## Government and politics The county has voted increasingly Republican in recent decades. As of 2024, it had not voted for the Democratic presidential nominee in any election since 1976. In the 2012 U.S. Senate election, Pipestone and Rock County, its southern neighbor, were the only two counties that did not vote for the Democratic candidate, [[Amy Klobuchar]].[^6] ## In the Minnesota record ### Where - The county lies on Minnesota's border with South Dakota, and its county seat is Pipestone.[^1][^3] ### How many - The census counted 9,424 residents in 2020 and 9,895 in 2000.[^1][^4] - The county covers 466 square miles, of which 0.9 square miles are water.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Pipestone County, Minnesota*, lead section (rev. 1375334240, retrieved 2026-10-25) — 2020 census population of 9,424; county seat at Pipestone. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipestone_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Pipestone County, Minnesota*, History section (rev. 1375334240, retrieved 2026-10-25) — formation act of May 23, 1857; name exchange of February 20, 1862; organization act of January 27, 1879; Pipestone National Monument; 1915 local-option vote and appeals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipestone_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Pipestone County, Minnesota*, Geography section (rev. 1375334240, retrieved 2026-10-25) — South Dakota border, Rock River, terrain, area, lakes, highways, adjacent counties and protected areas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipestone_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Pipestone County, Minnesota*, Demographics section (rev. 1375334240, retrieved 2026-10-25) — 2020 and 2000 census population, age, race, household and housing figures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipestone_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Pipestone County, Minnesota*, Communities section (rev. 1375334240, retrieved 2026-10-25) — cities, unincorporated communities and townships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipestone_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Pipestone County, Minnesota*, Government and politics section (rev. 1375334240, retrieved 2026-10-25) — presidential voting since 1976 and the 2012 U.S. Senate vote. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipestone_County,_Minnesota