# Renville County, Minnesota *County in Minnesota, United States* Renville County is a county in the U.S. state of [[Minnesota]], with its seat at Olivia. The 2020 census counted 14,723 residents.[^1] The [[Minnesota River]] runs along its southwestern border, opposite the Lower Sioux Agency, and the county saw extensive fighting in the Dakota War of 1862.[^1] The legislature of the [[Minnesota Territory]] established the county on February 20, 1855. It took its name from Joseph Renville, a fur trader and trapper who had served as a British officer in the War of 1812 and acted as a go-between with Native American groups in the area.[^1] The county's government was fully organized on November 8, 1866, with Beaver Falls as its first seat. The seat moved to Olivia in 1900.[^1] ## History The county was created by the territorial [[Legislature|legislature]] on February 20, 1855, and named for Joseph Renville.[^1] Its governing structure was in place by November 8, 1866, and Beaver Falls served as the first county seat. Residents of Olivia and its surroundings began in 1885 to press for the seat to move there, and it did so in 1900.[^1] ### 1862 Dakota War The county sits across the Minnesota River from the Lower Sioux Agency. It was the scene of extensive combat in the Dakota War of 1862.[^1] Two defeats of the U.S. army by the [[Dakota]] took place in Birch Cooley Township: the Battle of Redwood Ferry and the Battle of Birch Coulee. Dakota forces also made numerous raids on settlers' homesteads across the county.[^1] The burned ruins of the Joseph Brown House remain standing. Monuments in various parts of the county commemorate settlers killed in the war.[^1] ## Geography The Minnesota River forms the county's southwestern boundary and flows to the southeast. Hawk Creek runs south through the western part of the county to join the Minnesota. Beaver Creek drains the county's center, running southeast and then southwest before it also enters the Minnesota.[^1] The land is mostly rolling hills cut by drainages and dotted with lakes and ponds, and it is used for agriculture.[^1] The ground slopes toward the south. The highest elevation, 1,122 ft (342 m) above sea level, lies near the middle of the northern boundary.[^1] Of the county's 987 square miles (2,560 km²) of total area, 983 square miles are land and 4.2 square miles (0.4%) are water.[^1] Nine counties border Renville:[^1] - Kandiyohi County lies to the north and Meeker County to the northeast. - McLeod County lies to the east, and Sibley and Nicollet counties to the southeast. - Brown County lies to the south and Redwood County to the southwest. - Yellow Medicine County lies to the west and Chippewa County to the northwest. Beltrami and Stearns are the only other Minnesota counties with nine neighbors.[^1] The county is served by U.S. Highways 71 and 212 and by Minnesota State Highways 4, 19 and 23.[^1] Its lakes include Beckendorf, Boon, Hodgson, Allie, Mud, Phare, Preston, Round and part of Round Grove Lake. Its protected areas include:[^1] - part of Fort Ridgely State Park; - the Birch Coulee Battlefield; - Beaver Falls County Park and Skalbekken County Park; - part of the Prieve State Wildlife Management Area. ## Demographics The 2020 census recorded 14,723 people in the county, with a median age of 43.7 years. Residents under 18 made up 22.9% of the population, and those 65 or older made up 21.8%.[^1] There were 103.2 males for every 100 females.[^1] The census reported the following racial makeup:[^1] - 89.4% White; - 0.5% Black or African American; - 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native; - 0.5% Asian; - less than 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander; - 3.4% some other race; - 5.4% two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race accounted for 9.0%. The census classified 100.0% of residents as living in rural areas.[^1] The county had 6,153 households:[^1] - 27.2% included children under 18. - 51.3% were married couples. - 30.7% consisted of individuals. - 14.8% had someone 65 or older living alone. Of 6,913 housing units, 11.0% stood vacant. Owners occupied 79.5% of occupied units and renters 20.5%.[^1] The 2000 census counted 17,154 people, 6,779 households and 4,623 families, at a density of 17.5 people per square mile. That census also counted 7,413 housing units.[^1] The 2000 population was 2,431 higher than the 2020 count.[^1] ## Communities The county has ten cities:[^1] - Bird Island - Buffalo Lake - Danube - Fairfax - Franklin - Hector - Morton - Olivia, the county seat - Renville - Sacred Heart Beaver Falls, Bechyn, Churchill and Lakeside are unincorporated communities, and Vicksburg is a ghost town.[^1] The county also contains 27 townships. One of them is Birch Cooley Township, where the Battle of Birch Coulee was fought.[^1] ## Politics Presidential voting in the county was fairly evenly divided until 1996.[^1] In every national election from 1996 through 2024, the county has gone to the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] candidate. In 2008, Democrat Barack Obama lost it by 52 votes.[^1] Donald Trump's results in 2016, 2020 and 2024 were the strongest for a Republican in the county since 1920.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Renville County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25, revision 1375328398; CC BY-SA 4.0) — county history, Dakota War of 1862, geography, 2020 and 2000 census demographics, communities, and voting history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renville_County,_Minnesota