McIntosh County, North Dakota

McIntosh County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,530.[1] Its county seat is Ashley.[2] The county is notable for being the county with the highest percentage of German-Americans in the United States, with over 76% of the county's residents being of German descent as of 2010.

McIntosh County
McIntosh County Courthouse in Ashley
McIntosh County Courthouse in Ashley
Map of North Dakota highlighting McIntosh County
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
Map of the United States highlighting North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°07′N 99°26′W / 46.12°N 99.44°W / 46.12; -99.44
Country United States
State North Dakota
FoundedMarch 9, 1883 (created)
October 4, 1884 (organized)
Named forEdward H. McIntosh
SeatAshley
Largest cityWishek
Area
 • Total995 sq mi (2,580 km2)
 • Land975 sq mi (2,530 km2)
 • Water20 sq mi (50 km2)  2.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total2,530
 • Estimate 
(2022)
2,475 Decrease
 • Density2.5/sq mi (0.98/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districtAt-large

History edit

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on March 9, 1883, with areas partitioned from Campbell, Logan, and McPherson counties, and with some previously unorganized areas. It was named for Edward H. McIntosh, a territorial legislator at the time.[3] The county seat was originally Hoskins, but changed in 1888 after everything in Hoskins but the school was moved three miles east to the new Soo Line Railroad townsite of Ashley.[4] The county government was not organized at that date, but the new county was not attached to another county for judicial or administrative purposes. Its government was organized on October 4, 1884.[5]

 
Outline map of McIntosh County, North Dakota, 1911

Geography edit

McIntosh County lies on the south line of North Dakota. Its south boundary line abuts the north boundary line of the state of South Dakota. The terrain consists of rolling hills dotted with lakes and ponds, and with occasional protuberances.[6] The terrain slopes to the south, with its highest point on the north line at 2,156 ft (657 m) ASL.[7] The county has a total area of 995 square miles (2,580 km2), of which 975 square miles (2,530 km2) is land and 20 square miles (52 km2) (2.0%) is water.[8]

Major highways edit

Adjacent counties edit

Protected areas[6] edit

  • Camp Lake State Game Management Area
  • Doyle Memorial State Recreation Area
  • Green Lake State Game Management Area
  • McIntosh County State Wildlife Management Area
  • National Waterfowl Production Area

Lakes[6] edit

  • Camp Lake
  • Coldwater Lake
  • Goose Lake
  • Green Lake
  • Kislingburg Lake
  • Lake Hoskins
  • May Lake
  • Miller Lake
  • Pudwill Lake
  • Salt Lake
  • Tschetter Lake

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18903,248
19004,81848.3%
19107,25150.5%
19209,01024.3%
19309,6216.8%
19408,984−6.6%
19507,590−15.5%
19606,702−11.7%
19705,545−17.3%
19804,800−13.4%
19904,021−16.2%
20003,390−15.7%
20102,809−17.1%
20202,530−9.9%
2022 (est.)2,475[9]−2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census edit

As of the census of 2020, there were 2,530 people.

2010 census edit

Languages (2010)[14] Percent
Spoke English at home 74.22%
Spoke German at home 24.70%
Spoke Spanish at home 0.94%
Spoke a Scandinavian language at home 0.11%
Spoke French at home 0.04%

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,809 people, 1,307 households, and 800 families in the county. The population density was 2.88 people per square mile (1.11 people/km2). There were 1,858 housing units at an average density of 1.91 units per square mile (0.74/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% white, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 76.8% were German, 26.9% were Russian, 6.2% were Norwegian, and 5.2% were American.

Of the 1,307 households, 19.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 3.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.8% were non-families, and 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.66. The median age was 52.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,904 and the median income for a family was $46,198. Males had a median income of $35,200 versus $23,594 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,608. About 9.2% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 20.2% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade edit

Communities edit

Cities edit

Township edit

Politics edit

McIntosh County is a powerfully Republican county. The only Democrats to carry McIntosh County have been Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936 and 1932, plus Al Smith in 1928. In 1920,[15] 1940,[16] 1944.[17] and 1952[18] elections the Republican presidential candidate received over ninety percent of the county's vote. Although shifting somewhat Democratic in more recent Presidential elections, John McCain received nearly sixty percent of the county's vote in the 2008 U.S. presidential election.[19] Donald Trump won seventy-seven percent of the vote in 2016, the best result in the county since Ronald Reagan.[20]

The county is represented in the US House of Representatives by Republican Kevin Cramer. As part of District 28 it is represented in the North Dakota Senate by Robert S. Erbele (R) and in the North Dakota House of Representatives by Mike Brandenburg (R) and Jeffery Magrum (R).[21]

United States presidential election results for McIntosh County, North Dakota[22]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 1,153 79.24% 261 17.94% 41 2.82%
2016 1,100 76.07% 235 16.25% 111 7.68%
2012 1,035 67.65% 459 30.00% 36 2.35%
2008 916 59.79% 579 37.79% 37 2.42%
2004 1,254 72.82% 436 25.32% 32 1.86%
2000 1,178 71.96% 350 21.38% 109 6.66%
1996 1,005 56.43% 470 26.39% 306 17.18%
1992 1,134 55.21% 450 21.91% 470 22.88%
1988 1,726 73.54% 598 25.48% 23 0.98%
1984 2,047 81.46% 427 16.99% 39 1.55%
1980 2,471 86.01% 308 10.72% 94 3.27%
1976 1,785 64.30% 912 32.85% 79 2.85%
1972 2,440 81.61% 521 17.42% 29 0.97%
1968 2,258 82.65% 342 12.52% 132 4.83%
1964 1,891 66.56% 950 33.44% 0 0.00%
1960 2,694 81.10% 628 18.90% 0 0.00%
1956 2,689 84.22% 498 15.60% 6 0.19%
1952 3,043 90.89% 276 8.24% 29 0.87%
1948 2,203 79.36% 513 18.48% 60 2.16%
1944 2,682 91.98% 226 7.75% 8 0.27%
1940 3,494 91.66% 318 8.34% 0 0.00%
1936 1,469 40.48% 1,900 52.36% 260 7.16%
1932 465 13.12% 3,078 86.88% 0 0.00%
1928 1,196 44.79% 1,474 55.21% 0 0.00%
1924 637 34.45% 39 2.11% 1,173 63.44%
1920 1,782 94.34% 79 4.18% 28 1.48%
1916 950 77.36% 270 21.99% 8 0.65%
1912 202 20.98% 125 12.98% 636 66.04%
1908 927 86.47% 140 13.06% 5 0.47%
1904 736 92.46% 58 7.29% 2 0.25%
1900 658 84.04% 125 15.96% 0 0.00%

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "County History". Official Portal for North Dakota State Government. Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
  4. ^ Wick, Douglas A. "Hoskins (McIntosh County)". North Dakota Place Names. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
  5. ^ "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c McIntosh County ND Google Maps (accessed February 24, 2019)
  7. ^ ""Find an Altitude/McIntosh County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 24, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  8. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  9. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  12. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  14. ^ "Data Center Results".
  15. ^ David Leip’s Election Atlas statistics for 1920
  16. ^ David Leip’s Election Atlas statistics for 1940
  17. ^ David Leip’s Election Atlas statistics for 1944
  18. ^ David Leip’s Election Atlas statistics for 1952
  19. ^ The New York Times electoral map (Zoom in on North Dakota)
  20. ^ "North Dakota Election Results 2016: President Live Map by County, Real-Time Voting Updates". Election Hub. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  21. ^ North Dakota Legislature site
  22. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2018.

External links edit

46°07′N 99°26′W / 46.12°N 99.44°W / 46.12; -99.44