County of the week – Brown County

Brown County
http://www.co.brown.mn.us

Founded: 20 February 1855

History:

• The county was named for Joseph Renshaw Brown who came to Minnesota in 1819
• On February 18, 1856, the Territorial Legislature declared Brown County an organized county and established New Ulm as the county seat.
• Germans populated most of the earliest settlement however, the Norwegians discovered the beautiful lake county in the southeastern Brown County
Development:
• An impetus was given to expanded settlement by the coming of the railroad to the county in 1872. By 1899 railroad transportation covered the south part of the county with stations in Comfrey in Bashaw Township and Hanska in Lake Hanska Township.
• Brown County is agriculturally oriented. In 2005, manufacturing was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $38,306.

Major Industries:

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting, Manufacturing, Mining.

Population: 26, 911 (2000 Census)

Cities: Cobden, Comfrey, Evan, Hanska, Nedw Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield.

Recreational opportunities:

County Fair
 Museums
 Monuments
 Historical Sites.
 Camping
 Bicycling
 Skiing

Upcoming Events

• Bock Fest
• Brown County Fair
• Fasching
• Flandrau Fest
• Heritagefest
• Oktoberfest
• Corn Days
• Syttende Mai (sent de my)
• Nativity Pageant
• For a complete list of events in Brown County, visit www.co.brown.mn.us/browncountyhistorymnusa.org/browncountytour/festivals&event.html/browncountytour/monuments1.html

Thanks to the Brown County Website for the information!

Information gathered by Eric Anunobi, Sesquicentennial Fellow

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