Pine City, Minnesota: Difference between revisions
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* [[Shane Bauer]] - Photojournalist |
* [[Shane Bauer]] - Photojournalist |
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* [[James Bede]] - Politician |
* [[James Bede]] - Politician |
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* Nathan Johnson - Author |
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* [[Mesa Kincaid]] - Radio Personality |
* [[Mesa Kincaid]] - Radio Personality |
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* [[Ronald Kubesh]] - Professional Football Player |
* [[Ronald Kubesh]] - Professional Football Player |
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* Helen Meyers - Founder, Russell Bede School |
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* [[Johnny Mold]] aka. Jammin' - Professional Snowmobile Racer |
* [[Johnny Mold]] aka. Jammin' - Professional Snowmobile Racer |
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* [[Bob Mould]] - Musician, [[Hüsker Dü]] |
* [[Bob Mould]] - Musician, [[Hüsker Dü]] |
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* [[Karla Nelsen]] - [[female bodybuilding|Bodybuilder]]; 1993 [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] Ms. America |
* [[Karla Nelsen]] - [[female bodybuilding|Bodybuilder]]; 1993 [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] Ms. America |
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* Aubrey Olson - National Goodwill Ambassador, [[Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon]] |
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* Nicholas Olson - National Goodwill Ambassador, [[Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon]] |
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* [[Jane Robbins]] - Politician |
* [[Jane Robbins]] - Politician |
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* [[Allison Rosati]] - News Anchor |
* [[Allison Rosati]] - News Anchor |
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* [[Rube Walberg]] - Professional Baseball Player |
* [[Rube Walberg]] - Professional Baseball Player |
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* [[Jeff Warner]] aka. [[J.W. Storm]] - Professional Wrestler |
* [[Jeff Warner]] aka. [[J.W. Storm]] - Professional Wrestler |
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* [http://www.michaelwillert.com Michael Willert] - Children's Author |
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* Lloyd 'Forever' Young - National Champion Marathoner |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 01:43, 31 December 2009
Pine City, Minnesota | |
|---|---|
| An ad promoting Pine City An ad promoting Pine City | |
 Location in the state of Minnesota. | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Pine |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jane Robbins |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.2 sq mi (8.4 km2) |
| • Land | 2.8 sq mi (7.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 951 ft (290 m) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 3,311 |
| • Density | 1,076.3/sq mi (415.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 55063 |
| Area code | 320 |
| FIPS code | 27-51064Template:GR |
| GNIS feature ID | 0649445Template:GR |
| Website | http://pinecity.govoffice.com |
Pine City is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,043 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2008 was 3,285. Pine City is the county seat of, and the largest city in, Pine CountyTemplate:GR. The Initiative Foundation named Pine City "Outstanding Community" of 2009[1].
Its name is a French translation of "Chengwatana" (Pine Town), originally an Ojibwe village located just east of Pine City, along the Snake River. The Ojibwe name for the city is Ne-zhingwaakokaag (on a land-point full of white pines). A portion of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is located within Pine City.
History
The Dakota Indians were the first in the area. With the Ojibwa expansion, the area became a mixture of the two. By early 1800s, the area became predominantly Ojibwa. They trapped and hunted on the land and traded furs at the nearby trading posts. With the Treaty of St. Peters of 1837, dubbed the "White Pine Treaty", lumbering began in the area. Lumbering, though, was limited by access to the available waterways.
In the late 1800s, European settlers came to the Pine City area, which was still heavily forested with thick stands of white pine, some of the largest in the state. When the railroad arrived in Pine City so began a logging expansion. Pine City prospered and grew into a city that had everything needed to serve residents, farmers, and the fast expanding lumber industry. Pine City was founded in 1881.
When Buchanan County was merged with Pine County in 1861, the county seat was consolidated to Pine City because it was already well-established. Because of its location on the far southern edge of Pine County, there have been attempts over the years to move the county seat to more centrally located Hinckley and Sandstone. However, being the most populous city in the county, Pine City always prevailed as the county seat.
In 2005, the city became the first in rural Minnesota with an annual gay pride event and one of only two rural communities to hold such an event in the United States (See worldwide "list of LGBT events").
Christmas trees for the Minnesota Governor's Residence have often come from the Pine City area.
Pine City today
Pine City is a popular day trip for tourists from the Twin Cities who enjoy the historic downtown's specialty stores and restaurants as well as a nearby casino and recreational opportunities, including the scenic St. Croix River valley. Also, a local historical site situated along the Snake River, the North West Company Post, has become a popular tourist draw; it was used by French fur traders nearly two centuries ago.
Pine City is a recreation destination for outdoor enthusiasts who find the easily-accessible area lakes, rivers, and forests ideal for hunting, fishing, water sports, hiking, biking, and camping. Pine City is also home to two golf courses, the Pine City Country Club, a beautiful nine-hole public course opened in 1971, and Pokegema Lake Golf Course, a par-3 course located just west of town.
The Pine County Fair takes place in Pine City each year in late July/early August. A highlight of the fair is a two-night demolition derby that is one of the Minnesota's largest, drawing several thousand spectators each evening. The five-day event is a free gate fair and also features free on-site parking.
Politics
Pine City is located in Minnesota's 8th congressional district, represented by Jim Oberstar, a Democrat. Pine City is in State Legislative District 8B, represented by State Senator Tony Lourey (DFL) and Representative Tim Faust (DFL).
A new courthouse and county offices were relocated from downtown to the north end of town in 2007. City offices, in City Hall, remain downtown. The current Mayor of Pine City is Jane Robbins. Click here for list of Pine City's Mayors, past and present
The City Council comprises the following members:
- Dylan Ascheman (At-Large)
- Term- January 2007 to January 2011
- Paul Miller (At-Large)
- Term- January 2007 to January 2011
- Paul Janssen (At-Large)
- Term- January 2009 to January 2013
- Brian Scholin (At-Large)
- Term- January 2009 to January 2013
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.4 km²), of which, 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (12.69%) is water. It is located in telephone Area code 320.
Transportation
Pine City is located along Interstate 35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth. The St. Croix Scenic Byway also passes through Pine City. An intercity bus service called Jefferson Lines runs from Pine City to St. Paul or Duluth twice daily. Presently, the Rush Line Corridor task force is studying the feasibility of passenger rail service to serve area commuters. For travel within the city, there is local taxi service available as well as the Pine County minibus system. Also, Pine City is served by the Rush City/Pine City Regional Airport, eight miles south of the city limits.
The St. Croix Valley Railroad runs through Pine City.
Business and Industry
MINPACK, Inc. is one of the largest employers, with over 100 employees. Another, Atscott Manufacturing Company, has 85 employees. Both have their headquarters in Pine City. Other large employers in the community include Wal Mart, Product Fabricators, Inc., Broekema Beltway, ISD 578, Therapeutic Services Agency, Pine County, Lakeside Medical Center. and Lake Superior Laundry.
Shopping
Pine City serves as a shopping hub for such surrounding Minnesota communities as Askov, Braham, Brook Park, Henriette, Hinckley, Finlayson, Rock Creek, Rush City and Sandstone, as well as Grantsburg, Wisconsin, and each of their respective townships. Serving as a subregional center, Pine City accommodates a much larger population by day as residents from the smaller, aforementioned, surrounding communities both shop and work there.
In addition to a Walmart Supercenter, Pine City is home to three retail shopping centers: Pine Plaza, Evergreen Square and Northridge Center. Pine Plaza, located in the central business district, was Pine City's first shopping center. It is anchored by an old-fashioned drive-in A&W All-American Food Restaurant, one of the few remaining carhops in the state. Evergreen Square is anchored by Pamida and is also home to such stores as Radio Shack and T-Mobile. Pine City's newest shopping center is Northridge Center, located at the city's developing northern freeway interchange, anchored by a dollar store and home to a bistro and several service-related enterprises.
From early spring to late fall, one of East Central Minnesota's largest flea markets takes place every Wednesday morning at the Pine County Fairgrounds. Vendors feature everything from antique tools and furniture to fresh flowers and produce. A farmers market called Market in the Park is held seasonally each Friday at the south side of the park.
Pine City has one of the most evident downtowns between the Twin Cities and the Twin Ports. Robinson Park is in the heart of it and forms the center of the town square, with the old train depot to the east, city hall to the south and many mom and pop shops lining 5th Street on the west side of the park.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 3,043 residents, 1,222 households, and 734 families in the city. The population density was 1,076.3 people per square mile (415.2/km²). There were 1,275 housing units at an average density of 451.0/sq mi (174.0/km²).
Racial Makeup
97.57% White
1.35% Hispanic or Latino of any race.
0.95% Native American
0.16% African American
0.16% Asian
0.03% Pacific Islander
0.16% from other races
0.95% from two or more races.
Population statistics
| Population history | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2005[1] | ||
| 1,343 | 1,708 | 1,937 | 1,972 | 2,143 | 2,489 | 2,613 | 3,043 | 3,318 | ||
- ^ State Demographer's Estimate
Much of the growth of the region occurs around the lakes in the neighboring townships, in Pokegama, Chengwatana or Pine City Township.
Other Demographics
There were 1,222 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,118, and the median income for a family was $37,639. Males had a median income of $30,951 versus $20,759 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,802. About 10.8% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.
Ancestry of Pine City residents is primarily German (36%), Norwegian (17%), Swedish (15%), and Czech (8%).
Religion
Pine City is home to several churches, of varying denominations, including:
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
- Evergreen Community Church
- First Presbyterian Church
- Grace Baptist Church
- Hustletown Community Church
- Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
- Journey North Church
- Kingdom Hall - Jehovah's Witness
- Living Hope Christian Center
- Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
- Pine City Church of Christ
- Pine City Evangelical Free Church
- Trinity Baptist
- Zion Lutheran Church
Climate
Below is a table of average high and low temperatures throughout the year in Pine City.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high °F (°C) | 19 (-7) | 25 (-4) | 38 (3) | 55 (13) | 68 (20) | 77 (25) | 81 (27) | 79 (26) | 68 (20) | 57 (14) | 39 (4) | 23 (-5) |
| Avg low temperature °F (°C) | -3 (-19) | 0 (-18) | 15 (-9) | 31 (-1) | 41 (5) | 51 (11) | 57 (14) | 53 (12) | 43 (6) | 32 (0) | 19 (-7) | 2 (-17) |
Places of interest
- Chengwatana State Forest
- North West Company Post
- Pine City Country Club
- Rural School Dist. 69 Museum
- St. Croix State Park
- Stumne Mounds, Native American burial grounds
- Voyageur Statue, in Voyageur Park.
- Wednesday flea market, Pine County Fairgrounds
Education and Academic institutions
The Pine City Public Schools (Independent School District #578) serve the needs of more than 1,600 area students through one PK-6 elementary school (Pine City Elementary), a 7-12 Junior/Senior High School, and the Pine City Area Learning Center.
Pine City is also home to St. Mary's School (Catholic), which serves pre-school and K-6 students.
Pine Technical College is a two-year institution offering a wide variety of technical and general education course offerings. Pine Tech's gunsmithing curriculum is one of the only programs of its kind in the country and draws students from throughout North America.
The Pine City Public Library is part of the East Central Regional Library. The ECRL holds nearly 400,000 volumes and serves over 65,000 cardholders in the region. Pine City is also home to the George E. Sausen Memorial Law Library, located inside the Pine County Courthouse.
Health and Utilities
Pine City's Lakeside Medical Center features a full-service hospital and surgery center, clinic, urgent care, and nursing home facility. Allina Medical Clinic - Pine City provides a variety of family medicine, obstetrics, and orthopedic surgery services. Pine City is also home to three chiropractic clinics and Sprouts, a local market featuring organic and health foods.
Utility providers are regulated monopolies. East Central Energy provides electrical utilities to the community and is a co-op member of Great River Energy. Minnesota Energy supplies gas and US Cable provides cable television. The city treats and distributes water and several local businesses provide garbage removal and recycling services.
Amateur Sports
The Pine City Pirates baseball team features mostly local players from around the area and competes in the Eastern Minny North League, which is part of the Minnesota Baseball Association. Amateur baseball has been a part of Pine City culture for years and has enjoyed many successes in the past. The Pirates have had several state appearances including: 1950, 1952 B 2nd, 1953 B 3rd, 1961 and 1962.
Arts
Pine City has an active community theater, the Heritage Players, which performs semiannually. The Pine City Arts Council sponsors a variety of annual events, most notably a free Friday night summer concert series held in Robinson Park. Musical ensembles at Pine City High School are also noted for their excellence and free performances are given throughout the school year. The high school band has built its sterling reputation under the direction of Mr. Bradley Mariska. [2] A major new development is the Pine Center for the Arts, which opened in downtown Pine City in 2009. The center is a regional arts facility that houses a variety of educational and performance-based programs relating to theatre, music, visual art, literature, and dance. Classes and special events take place throughout the year.
Major annual events
Spring/Summer/Fall
- East-Central Minnesota Pride- June 6, 2010
- Freedom Fest - TBD, 2010
- Art Fest in Robinson Park - July 17, 2010
- Pine County Fair - August 4-8, 2010
- Czech Booya Festival, at Sokol Camp - August 14, 2010
- Northwest Co. Fur Post's "Rendezvous" Fall Gathering - September 18-19, 2010.
Winter
- (Ice) Fishing Derby, Pokegama Lake - January 17, 2010
- Holiday Madness and lighted parade - TBD
Media
Newspapers
The major weekly newspaper in the area is the Pine City Pioneer, which has a circulation of over 3,000. The Pine City Pioneer is owned by Kanabec Publishing and edited by Mike Gainor. Papers from the Twin Cities are also commonly read.
Television Stations
Pine City receives TV signals from the Twin Cities. Channels include Twin Cities Public Television, WCCO 4, KSTP-TV, KMSP-TV, KARE, WFTC and KSTC-TV.
Radio Stations
| Station Call Sign | Frequency | Tower Location | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| WCMP | 1350 AM | Pine City, MN | Nostalgia |
| WCMP | 100.9 FM | Pine City, MN | Country |
| WXCX | 105.7 FM | Pine City, MN | Classic Hits |
| KNOW | 94.1 FM | Pine City, MN | News (Minnesota Public Radio) |
| KCMP | 97.5 FM | Hinckley, MN | Adult Album Alternative (The Current) |
| KSJN | 104.5 FM | Hinckley, MN | Classical |
| WYSG | 96.3 FM | Hinckley, MN | Christian music (Lifetalk Radio) |
| KMKL | 90.3 FM | North Branch, MN | Christian Contemporary |
| KBEK | 95.5 FM | Mora, MN | Oldies |
| WGVY | 105.3 FM | Cambridge, MN | Oldies/Soft Adult Contemporary |
Pine City also receives radio signals from the Twin Cities and St. Cloud areas.
Fictional references
- In Drop Dead Gorgeous (film) (1999), starring Kirsten Dunst, there was a fictitious "Miss Pine City" character, portrayed by an actual Pine Citian, Amy Olson.
- Craig Wright, best-known as the writer of HBO's Six Feet Under, set a series of plays in fictitious Pine City, Minnesota that have been performed across the United States: "The Pavilion", "Orange Flower Water", "Molly's Delicous", "Melissa Arctic" and "Grace", which takes place in Florida, but is about people who come from Pine City.
- Author Dean Hovey wrote two fictional mystery novels that are set in Pine City, "Where Evil Hides" and "Hooker".
- Author Richie Ryan wrote "What We Are: Richie's Story" and "What We Are II: Summer Heat", adult fiction, both set in Pine City.
Noteworthy Pine Citians
The following list includes those that were either born in, or that have resided (or presently reside) in Pine City:
- Shane Bauer - Photojournalist
- James Bede - Politician
- Mesa Kincaid - Radio Personality
- Ronald Kubesh - Professional Football Player
- Johnny Mold aka. Jammin' - Professional Snowmobile Racer
- Bob Mould - Musician, Hüsker Dü
- Karla Nelsen - Bodybuilder; 1993 AAU Ms. America
- Jane Robbins - Politician
- Allison Rosati - News Anchor
- Jon Rydberg - Paralympic Athlete
- Lee Swanson - News Producer
- Rube Walberg - Professional Baseball Player
- Jeff Warner aka. J.W. Storm - Professional Wrestler
References
External links
- Pine City's Website
- Pine City Chamber of Commerce
- Pine City Pioneer newspaper
- University of Minnesota - Pine County Extension
- Pine City Public Schools
- Pine Technical College
- Official Highway Map of Southern Pine County
- TopoZone - USGS Map of Pine City
- Pine City Fire Dept.
- Pine Center for the Arts
- Pine City Community Blog
Municipalities and communities of Pine County, Minnesota, United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Indian reservation | ||