Great River Regional Library is a library system serving Benton , Morrison , Sherburne , Stearns , Todd and Wright Counties in central Minnesota . It is a consolidated library system consisting of 32 branch libraries, with a headquarters at the St. Cloud Public Library.
53-590: When the hotel which contained St. Cloud 's reading room burned down in 1901, the community sought funding from industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to build a library. They received $ 25,000 from Carnegie, along with an additional $ 2,000 from local railroad executive James J. Hill , and the St. Cloud Public Library opened in 1902. In 1969 the library expanded services to become the Great River Regional Library system. The current St. Cloud Public Library
106-609: A "Committee of Vigilance" that broke into Swisshelm's newspaper office and removed her press, throwing it into the Mississippi River . Lowry started a rival paper, The Union . The U.S. Supreme Court's 1857 decision in Dred Scott ruled that slaves could not file freedom suits and found the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, so the territory's prohibition against slavery became unenforceable. Nearly all Southerners left
159-469: A 13% margin. Waite Park is in the St. Cloud Area School District . Most residents are zoned to Discovery Elementary School, while some blocks north of 3rd Street are zoned to Westwood Elementary School. The zoned middle school is North Middle School, and the zoned high school is Apollo High School . Waite Park was formerly home to the St. Cloud area campus of Globe University/Minnesota School of Business ,
212-503: A city park and Lake George. In 2019, it moved to a new 69-acre, $ 104 million facility on the southwest edge of the city. The historic 1917 building has been acquired for use by city government. Apollo opened in 1970 and serves the expanding north side of the city. Other high schools and secondary schools that serve St. Cloud include St. Robert Bellarmine's Academy, St. Cloud Christian School, Immaculate Conception Academy, St. John's Preparatory School , St. Cloud Alternative Learning Center, and
265-659: A finalist at the LivCom awards four times since 2007. The St. Cloud Area Convention and Visitors Bureau promotes an area events calendar, dining and lodging information. The city-owned St. Cloud River's Edge Convention Center hosts a variety of events including regional conferences, consumer/trade shows, small group meetings and social events. The city is home to: The city maintains 95 parks, totaling more than 1,400 acres (5.7 km ) and ranging in size from 80 acres (0.32 km ) "neighborhood and mini parks" to 243 acres (0.98 km ). The largest developed park, Whitney Memorial Park,
318-511: A male householder with no wife present, and 50.8% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age in the city was 32.6 years. 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 16.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.6% were from 25 to 44; 20.1% were from 45 to 64; and 17.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of
371-411: A new K-8 school in St. Joseph, and two major public high schools, St. Cloud Technical High School and St. Cloud Apollo High School . St. Cloud also has a major private high school, Cathedral High School . Both public high schools offer a broad selection of Advanced Placement courses and rank high in the state in the number of AP tests taken and of test takers. St. Cloud Tech opened in 1917 across from
424-581: A stable presence. The Hispanic or Latino population nearly tripled in size. As of the census of 2010, there were 65,842 people, 25,439 households, and 13,348 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,644.4 inhabitants per square mile (634.9/km ). There were 27,338 housing units at an average density of 682.8 per square mile (263.6/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 84.6% White , 7.8% African American , 0.7% Native American , 3.7% Asian , 0.8% from other races , and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of
477-451: Is an exclusive, all Minnesotan online eBook collection from Minnesota's independent publishers. St. Cloud, Minnesota St. Cloud or Saint Cloud ( / ˈ s eɪ n t k l aʊ d / ; French: [sɛ̃ klu] ) is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest population center in the state's central region . The population was 68,881 at the 2020 census , making it Minnesota's 12th-largest city. St. Cloud
530-438: Is considerably lower than other populations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2020 the annual mean wage for 99,600 employees across all occupations in St. Cloud was $ 50,800. The median hourly wage was $ 24.42. According to St. Cloud's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: In 2019 the city of Saint Cloud, Minnesota was awarded three first places awards from
583-536: Is immediately southwest of Waite Park. Waite Park borders the west side of St. Cloud. Stearns County Quarry Park, a former granite quarry, is on Waite Park's south side. "The Ledge", a city-owned 6,000-seat outdoor amphitheater, opened in Waite Park in 2021. It hosts national acts, smaller concerts, and community events. Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from
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#1733094273076636-601: Is in North Dakota and Superior, Wisconsin, contributes significant population to the Duluth area. St. Cloud is 65 miles (105 km) northwest of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis–St. Paul along Interstate 94 , U.S. Highway 52 (conjoined with I-94), U.S. Highway 10 , Minnesota State Highway 15 , and Minnesota State Highway 23 . The St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is made up of Stearns and Benton Counties. The city
689-524: Is the St. Cloud Times , a Gannett daily newspaper. In the early 2020s, Gannett severely downsized the paper, eliminating most local news reporting. Waite Park, Minnesota Waite Park is a city in Stearns County , Minnesota , United States. The population was 8,341 at the 2020 census . Waite Park was incorporated in 1893. It was named for Henry Chester Waite , a state legislator. A post office
742-541: Is the county seat of Stearns County and was named after the city of Saint-Cloud , France (in Île-de-France, near Paris), which was named after the 6th-century French monk Clodoald . Though mostly in Stearns County, St. Cloud also extends into Benton and Sherburne counties, and straddles the Mississippi River . It is the center of a contiguous urban area , with Waite Park , Sauk Rapids , Sartell , St. Joseph , Rockville , and St. Augusta directly bordering
795-535: Is the former location of the city airport. It features a recreation center for senior citizens, a dog park, and numerous softball, baseball, and soccer fields. Since 2005, St. Cloud's mayor has been Dave Kleis . He was reelected to a fifth term in 2020. St. Cloud has been moved by Congressional redistricting to a wide variety of Minnesota regions, including northern, south central, northwest and southwest. In Congressional district maps in effect since 2003, it has been grouped with rural areas and suburbs north and west of
848-575: Is water. The city developed on both sides of the Mississippi River . Part of the Sauk River runs along its northern edge. Just south of downtown is the 7-acre, 35-feet-deep Lake George. In 2021, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) credited decade-long city investments in stormwater filtration with reducing Lake George's phosphorus levels well below the state standard. It called Lake George one of three "success stories" in
901-475: Is −43 °F (−42 °C). Over the past two decades, the racial and ethnic landscape of St. Cloud has experienced significant changes. In the year 2000, the population was predominantly White. However, by 2020, this percentage had dropped to 67%. The Black or African American demographic saw a substantial increase from 2% in 2000 to nearly 20% in 2020, marking the most significant growth among all groups. Other racial groups such as Asian Americans have maintained
954-606: The Grand Army of the Republic , and raised money for the building of a statue in memory of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln that still stands near the St. Germain Street bridge. Beginning in 1864, Stephen Miller served a two-year term as Minnesota governor, the only citizen of St. Cloud ever to hold the office. Miller was a " Pennsylvania German businessman", lawyer, writer, active abolitionist, and personal friend of Alexander Ramsey . He
1007-545: The Rome based International Awards for Liveable Communities (LivCom), one of several most livable cities awards. The city won the first-place whole city award for its size and first place for cities of all sizes for enhancement of landscapes and public spaces, arts, culture, and heritage management and Community participation and empowerment. LivCom praised the city for its focus on improving parkland and trails, as well as its enhancements and maintenance of 96 parks. St. Cloud has been
1060-741: The Treaty of Traverse des Sioux was signed with the Dakota people in 1851. John L. Wilson, a Yankee homesteader from Columbia, Maine , with French Huguenot ancestry and an interest in Napoleon , named the settlement St. Cloud after Saint-Cloud , the Paris suburb where Napoleon had his favorite palace. St. Cloud was a waystation on the Middle and Woods branches of the Red River Trails used by Métis traders between
1113-483: The U.S. military against their ancestral homeland during World War I . On 26 January 1918, President Woodrow Wilson wrote a letter to Bishop Joseph Francis Busch thanking him for his support of the war effort. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 41.08 square miles (106.40 km ); 40.04 square miles (103.70 km ) is land and 1.04 square miles (2.69 km )
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#17330942730761166-694: The Canada–U.S. border at Pembina , North Dakota, and St. Paul . The cart trains often consisted of hundreds of oxcarts . The Métis, bringing furs to trade for supplies to take back to their rural settlements, camped west of the city and crossed the Mississippi in St. Cloud or just to the north in Sauk Rapids. The City of St. Cloud was incorporated in 1856. It developed from three distinct settlements, known as Upper Town, Middle Town, and Lower Town, that European-American settlers established starting in 1853. Remnants of
1219-587: The Pan Motor Company in St. Cloud. He claimed his Pan-Cars would make St. Cloud the new Detroit , but the company failed at a time when resources were directed toward the World War I effort. He was later convicted and imprisoned for attempting to defraud investors. According to documents at the Stearns History Museum, more than 2,000 residents from the heavily German-American St. Cloud area served in
1272-589: The St. Cloud area when the Civil War broke out, taking their slaves with them. The total number of slaves in the community was estimated in single digits at the 1860 census. Lowry died in the city in 1865. Many young men from St. Cloud and the surrounding area served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. After it ended, many local Civil War veterans remained heavily involved in St. Cloud's chapter of
1325-472: The Twin Cities. The district had only minor changes in a 2022 map drawn by a five-judge panel based on the 2020 census. As of the 2020 census, the city of St. Cloud is the second largest in Minnesota's 6th congressional district , represented by Republican Tom Emmer . The St. Cloud, Minnesota metropolitan area that includes adjacent communities has about a quarter of the 6th district population, though some of
1378-571: The age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.9% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.00. The racial makeup of the city was 91.7% White , 2.4% African American , 0.7% Native American , 3.1% Asian , 0.7% other races , and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of
1431-933: The area lies outside the district. The city makes up the majority of population of Minnesota State Senate District 14, which straddles the Mississippi River and includes parts of three counties, represented by Aric Putnam . Minnesota House District 14A includes generally western parts of the city as well as Waite Park , St. Augusta and adjacent rural areas, represented by Bernie Perryman . District 14B includes east central and northeast St. Cloud, neighboring Sauk Rapids and parts of rural Benton and Sherburne Counties, represented by Dan Wolgamott . In 2016, St. Cloud converted from 5% to 80% renewable energy by using solar gardens, street light improvements, bio-gas, and other energy efficiency initiatives. St. Cloud's wastewater plant converts sugar-laden liquids from local food and beer manufacturers into fuel and fertilizer. Since 2020,
1484-406: The average family size was 2.80. In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.6% under the age of 18, 21.2% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males. The median income for a household in the city
1537-406: The charter school STRIDE Academy, which is K-8. The nearby cities of Sauk Rapids and Sartell also have their own school districts and high schools, bringing the number of public high schools in the metropolitan area to four. St. Cloud is home to several higher education institutions, including Minnesota's third-largest university, St. Cloud State University . St. Cloud State's fall 2020 enrollment
1590-449: The city has produced more energy than it consumes. Past mayors of St. Cloud include: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris won St. Cloud's votes in the 2020 presidential election by a margin of 9%, higher than the state margin of 7.12%. In 2016 , Donald Trump won St. Cloud by 1.75% over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Primary home languages of St. Cloud Public School students Almost all of St. Cloud, including
1643-572: The city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 6,568 people, 2,967 households, and 1,536 families living in the city. The population density was 841.0 inhabitants per square mile (324.7/km ). There were 3,065 housing units at an average density of 392.5 per square mile (151.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 92.74% White , 0.72% African American , 0.56% Native American , 3.50% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 1.20% from other races , and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.01% of
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1696-420: The city was 83.6% White , 6.6% African American , 0.7% Native American , 3.6% Asian , 2.7% from other races , and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.5% of the population. There were 3,127 households, of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.9% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had
1749-481: The city, and Foley , Rice , Kimball , Clearwater , Clear Lake , and Cold Spring nearby. The St. Cloud metropolitan area had a population of 199,671 at the 2020 census. It has been listed as the fifth-largest metro with a presence in Minnesota, behind Minneapolis–St. Paul , Duluth–Superior , Fargo-Moorhead , and Rochester . But the entire St. Cloud area is within Minnesota, while most of Fargo-Moorhead's population
1802-504: The city. St. Cloud lies in the warm summer humid continental climate zone ( Köppen climate classification : Dfb ), with warm summers and cold winters with moderate to heavy snowfall. The monthly normal daily mean temperature ranges from 11.6 °F (−11.3 °C) in January to 70.3 °F (21.3 °C) in July. The record high temperature is 107 °F (42 °C). The record low temperature
1855-590: The deep ravines that separated the three are still visible today. Middle Town was settled primarily by German Catholic immigrants and migrants from eastern states, who were recruited to the region by Father Francis Xavier Pierz , a Catholic priest who also ministered as a missionary to Native Americans. Lower Town was founded by settlers from the Northern Tier of New England and the mid-Atlantic states , including former residents of upstate New York. Its Protestant settlers opposed slavery. Upper Town, or Arcadia,
1908-562: The downtown area and the Beaver Islands, which form a maze for a two-mile stretch of the Mississippi. The approximately 30 undeveloped islands are a popular destination for kayak and canoe enthusiasts during safe river levels and flow. and are part of a state-designated 12-mile stretch of wild and scenic river. St. Cloud owns and operates a hydroelectric dam on the Mississippi, the state's largest city-owned hydro facility, that can produce almost nine megawatts of electricity, about 10% of
1961-746: The library's catalog, digital collections, research databases, as well as information about free programs and events. The library's catalog contains over 300,000 books and over 500,000 items total throughout the library's system. Nearly half of all books in the library's collection reside in the Saint Cloud building. GRRL cardholders are given free access from home to thousands of current and historical journals, magazines, newspapers, and reference books through databases, including EBSCOhost. The GRRL digital materials has several online eBook, eAudiobook, e-Comics, Music, and Movies/TV collections through Libby (formerly Overdrive), Tumblebooks, and Hoopla. Ebooks Minnesota
2014-462: The population. St. Cloud has been a significant destination for immigrants throughout its history, beginning with German settlers in the late 19th century. This was followed by waves of Polish, Irish, and other European immigrants in the early 20th century. In the late 20th and early 21st century, the nature of immigration to St. Cloud has undergone a dramatic shift. New residents of the city have predominantly been from Africa , and particularly, from
2067-410: The population. There were 2,967 households, out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.2% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and
2120-442: The population. There were 25,439 households, of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.6% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.5% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
2173-581: The portions in Stearns and Sherburne Counties, and much the portion in Benton County, is in the St. Cloud Public School District . Part of the Benton County portion is in the Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools district. The St. Cloud Area School District serves St. Cloud, St. Augusta, Clearwater, Waite Park, St. Joseph, Haven Township, and parts of Sauk Rapids. It has eight elementary schools,
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2226-401: The racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race. As of the census of 2010, there were 6,715 people, 3,127 households, and 1,538 families living in the city. The population density was 754.5 inhabitants per square mile (291.3/km ). There were 3,424 housing units at an average density of 384.7 per square mile (148.5/km ). The racial makeup of
2279-607: The state, and planned to remove it from a list of impaired waters. Granite bedrock quarried in the area has been estimated to be 1.7 billion years old and was exposed after several miles of rock above it eroded. The city lies on a band of modern Mississippi river sediment surrounded by land scoured several times by Wisconsin Age glaciers beginning about 35,000 years ago, ending with the Lake Superior St. Croix lobe. The later Des Moines lobe created glacial moraines and drift south and east of
2332-519: The total electricity generated by 11 Mississippi hydro dams in Minnesota. What is now the St. Cloud area was occupied by various indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Voyageurs and coureurs des bois from New France first encountered the Ojibwe and Dakota through the highly profitable North American fur trade with local Native American peoples. Minnesota Territory was organized in 1849. The St. Cloud area opened up to homesteading after
2385-503: The war-torn country of Somalia . Unofficial estimates suggest that the number of Somalis in St. Cloud and the surrounding cities like Waite Park, St. Joseph, Sartell, and Sauk Rapids could be as high as 25,000, with approximately half of this population having moved to the city between 2009 and 2013. About 15% of the local school district being Somali and a large segment of Somalis currently enrolled in high schools, colleges, and universities. Home ownership among St. Cloud's Somali community
2438-449: Was $ 33,803, and the median income for a family was $ 43,415. Males had a median income of $ 27,066 versus $ 21,481 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 17,796. About 7.9% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over. In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden won a 3% majority of Waite Park votes. In 2016, Donald Trump won by
2491-598: Was 12,607, in a year affected by the COVID-19 pandemic . St. Cloud's other post-secondary institutions and campuses include St. Cloud Technical and Community College (SCTCC) and Rasmussen College . Neighboring Sartell is home to a campus of the Duluth -based College of St. Scholastica , and the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University are in neighboring St. Joseph and nearby Collegeville, respectively. The main newspaper
2544-414: Was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age in the city was 28.8 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 23.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 21.5% were from 45 to 64; and 10.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.5% male and 48.5% female. As of the census of 2000, 27.3% of St. Cloud households had children under
2597-666: Was built in 2008. Branch libraries are located in the following cities: Albany , Annandale , Becker , Belgrade , Big Lake , Buffalo , Clearwater , Cokato , Cold Spring , Delano , Eagle Bend , Elk River , Foley , Grey Eagle , Howard Lake , Kimball , Little Falls , Long Prairie , Melrose , Monticello , Paynesville , Pierz , Richmond , Rockford , Royalton , St. Cloud , St. Michael , Sauk Centre , Staples , Swanville , Upsala , and Waite Park . 45°33′25″N 94°10′00″W / 45.556817°N 94.166591°W / 45.556817; -94.166591 The Great River Regional Library (GRRL) website provides access to
2650-450: Was established at Waite Park in 1897, and remained in operation until 1972. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 8.94 square miles (23.15 km ); 8.90 square miles (23.05 km ) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km ) is water. Minnesota State Highway 23 and County 75 are two of Waite Park's main routes. Minnesota Highway 15 skirts Waite Park's southeastern border. Interstate Highway 94
2703-473: Was included in a newly defined Minneapolis–St. Paul–St. Cloud Combined Statistical Area (CSA) in 2000. St. Cloud as a whole has never been part of the 13-county MSA comprising Minneapolis , St. Paul , Bloomington and parts of western Wisconsin , though the Sherburne County portion is part of the 13-county MSA. St. Cloud State University , Minnesota's third-largest public university, is located between
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#17330942730762756-477: Was on the state's Republican electoral ticket with Lincoln in 1860. Steamboats regularly docked at St. Cloud as part of the fur trade and other commerce, although river levels were not reliable. This ended with the construction of the Coon Rapids Dam in 1912–14. Granite quarries have operated in the area since the 1880s, giving St. Cloud its nickname, "The Granite City." In 1917, Samuel Pandolfo started
2809-516: Was plotted by General Sylvanus Lowry , a slaveholder and trader from Kentucky who brought slaves with him, although Minnesota was organized as a free territory. He served on the territorial council from 1852 to 1853 and was elected president of the newly formed town council in 1856, serving for one year (the office of mayor did not yet exist). Jane Grey Swisshelm , an abolitionist newspaper editor who had migrated from Pittsburgh , repeatedly attacked Lowry in print. At one point Lowry organized
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