Crosby, Minnesota

Crosby, Minnesota
City
Motto: Founded by George H. Crosby
Location of Crosby, Minnesota Location of Crosby, Minnesota
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Crow Wing
Area
• Total	3.73 sq mi (9.66 km2)
• Land	3.07 sq mi (7.95 km2)
• Water	0.66 sq mi (1.71 km2)
Elevation	1,260 ft (384 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	2,386
• Estimate (2012)	2,374
• Density	777.2/sq mi (300.1/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	56441
Area code(s)	218
FIPS code	27-13924
GNIS feature ID	0642478

File:Crosby Serpent.jpg

This serpent, on the edge of Serpent Lake, welcomes visitors to Crosby, Minnesota.

Crosby is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,386 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area. Crosby is adjacent to its twin city of Ironton. It is one of the cities in the Cuyuna Range.

History

This was a town that was built for the sole purpose of mining. The town was named for George H. Crosby, a businessperson in the mining industry. In the 1932 local elections, the voters of Crosby elected Karl Emil Nygard as President of the Village Council and thus became the first city in the United States to have a Communist mayor.

Crosby was the location of the worst mining disaster in Minnesota, the Milford Mine disaster. On February 5, 1924, a new tunnel was blasted too close to nearby Foley Lake, and water rushed in, killing 41 miners. In August 1957, Dr. David G. Simons, a 35-year-old Air Force major, climbed to nearly 102,000 feet (31,000 m) above the Earth as part of Project Manhigh. The flight, which was launched from the 400-foot-deep (120 m) Portsmouth Mine Pit Lake in Crosby, helped the country take its fledgling steps into space exploration. Simons returned to Crosby in 2007 to mark the anniversary of the Man High project.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.73 square miles (9.66 km²), of which 3.07 square miles (7.95 km²) is land and 0.66 square miles (1.71 km²) is water.

Transportation

Minnesota Highway 6 and Minnesota Highway 210 are two of the main routes in the community.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1920	3,500		—
1930	3,451		−1.4%
1940	2,954		−14.4%
1950	2,777		−6.0%
1960	2,629		−5.3%
1970	2,241		−14.8%
1980	2,218		−1.0%
1990	2,073		−6.5%
2000	2,299		10.9%
2010	2,386		3.8%
Est. 2014	2,359		−1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,386 people, 1,065 households, and 552 families residing in the city. The population density was 777.2 inhabitants per square mile (300.1/km²). There were 1,241 housing units at an average density of 404.2 per square mile (156.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.3% White, 0.4% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 1,065 households of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.3% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 48.2% were non-families. 42.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age in the city was 43.2 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.3% were from 45 to 64; and 24.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.7% male and 53.3% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,299 people, 989 households, and 554 families residing in the city. The population density was 755.0 people per square mile (292.0/km²). There were 1,081 housing units at an average density of 355.0 per square mile (137.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.69% White, 0.04% African American, 0.91% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.00% of the population. 23.9% were of German, 14.1% Norwegian, 11.7% Swedish, 9.6% American and 7.0% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 989 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.9% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,053, and the median income for a family was $31,629. Males had a median income of $28,879 versus $20,842 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,465. About 15.6% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

• Robert A. Good, physician
• Robert M. Polich, Sr.: World War II Pilot, Prisoner of War, Distinguished Flying Cross Recipient
• Anthony "The Bullet" Bonsante: Professional Boxer

Radio stations

FM radio

• 104.3 KLKS Timeless music, CNN and local news, Great Lakes Weather Service Meteorologists