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Detailed pages on related topics: Mankato colleges • Mankato travel • Mankato apartments and mortgage.
Introduction to Mankato, Minnesota
The city of Mankato is the county seat of Blue Earth County, Minnesota, and is located about 80 miles southwest of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Principal highways servicing the city include U.S. Routes 169 and 14, and Minnesota State Highway 60. Mankato is home to the main campus of Minnesota State University.
The city's original name was Mahkato, a Dakota Indian term meaning "greenish blue earth". An early spelling error which was never corrected caused the name to become Mankato. In 1862, a conflict between the U.S. and the Dakota Indians (known as the "Sioux Uprising" in reference to the Dakota tribe's alternate moniker of Sioux) resulted in the largest mass execution in the nation's history when 38 Dakota Indians were hanged in Mankato. The city received its charter in 1868, the same year that Minnesota's second Normal School was established in the city. A teacher's college until after World War II, the school expanded its curriculum to include science and fine arts courses and became Mankato State College and later Mankato State University before being renamed Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1999.
Arts and Entertainment in Mankato
The unique history of Mankato is preserved in many registered historic sites, and the talents of its students and residents support a thriving fine arts community. The city's location amidst Minnesota’s famed waters and woodlands also affords visitors and residents an easy escape to hiking/biking trails, golf courses, lake fishing and recreation, and winter skiing. Included among its many attractions are the following:
Mankato is also home to some popular annual events and festivals. April's International Festival is an event designed to celebrate and raise awareness of cultural diversity in Greater Mankato. The Hickory Street Ribfest, held every August, features a weekend filled with music, games and award-winning ribs from across the country. In September, the city hosts the Mankato Mdewakanton PowWow, where thousands of Native Americans return to their ceremonial grounds to celebrate and reenact ceremonial dances while wearing traditional costumes. The Deep Valley Book Festival, held in November, is a two day celebration of books and reading which gives the public a chance to meet and talk with Minnesota authors and writers.
Minnesota State University's athletic teams are known as the Mavericks. The men's and women's ice hockey teams both compete in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) along with four other Minnesota-based college teams. The other Maverick teams compete in the North Central Conference of NCAA's Division II. The University is also the current site of the summer training camp for the Minnesota Vikings National Football League team.
Plenty of professional sports, much of it of the major-league variety, can be found about 90 minutes away in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. A list of some of Minnesota's pro teams includes the following:
Mankato strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Minnesota):
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| Short Commute Times (vs. Peers) | Top 2% |  |
| Walking and Biking to Work (vs. Peers) | Top 10% | |
| College Educated Adults (vs. State) | Top 12% | |
| Public Transportation Use (vs. State) | Top 12% | |
| Racial Diversity (vs. State) | Top 16% | |
| Affordability of Rents (vs. Peers) | Top 19% | |
Comparing Mankato to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Minnesota (State):
Ratings range from 
(lowest) to 
(highest).
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Male Share of the Population |  |  |
| Well-Paid Single Women |  | |
| Well-Paid Single Men | | |
| Senior Citizens | |  |
| Female Share of the Population |  | |
| Racial Diversity |  |  |
| Children Under 5 Years Old | | |
| Age of the Population | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | | |
| Portion of People Married | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| College Educated Adults | | |
| Median Family Income | | |
| People in Middle Class or Better | | |
| People Above Poverty | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Short Commute Times | | |
| Walking and Biking to Work | | |
| Public Transportation Use | | |
| Working at Home | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals | | |
| Affordability of Rents | | |
| People Living Alone | |  |
| Affordability of Property Taxes | | |
| Housing Recently Built | | |
| Seasonal and Vacation Housing | | |
Detailed pages on related topics: Mankato colleges • Mankato travel • Mankato apartments and mortgage.
 | Mankato Colleges Mankato colleges and trade schools. |
 | Mankato Hotels & Travel Mankato hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation. |
 | Mankato Mortgage Mankato property, mortgage, and real estate. |
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