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Olivia
City
Renville County Courthouse
Motto: "The Corn Capital of the World"
Location of Olivia within Renville County, Minnesota
Coordinates: 44°46′37″N 94°59′50″W / 44.77694°N 94.99722°W / 44.77694; -94.99722
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Renville
Government
• Mayor	Jon Hawkinson
Area
• Total	2.45 sq mi (6.35 km)
• Land	2.45 sq mi (6.35 km)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km)
Elevation	1,070 ft (330 m)
Population
• Total	2,363
• Density	955.16/sq mi (368.83/km)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	56277
Area code	320
FIPS code	27-48256
GNIS feature ID	2396057
Website	www.olivia.mn.us

Olivia is the county seat of Renville County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 2,484 at the 2010 census.

History

Olivia was platted in 1878, and named for a female station agent named Olive, according to local history. A post office has been in operation at Olivia since 1879. The county seat moved from Beaver Falls to Olivia in 1900.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 2.34 square miles (6.06 km), all land.

U.S. Highways 71 and 212 are two of the main routes in the city.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,484 people, 1,038 households, and 653 families living in the city. The population density was 1,061.5 inhabitants per square mile (409.8/km). There were 1,142 housing units at an average density of 488.0 per square mile (188.4/km). The racial makeup of the city was 93.9% White, 1.0% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 3.7% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.3% of the population.

There were 1,038 households, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.85.

The median age in the city was 40.8 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.5% were from 45 to 64; and 19.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,570 people, 1,075 households, and 658 families living in the city. The population density was 1,102.7 inhabitants per square mile (425.8/km). There were 1,178 housing units at an average density of 505.4 per square mile (195.1/km). The racial makeup of the city was 96.19% White, 0.12% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 2.57% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.63% of the population.

There were 1,075 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,060, and the median income for a family was $44,781. Males had a median income of $31,793 versus $25,541 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,889. About 6.0% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Olivia's school system is partnered with Bird Island and Lake Lillian, and operates under the name BOLD Schools (Bird Island, Olivia, Lake Lillian District). The school mascot is the BOLD Warrior. The BOLD high school is in Olivia and the elementary school is in Bird Island. Bird Island also has a Catholic school.

Corn Capital of the World

The Minnesota Senate has designated Olivia the "Corn Capital of the World". Olivia has been calling itself the "Corn Capital of the World" since 1973, when it erected its well-known 50-foot corn monument in the shape of an ear of corn.

Olivia is the home to nine seed research facilities. It is in the middle of Renville County, Minnesota's leading producer of corn.

Corn Capital Days

Olivia celebrates Corn Capital Days during the last weekend of July. Activities include a parade, corncob toss, corn-lympics, free corn feed, kiddie parade, Lion's walk-in, fly-in, drive-in breakfast, and live music.

Notable people

• Blix Donnelly (1914–1976), baseball player
• Michael J. Dowling (1866–1921), Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
• Darwin Hall (1844–1919), Minnesota state legislator
• Paul F. Heard (1913–1964), producer, director, and scriptwriter of religious films
• Roger Reinert (born 1970), member of the Minnesota Senate
• Thomas Joseph Simmons (1932–2002), Minnesota state legislator and lawyer
• Kathleen Winsor (1919–2003), author of Forever Amber
• Tom Ruud (born 1953), football player

Media

Television

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Olivia, Minnesota
3. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
5. "2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File". American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
6. ^ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 458.
7. "Renville County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
8. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 13, 2012.

External links

• City Website
• Olivia Chamber of Commerce site

v t e Municipalities and communities of Renville County, Minnesota, United States
County seat: Olivia
Cities	Bird Island Buffalo Lake Danube Fairfax Franklin Granite Falls‡ Hector Morton Olivia Redwood Falls‡ Renville Sacred Heart
Townships	Bandon Beaver Falls Birch Cooley Bird Island Boon Lake Brookfield Cairo Camp Crooks Emmet Ericson Flora Hawk Creek Hector Henryville Kingman Martinsburg Melville Norfolk Osceola Palmyra Preston Lake Sacred Heart Troy Wang Wellington Winfield
Unincorporated communities	Beaver Falls Bechyn Churchill Lakeside
Ghost town	Vicksburg
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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• Cities in Minnesota
• Cities in Renville County, Minnesota
• County seats in Minnesota