Blooming Prairie, Minnesota
Blooming Prairie is a city of 1,843 people in Dodge County, Minnesota.
Why visit Blooming Prairie
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark and 2 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Blooming Prairie Commercial Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 5°F, and about 43 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Blooming Prairie
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Blooming Prairie
Blooming Prairie is a city in Dodge and Steele counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 1,974 at the 2020 census. Most of the city is located within Steele County; only a small part of the city extends into Dodge County.
From the Wikipedia article Blooming Prairie, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Blooming Prairie Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Minnesota, United States
Restaurants and cafes2
Churches and places of worship2
Shopping2
History
Blooming Prairie was settled in 1856 and organized in 1867, being then called Oak Glen. The township received its present name in January 1873, taking the name of its railway village, which was platted in 1868. It is euphonious, referring to the abundant flowers of this prairie region, and it has the merit of uniqueness, with no other village or post office in the world having adopted this name.
A post office has been in operation at Blooming Prairie since 1868. The city was incorporated by 1874. Blooming Prairie's historic downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Before the Prohibition Act came into effect, Blooming Prairie's presence near the intersection of Mower, Freeborn, Dodge, and Steele county made it a lucrative hub for the sale of alcohol. Circa 1917, Steele County was the only one of the four to be considered "wet", meaning that it was legal not only to own and consume alcohol, like in "dry" counties, but also to sell it. During the Prohibition Act, several tunnels were dug under the businesses on Main Street for the purpose of making and peddling moonshine, according to many of the residents of Blooming Prairie.
From the History section of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Blooming Prairie Intermediate Schoo
School · 0.4 mi
202 4Th Ave Nw, Blooming Prairie
Map of Blooming Prairie
14 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 5°F | 1.1 in | 11.0 in |
| Feb | 26°F | 9°F | 1.1 in | 10.4 in |
| Mar | 39°F | 23°F | 2.0 in | 7.5 in |
| Apr | 55°F | 35°F | 3.7 in | 2.2 in |
| May | 68°F | 48°F | 5.0 in | 0.3 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 58°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 61°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 59°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 50°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 38°F | 2.6 in | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 42°F | 25°F | 1.8 in | 2.3 in |
| Dec | 28°F | 13°F | 1.2 in | 9.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Austin Waste Wtp Facility (15 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Dodge County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-12: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2014-07-21: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2010-10-13: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2007-08-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Austin Municipal Airport (AUM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Austin 14 mi south, about 23 min by car
- Owatonna 18 mi northwest, about 29 min by car
- Albert Lea 21 mi southwest, about 34 min by car
- Rochester 30 mi east, about 49 min by car
- Northwood 30 mi south, about 49 min by car
- Faribault 32 mi north, about 51 min by car
- Lake Mills 39 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Northfield 41 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Osage 42 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Mankato 50 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 2010-1021-BloomingPrairieHD, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- Blooming Prairie Commercial HD, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
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