Townapedia
Ortonville Commercial HD
Ortonville Commercial HD · McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
Big Stone County Court House, Ortonville, Minnesota (29241156311)
Big Stone County Court House, Ortonville, Minnesota (29241156311) · Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, CC BY-SA 2.0
Big Stone County Court House - Ortonville - Minnesota (54583564212)
Big Stone County Court House - Ortonville - Minnesota (54583564212) · Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Big Stone County Court House, Ortonville, Minnesota (35397051831)
Big Stone County Court House, Ortonville, Minnesota (35397051831) · Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Columbian Hotel (Ortonville MN)
Columbian Hotel (Ortonville MN) · Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Big Stone Lake from Ortonville
Big Stone Lake from Ortonville · McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0

Ortonville, Minnesota

Ortonville is a city of 2,028 people in Big Stone County, Minnesota.

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Population2,028 +2.2% since 2019
Elevation1,017 ft 310 m
Land area4.2 sq mi
ZIP code56278
Nearest airportMorris Municipal Airport (MOX) 29 mi

Why visit Ortonville

Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 4 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.

Highlights include Big Stone County Courthouse.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 4°F.

About Ortonville

Ortonville is a city in and the county seat of Big Stone County in the U.S. state of Minnesota at the southern tip of Big Stone Lake, along the South Dakota border. The population was 2,021 at the 2020 census. Big Stone Lake State Park is nearby.

From the Wikipedia article Ortonville, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Museums and landmarks4

Big Stone County Courthouse

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

Center of government for Big Stone County, Minnesota

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Big Stone County Historical Society Museum

Museum · 0.7 mi

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Boat

Monument and historic site · 0.6 mi

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Paul Bunyan's Boat-Anchor

Monument and historic site · 0.6 mi

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Parks, trails and playgrounds8

Central Park

Park · 0.5 mi

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Cliffs Park

Park

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Kolb Game Production Area

Hiking and trails · 1.0 mi

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Lakeside Park

Park · 0.4 mi

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Nielson Park

Park · 0.7 mi

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Northside Park

Park · 1.0 mi

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Ortonville Athletic Field

Park · 0.8 mi

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Restaurants and cafes4

Berkner Pizza

Restaurant · Pizza · 0.4 mi

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Lakewood Supper Club

Restaurant · 1.7 mi

1073 Lake Shore Drive, Ortonville

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DQ Grill & Chill

Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger · 0.4 mi

833 Highway 12, Ortonville

Open in Google Maps · +1 320-839-3605

Subway

Fast food · Sandwich

701 2nd Street Southeast, Ortonville

Open in Google Maps · +1-320-839-9996

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Where to stay3

Park Inn by Radisson

Motel and hotel · 0.6 mi

650 US Highway 75, Ortonville

Open in Google Maps · +1 320-839-2414

Vali Vu Motel

Motel and hotel · 0.8 mi

Open in Google Maps

History

Ortonville was platted in 1872 by and named for Cornelius Knute Orton. Ortonville was incorporated as a city in 1881. The Big Stone County Courthouse was built in 1902.

From the History section of Ortonville, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Churches and places of worship4

Shopping1

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Gas and EV charging1

Schools, colleges and libraries8

Healthcare1

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Map of Ortonville

34 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

0°20°40°60°80°January: 0.7 in of rainFebruary: 0.7 in of rainMarch: 1.2 in of rainApril: 2.4 in of rainMay: 2.9 in of rainJune: 3.9 in of rainJuly: 3.8 in of rainAugust: 3.2 in of rainSeptember: 2.6 in of rainOctober: 2.3 in of rainNovember: 0.9 in of rainDecember: 0.8 in of rainJanuary: 21°FFebruary: 26°FMarch: 38°FApril: 54°FMay: 67°FJune: 77°FJuly: 81°FAugust: 79°FSeptember: 72°FOctober: 58°FNovember: 41°FDecember: 26°FJanuary: 4°FFebruary: 7°FMarch: 19°FApril: 32°FMay: 44°FJune: 56°FJuly: 60°FAugust: 57°FSeptember: 48°FOctober: 35°FNovember: 22°FDecember: 10°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRain
Jan21°F4°F0.7 in
Feb26°F7°F0.7 in
Mar38°F19°F1.2 in
Apr54°F32°F2.4 in
May67°F44°F2.9 in
Jun77°F56°F3.9 in
Jul81°F60°F3.8 in
Aug79°F57°F3.2 in
Sep72°F48°F2.6 in
Oct58°F35°F2.3 in
Nov41°F22°F0.9 in
Dec26°F10°F0.8 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Milbank (10 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$56,133median household income
$166,300median home value
$747median monthly rent
46.9median age
27.3%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
78.3%of homes are owner-occupied
10.7 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1821%18 to 3417%35 to 6432%65 and over30%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Big Stone County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.

  • 2023-07-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
  • 2022-08-09: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 2022-07-08: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 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)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Morris Municipal Airport (MOX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 29 miles away.

  • Appleton 22 mi east, about 35 min by car
  • Madison 23 mi southeast, about 38 min by car
  • Dawson 32 mi southeast, about 52 min by car
  • Morris 33 mi northeast, about 52 min by car
  • Benson 41 mi east, about 1 h by car
  • Canby 41 mi south, about 1 h by car
  • Montevideo 43 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Watertown 44 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Elbow Lake 52 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
  • Granite Falls 56 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.