Why visit St. James
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 2 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Grand Opera House, Princess Theatre Community Center, Alfred R. Voss Farmstead and Watonwan County Courthouse.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 5°F, and about 50 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in St. James
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About St. James
St. James or Saint James is a city in and the county seat of Watonwan County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,793 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article St. James, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Grand Opera House
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places
Theater in St. James, Minnesota, United States
Museums and landmarks3
Alfred R. Voss Farmstead
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Farm in Rosendale Township, Minnesota, United States
Watonwan County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Government seat of Watonwan County, Minnesota, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes2
McDonald's
Fast food · Burger
313 1st Avenue South, St. James
Mo-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 06:00-23:00
History
In 1870, the directors of the St. Paul and Sioux City railroads chose the future townsite of St. James as the midpoint for a new railroad linking the two cities. Named for James Purington, an early settler, the city was incorporated in 1871. It was the hometown of Minnesota Governor Winfield Scott Hammond, a Democrat who served in 1915. In the 1940s, Theodore S. Mondale, the father of future Vice President of the United States Walter Mondale, was the pastor at First Methodist Church of St. James. Tony Downs Foods Co. has been a major employer since 1947, processing poultry and frozen meals.
St. James has two properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Grand Opera House, completed in 1892, and the Watonwan County Courthouse, completed in 1896.
From the History section of St. James, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Healthcare3
Map of St. James
26 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 5°F | 1.1 in | 10.8 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 10°F | 0.8 in | 11.0 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 22°F | 1.8 in | 8.2 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 35°F | 3.1 in | 3.5 in |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 4.7 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 59°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 37°F | 2.5 in | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 25°F | 1.6 in | 4.9 in |
| Dec | 29°F | 12°F | 1.1 in | 11.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for St James Wwtp (1 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
Watonwan County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2024-06-28: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 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)
- 2018-09-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2014-07-21: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Saint James Municipal Airport (JYG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Madelia 11 mi northeast, about 18 min by car
- Mountain Lake 15 mi west, about 24 min by car
- New Ulm 24 mi north, about 39 min by car
- Fairmont 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Jackson 31 mi southwest, about 49 min by car
- North Mankato 32 mi northeast, about 52 min by car
- Mapleton 34 mi east, about 54 min by car
- Mankato 35 mi east, about 56 min by car
- Blue Earth 35 mi southeast, about 57 min by car
- St. Peter 40 mi northeast, about 1 h 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
- WatonwonCountyCourthouse, Jatakuck, CC BY-SA 3.0
- StJamesGrandOperaHouse, Jatakuck, CC BY-SA 3.0
- VossAlfredRFarmstead, Jatakuck, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.