The Mower County Shopper
3405 W. Oakland Ave.
Austin, MN
(507) 437-7731
(507) 437-7733 (fax)
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The Shopper
The Community

The Community

Market
Austin is located in southeast Minnesota, 10 miles north of the Iowa border and 80 miles south of the Twin Cities. Austin is headquarters for Hormel Foods Corp., has its own public and commercial TV station and is located along Interstate 90.

Population
Mower County: 38,603
City of Austin: 23,314

Climate
Austin experiences each of the four seasons, with winter lasting a bit longer than the other three.

Major employers
Hormel Foods, agriculture, Quality Pork Processors Inc., Austin Medical Center, retail.

Education
Austin Public School: High school, middle school, four elementary schools.

Riverland Community College's main campus is in Austin. Campuses also are in Albert Lea and Owatonna.

History
The history of the County starts with Jacob McQuillin and his family settling in what was to become Mower County in 1852. By 1855 the population had grown enough to merit official formation as a county.

On March 1, 1856, Governor Willis A. Gorman signed the act organizing Mower County and named it in honor of John Edward Mower, a member of the territorial legislature. A temporary board of three county commissioners was appointed and first met in Frankford.

Disagreement about the location of the county seat evolved between Frankford and Austin. The County records were stolen by settlers armed with rifles, revolvers and knives. The dispute was settled in favor of Austin by a vote of the people in October of 1856.

There were 374 votes cast. The first courthouse was built in 1868, which was the same year the number of commissioners on the County Board expanded to the current number of five. The Courthouse has been added to and remodeled several times in its history.

Currently the County operates a number of facilities throughout the County providing service to the citizens with the courthouse in Austin remaining the main facility. Claim to fame: Home base for Hormel Foods Corp., makers of SPAM and other popular food products.

Culture
Austin has many social and civic groups in which to take part; From the Austin Arts Center and the Austin Symphony Chorus to the YMCA and bowling leagues, Austin has something for almost everyone.

Recreation
Snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, golf, boating, fishing, hunting, hiking, bicycling

Area information
Austin Area Chamber of Commerce
329 Main St.
North Austin MN 55912
(507) 437-4561
http://www.austincoc.com

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