Koochiching

Formed December 19, 1906 (84^th county)

Koochiching County (12,059), International Falls (5,804)                

The classic red brick and stone Beaux Arts courthouse was built in 1909.  Koochiching County was established on December 19, 1906 from Itasca County as the 84^th county with International Falls as the only county seat.  The building sits on 4^th Street, 7^th Avenue, 5^th Street, and 8^th Avenue.  United States Highway 71 passes one block to the north of the site.  Charles E. Bell provided the designs.  The building was enlarged in 1974 and 1979.  It features a tower.  Veterans memorials are across the street.  The county’s name comes from the Native American for “rainy lake.”  The county seat is named for its geographical location on the Canadian border and on the local falls. 

Koochiching County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a treasurer, an auditor, an assessor and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Twenty-two District Court Judges serve Koochiching, Aitkin, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau counties (judicial.) The county is on the northern border of the state.  Canada is on its northern border.  The county center is 34.7 miles South-Southwest of International Falls nearer Grand Falls.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Canada and Saint Louis, Itasca, Beltrami, and Lake of the Woods counties. 

The area of the county is 3102.4 square miles.  It is 2 out of 87 in the state.  It ranks 62 out of 87 in population in the state.  It has a density of 3.9 persons per square mile making it 84 out of 87 in the state.  Koochiching County has 60.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 53 originates in the county and travels southeast into Saint Louis County.  United States Highway 71 also originates and goes southwest into Itasca County.  The county looks like a fat little letter r lying on its back.  International Falls is located on the northern border of the county.  International Falls is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 48.1% of the county population.  The county is pronounced KOO-CHEE-CHING.