BlockBefore

Plainview, Minnesota

13 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1934 and the latest in 1989. It stands in Plainview Township. It lies in ZIP code area 55964. The Survey maps it on the Plainview quadrangle. 3,483 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,161 feet above sea level.

Plainview within Wabasha County

Population over time

2 figures

Plainview grew from 3,340 to 3,483 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20103,340
20203,483+143 (+4%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

9 surveys from 13 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

In the county-history sources

1,992 words on this township

History of Wabasha County : Together with Biographical Matter, Statistics, Etc. : Gathered from Matter Furnished by Interviews with Old Settlers, County, Township, and Other Records, and Extracts from Files of Papers, Pamphlets, and Such Other Sources As Have Been Available : Also a History of Winona County, published 1884 names this settlement in its chapter on Plainview Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

The cliacming little village of" Plainview is found in the heart of that delightful tract of countiy in the southern part of Wabasha county known as Greenwood Prairie. The place now (in 18Si) has a population of probably eight hundred, the result of a steady and wholesome development through a period of twenty-eight years. It is located in the township of Plainview, on parts of sections 7, 8, 9, 16, 17 and 18, about four miles north of the White Water, the nearest river. It is the terminus of the Plainview di\dsion of the Chicago & Northwestern railway, which has its junction with the main line at Eyotain the adjoining coimty of Olmsted.

Passage source: History of Wabasha County : Together with Biographical Matter, Statistics, Etc. : Gathered from Matter Furnished by Interviews with Old Settlers, County, Township, and Other Records, and Extracts from Files of Papers, Pamphlets, and Such Other Sources As Have Been Available : Also a History of Winona County, published 1884.

In the spring of 1S56 J. Y. Blackwell, an Iowa lawyer, possessed of pioneer proclivities, arrived with his family on what is now the village site, and erected an insignificant domicile, lialf logs and half boards, near the present location of Geo. S. La Rue & Go's drug store, corner Broadway and Jefferson street; and the same season Levi Ormsby constructed a claim shanty a half-mile fiirther west. Mr. Blackwell was possessed of some means and at once set about getting out the timbers for a hotel, which was raised on the site of the present Plainview House, on the ensuing 4th of July. Ozias Wilcox arrived that summer, bought forty acres opjsosite the hotel, on section 8, from Hugh Wiley, and erected a store and dwelling combined. David Van Wort put up a carpenter-shop, and a Mr. Bray a blacksmith-shop. A few others had located on land that has since become a part of the present village of Plainview ; among these were Edwin Chapman, Lloyd Yale and David Ackley ; Dr. Gibbs was also an early comer. Tims populated the embryo city encountered the terrible winter of 1856-7, which opened up in November with a terrific snowstorm. The snow lay to a depth of about four feet on the level until the following April, and in places was drifted so as to nearly bury the poor little shanties of these humble pioneers. Communication with the outside world was practically cut off, and fortunate was this little com- inunity in having Mr. Wilcox and Lis well stocked store of groceries and provisions to draw upon in its extremity. This store is the same building now occupied by the Plainview bank. Throughout the entire winter of 1S76-7, it was surrounded by a narrow court, swept bare by the same' sporting winds that banked the snow several feet high on every side. Into these walls of snow, hard packed and frozen, steps were cut, that pi'oved a substantial means of exit from the court below until an April sun destroyed them.

Passage source: History of Wabasha County : Together with Biographical Matter, Statistics, Etc. : Gathered from Matter Furnished by Interviews with Old Settlers, County, Township, and Other Records, and Extracts from Files of Papers, Pamphlets, and Such Other Sources As Have Been Available : Also a History of Winona County, published 1884.

The severity of this first winter disheartened many people in the settlement, and but for poverty and a beautiful spring another winter would have found Plainview quite deserted. However, with the return of spring came new pioneer reinforcements from the States, other industries were established, and a delightful and prosperous season reassured all save Mr. Blackwell, who shrank from encountering the hardships of another winter, and busied himself in the disposal of his Plainview possessions, that he might be off before the approach of cold weather. In this he succeeded, and at once left for his Iowa home, deserting forever his little prairie protege.

Passage source: History of Wabasha County : Together with Biographical Matter, Statistics, Etc. : Gathered from Matter Furnished by Interviews with Old Settlers, County, Township, and Other Records, and Extracts from Files of Papers, Pamphlets, and Such Other Sources As Have Been Available : Also a History of Winona County, published 1884.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Plainview Township - it names this place 14 more 14 times.

Fires near this place

17 since 1993

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 17 fires within 5 miles of Plainview between 1993 and 2016, burning about 12 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Smoking6
Missing data/not specified/undetermined5
Equipment and vehicle use4
Debris and open burning2

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
16 September 2002Smokingunder an acreMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
10 July 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
16 June 2003Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
7 May 2000Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
21 May 1993Smokingunder an acreMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
17 May 2016Debris and open burningunder an acreMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
5 April 2000Smokingunder an acreMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
4 April 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Wabasha County

Mines and quarries near this place

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Plainview: 1 producer. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Becker QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer

Every working recorded in Wabasha County

Storms near this place

39 since 1993

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Plainview in 39 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 23 hail, 12 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 1 flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
September 2010FloodPlainview$4,500,000Flooding occurred along rivers, streams and creeks as well as low-lying areas throughout the county. At least 14 roads were closed across the county due to water over the roads, including U.S. Highway 63, State Highways 68 and 60, and County Roads 3, 8, 21, and 11. At least 10 schools throughout the county canceled classes due to road closures. It was estimated that 300 homes were affected by flood waters throughout the county, 99 of which were in the towns of Zumbro Falls and Hammond. The areas that saw the worst flooding included locations along the Zumbro River, including the cities of Zumbro Falls, Hammond, Millville, and Jarrett. Due to the rising river, the towns of Zumbro Falls, Hammond, and Millville were evacuated, as well as 20 to 30 residents who lived along County Road 11 between Hammond and Millville. In Kellogg, massive erosion occurred along the Zumbro River, which endangered some homes.
May 2022HailPlainview$125,000Hail ranging in size from golf ball to tennis ball fell north of Plainview.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindPlainview$85,000no account filed
July 2024HailPlainview$82,000The public reported golf ball sized hail in the town of Plainview.
December 2021Tornado (EF1)Plainview$65,000An EF1 tornado developed southeast of Plainview and moved northeast across rural portions of southern Wabasha County. Farm outbuildings and trees were damaged along the path of the tornado.
December 2021Thunderstorm WindPlainview$25,000A large pole shed was extensively damaged in Plainview.
December 2021Thunderstorm WindPlainview$25,000A barn was destroyed southeast of Plainview.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindPlainview$15,000no account filed
May 1998Thunderstorm WindPlainview$12,000no account filed
December 2021Thunderstorm WindPlainview$10,000The metal roof was partially removed from a pole shed east of Plainview.
May 2017Flash FloodPlainview$10,000Runoff from heavy rain pushed the North Fork of the Whitewater River out of its banks in Carley State Park. The flooding washed out access roads and knocked down some trees.
May 2017Tornado (EF0)Plainview$10,000An EF-0 tornado produced spotty damage in Plainview. The backside of a metal shed was blown down, part of roof was taken off a storage building and the batting cage at a baseball field was destroyed.
May 1998HailPlainview$10,000no account filed
June 1998HailPlainview$10,000no account filed
May 1998HailPlainview$8,500no account filed
May 2000HailPlainview$5,000no account filed
August 2007Thunderstorm WindPlainview$2,500Trees were blown down.
May 2000HailPlainview$2,500no account filed
July 2003HailPlainview$1,250no account filed
July 2003Thunderstorm WindPlainview$750no account filed
March 2025HailPlainview-Law enforcement reported nickel sized hail in Plainview, Minnesota.
July 2023HailPlainview-Law enforcement reported ping pong ball sized hail near Plainview.
July 2023HailPlainview-Public reported ping pong ball sized hail near Plainview.
December 2021Thunderstorm WindPlainview-An 85 mph wind gust was measured by a private weather station in Plainview.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindPlainview-Trees and power lines were blown down in Plainview.
August 2019HailPlainview-Quarter to half dollar sized hail fell in Plainview.
April 2017HailPlainview-Quarter sized hail fell south of Plainview.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindPlainview-Trees were knocked down in town.
August 1993Thunderstorm WindPlainview-Severe thunderstorms blew across southeast Minnesota causing strong, downburst winds across the area. Trees and power lines were blown down across parts of Waseca County, Olmsted County, and Wabasha County. A roof was blown from a shed by strong winds near Plainview (Wabasha County).
April 2022HailPlainview-no account filed
June 2016HailPlainview-no account filed
May 2016HailPlainview-no account filed
May 2013HailPlainview-no account filed
May 2012HailPlainview-no account filed
May 2012HailPlainview-no account filed
March 2005HailPlainview-no account filed
May 2004HailPlainview-no account filed
July 2003HailPlainview-no account filed
April 2002HailPlainview-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Wabasha County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Elgin4.9 miles15
Conception7.7 miles15
Bremen8.0 miles15
Millville8.6 miles15
Theilman8.6 miles15
Jarrett10.1 miles15
West Albany11.2 miles13
Hammond11.4 miles15

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on PlainviewAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q1991931The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 649536. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.