Stearns County, Administrative division in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, US
Stearns County is an administrative division in Minnesota that spans rolling terrain with numerous lakes and waterways throughout its landscape. The Mississippi River forms a natural boundary along its northeastern edge.
The county was established in 1855 with a name rooted in a clerical mistake rather than intentional honor. Officials meant to name it after Governor Isaac Stevens but ended up naming it for Charles Thomas Stearns instead.
German Catholic settlers from the 1850s shaped how people here live and work, establishing farming traditions that remain central to the local way of life.
The county is spread across multiple towns connected by rural roads, making a car essential for exploring. Most activities and services are dispersed throughout the region rather than concentrated in one area.
About 47 square miles of the county's landscape consists of water bodies, including sections of the Mississippi River and tributaries. These waterways were vital routes that early settlers used to travel and establish their communities.
Location: Minnesota
Inception: February 20, 1855
Capital city: St. Cloud
Shares border with: Todd County, Kandiyohi County, Meeker County, Benton County, Morrison County, Sherburne County, Wright County, Pope County, Douglas County
Website: http://co.stearns.mn.us
GPS coordinates: 45.55000,-94.61000
Latest update: December 20, 2025 13:52
Minnesota Correctional Facility – St. Cloud
38.5 km
Saint John's Abbey
17.3 km
The Palmer House
33.8 km
Bridge of Hope
33.4 km
Sibley State Park
41.2 kmAssumption Chapel
18.5 km
Munsinger Gardens and Clemens Gardens
36.3 kmSaint Brigid of Kildare Methodist-Benedictine Monastery
23.1 km
Sinclair Lewis Boyhood Home
34.1 km
Hill Museum & Manuscript Library
17.3 km
Saint Benedict's Monastery
22.8 km
Cathedral of Saint Mary
35 km
Clemens Stadium
17.4 km
DeSoto Bridge
35.7 km
Church of St. Boniface
20.6 km
St. Cloud Dam
36.1 km
Swany White Flour Mills
13.9 km
Minnesota Home School for Girls Historic District
34.5 km
Church of St. Joseph-Catholic
22.8 km
Church of the Sacred Heart
13.9 km
Church of St. Stephen-Catholic
31.1 km
Church of the Immaculate Conception-Catholic
16.3 km
Sartell Bridge
32.7 km
Foley–Brower–Bohmer House
35.7 km
Original Main Street Historic District
33.8 km
Old Sartell Bridge
32.6 km
Hemker Park & Zoo
14.3 km
Veterans Bridge
35.4 kmVisited this place? Tap the stars to rate it and share your experience / photos with the community! Try now! You can cancel it anytime.
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