Map of Benson city, Minnesota

Benson is a city in Swift County, Minnesota, United States, along the Chippewa River. The population was 3,240 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat.

Benson city overview:
Name:	Benson city
LSAD Code:	25
LSAD Description:	city (suffix)
State:	Minnesota
County:	Swift County
Elevation:	1,047 ft (319 m)
Total Area:	3.12 sq mi (8.08 km²)
Land Area:	3.10 sq mi (8.03 km²)
Water Area:	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km²)
Total Population:	3,480
Population Density:	1,122.94/sq mi (433.55/km²)
ZIP code:	56215
Area code:	320
FIPS code:	2705212
GNISfeature ID:	0639933
Website:	www.bensonmn.org

Online Interactive Map

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Benson online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.

Benson location map. Where is Benson city?

Benson location on the U.S. Map. Where is Benson city. — Benson location on the U.S. Map.

Benson location on the Minnesota map. Where is Benson city. — Location of Benson in Minnesota.

History

Benson was platted in 1870 when the railroad was extended to that point. As the end of the tracks, Benson became a lively trading center. Benson was the market for a 100-mile area in almost all directions.

The city was named for Ben H. Benson, a Norwegian settler. Benson was incorporated as a city in 1908.

The town’s early history included many tragedies, such as an 1872 smallpox epidemic, an 1876 grasshopper plague, and a fire in 1880 that wiped out a whole city block.

In 1869, the first general store in Benson was established. A post office has been in operation at Benson since 1870. The Benson Public Library was established in 1911 after a generous donation. In 1912, the Swift County Hospital was built, originally housing 19 patients. The Swift County-Benson Hospital has since been repeatedly renovated. Benson’s first one-room schoolhouse still stands as a historic site in Ambush Park and is open to the public. The current schools were established in 1890 (Benson High School) and 1958 (Northside Elementary School).

Benson Road Map

Benson city Satellite Map

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Benson has an area of 3.02 square miles (7.82 km); 3.00 square miles (7.77 km) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km) is water.

U.S. Highway 12 and Minnesota State Highways 9 and 29 are three of the main routes in the city.