Waseca, Minnesota, United States

🇺🇸 Waseca is a city in Waseca County, Minnesota, United States.

In 1849, the newly organized Minnesota Territory legislature authorized nine counties across the territory. One of those, Dakota, was partially subdivided in 1853 to create Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Rice counties. In 1855, parts of those counties were partitioned to create Steele. On February 27, 1857, the territorial legislature authorized partitioning western Steele County to create Waseca County, with its seat at Wilton, a settlement which began in 1854. The county name was taken from the area's first farming settlement, started in 1855, near the present location of the city of Waseca. That settlement name came from the Dakota word meaning "rich", a reference to the fertile soil in the area.

The Winona and Saint Peter Railroad line past the town of Waseca was completed in the latter half of the 1860s, causing the town to bloom. By 1870 the vote was taken to relocate the county seat to that settlement.

Transportation U.S. Highway 14 and Minnesota Highway 13 are two of the main routes in the city. U.S. 14 runs as an east–west freeway bypass just south of the city, while Minnesota Highway 13 passes through the city as State Street, running north–south.

Economy Waseca is also home to a frozen-vegetable packing plant for Birds Eye brand, owned by Pinnacle Foods. Waseca is home to the Federal Correctional Institution, Waseca, a low-security federal prison housing female inmates. Waseca opened a waterpark in June 2007. Waseca has finished a new bike path that surrounds Clear Lake. Waseca is home to the Waseca Medical Center, part of the Mayo Health System. Waseca is home to many parks and lakes, including Clear Lake, Loon Lake, Maplewood Park, Clear Lake Park, Loon Lake Park, Courthouse Park, Blowers Park and many more.