Deuel County History

Population:  4,364
County Seat:  Clear Lake
Square Miles:  624

Deuel County's first inhabitants were the Plains Woodland Indians, evidenced in many Indian mounds.  Legend has it that Little Crow was captured in the area by the cavalry after the New Ulm Massacre.  A fur trading post was established in the 1830's on what is now called School Lake.  At one time, Grant, Roberts, Codington and Hamlin were a part of Deuel County.  The present boundaries were set in 1873.  The first settlers were English, Irish and Scotch, followed by Scandinavians, Dutch and Germans.  In 1888, gold was discovered in Gary Gulch.  The county is dependent upon its agricultural and agri-related industries.