Clearwater County Employee Directory
Government AdministrationMinnesota, United States51-200 Employees
Clearwater County functions as a county-level government in Minnesota, based in Bemidji. It was established as the 83rd Minnesota county on December 20, 1902 by Governor Samuel Van Sant, and derives its name from an Ojibwe term meaning clear water. The county's topography is notable for its drainage divide: the northern portion drains toward the Clearwater River and Hudson Bay, while the southern portion drains toward the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, a feature that includes Itasca State Park within its bounds. Itasca State Park contains Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi River, and preserves more than 3,000 acres of old-growth pine. As a county government, Clearwater County serves residents and other local stakeholders through public administration, supported by a workforce in the low hundreds. The organization operates from Bemidji, Minnesota, delivering administrative functions for the county.