[3] Manning was founded in 1908 to serve as the seat of Dunn County, itself organized that year.

[5] An unincorporated community, Manning, along with the surrounding inhabited vicinity, was designated part of the United States Census Bureau's Participant Statistical Areas Program on March 31, 2010, with the name of the Manning Census Designated Place[2] Manning was named after the pioneer rancher Dan Manning (1845–1914), who promoted the area.

[6][7] It was originally suggested that the community be named Owensville after William P. Owens (1870–1913) because administrative work was carried out at his home, but Owens declined to have the community named after him.

[7] This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters.

[8] Mel Ruder, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist was born in Manning.