Its designated county seat was Red Lake Falls, which had been incorporated (as a village) in 1881.

[4] The county has two sites on the National Register of Historic Places: the courthouse and Clearwater Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The Red Lake River then flows southwestward into Polk County.

The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, etched by drainages and gullies.

[5] The county terrain slopes to the west, with its highest elevation on its southeastern corner, at 1,201 ft (366 m) ASL.

30.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

[23] After vigorous objections from local and state inhabitants and legislators,[24] Ingraham subsequently visited the county and not only reversed his position but later moved there with his family and wrote a book about his experience.