When was Sibley County founded?

Sibley County was founded in 1853, formed from Dakota County and Hennepin County, and named after Henry Hastings Sibley.

What is the county seat of Sibley County?

The county seat of Sibley County is Gaylord.

Is there an online parcel map for Sibley County?

Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 12,748 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Sibley County's boundary or name changed?

Sibley County was created in 1853 from Dakota County and Hennepin County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 6 later changes, chiefly involving Le Sueur County, Hennepin County and Nicollet County.

Who issues building permits in Sibley County?

The county's page on building permits: Licenses & Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Sibley County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 27143

Sibley CountyMinnesota

Sibley County is a county in Minnesota with its seat in Gaylord, founded in 1853.

Founded1853
County seatGaylord
Named forHenry Hastings Sibley
Land area589 sq mi + 12 sq mi water
Population14,836 2020 Census
Parcels mapped12,748 checked 16 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Sibley County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 19 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1853 from Dakota County and Hennepin County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Sibley County was formed in 1853 from Dakota County and Hennepin County, and named after Henry Hastings Sibley. Gaylord is the county seat.

Deeds and plats from before 1853 for land now in Sibley County may have been recorded in Dakota County and Hennepin County.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; the 5 that matter most are shown first.

1853
Sibley County created Sibley created from Dakota; Sibley not fully organized, attached to Hennepin "for judicial purposes."
from Dakota from Hennepin
5 March 1853 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1853, ch. 11, secs. 9, 12/pp. 33-34
1854
Gained territory Sibley fully organized for county government and judicial purposes, detached from Hennepin; Sibley gained from Nicollet.
from Hennepin from Nicollet
2 March 1854 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1854, ch. 32, secs. 1-4/pp. 77-78
1855
Gained territory Sibley gained from Nicollet, lost to the creation of Carver, Davis (extinct), Renville, Stearns, and Wright, lost to Hennepin.
from Nicollet from Carver from Davis from Renville from Stearns from Wrightfrom Hennepin
20 February 1855 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1855, ch. 6, sec. 12-13, 15-18, 23/p. 25-27
1856
Lost territory Sibley lost small area to Le Sueur.
to Le Sueur
18 February 1856 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1856, ch. 61, sec. 1/p. 98
1856
Lost territory Sibley lost to the creation of McLeod.
to McLeod
1 March 1856 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1856, ch. 26, secs. 1-2, 5/p. 31

Show all 9 changes (4 more, mostly small adjustments)

1853
Sibley County created Sibley created from Dakota; Sibley not fully organized, attached to Hennepin "for judicial purposes."
from Dakota from Hennepin
5 March 1853 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1853, ch. 11, secs. 9, 12/pp. 33-34
1854
Gained territory Sibley fully organized for county government and judicial purposes, detached from Hennepin; Sibley gained from Nicollet.
from Hennepin from Nicollet
2 March 1854 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1854, ch. 32, secs. 1-4/pp. 77-78
1855
Gained territory Sibley gained from Nicollet, lost to the creation of Carver, Davis (extinct), Renville, Stearns, and Wright, lost to Hennepin.
from Nicollet from Carver from Davis from Renville from Stearns from Wrightfrom Hennepin
20 February 1855 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1855, ch. 6, sec. 12-13, 15-18, 23/p. 25-27
1856
Lost territory Sibley lost small area to Le Sueur.
to Le Sueur
18 February 1856 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1856, ch. 61, sec. 1/p. 98
1856
Lost territory Sibley lost to the creation of McLeod.
to McLeod
1 March 1856 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1856, ch. 26, secs. 1-2, 5/p. 31
1856
Gained territory Sibley gained small area from Le Sueur (reversed change of 18 Feb. 1856).
from Le Sueur
1 June 1856 · Minn. Terr. Laws 1856, ch. 31, secs. 1-2/pp. 59-60
1866
Changed Sibley authorized to gain the two southernmost townships of McLeod, dependent upon local referendum that failed (no change).
McLeod
28 February 1866 · Minn. Laws 1866, gen., ch. 51, secs. 1-2/pp. 97-98; Minn. Stat. 1873, ch. 2, title 1, sec. 54/pp. 101, 107
1867
Changed McLeod authorized to gain the two adjacent northern townships of Sibley, dependent upon local referendum that failed (no change).
McLeod
9 March 1867 · Minn. Laws 1867, spec., ch. 91, secs. 1-2/pp. 285-286; Minn. Stat. 1873, ch. 2, title 1, sec. 54/p. 101
1893
Changed Sibley authorized to gain small area from Le Sueur, dependent upon local referendum; change not effected.
Le Sueur
27 March 1893 · Minn. Gen. Stat. 1894, ch. 8, title 1, sec. 604/pp. 175-176; Minn. Laws 1893, gen., ch. 159, secs. 1-2/p. 302

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Sibley

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 12,748 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 17 September 2026 · checked 16 October 2026
Address points Good enough

One point per address, 7,270 in all.
edited 17 September 2026 · checked 13 October 2026
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Sibley by the Census

Population

14,836 2020 Census count

Housing units

6,454 2020 Census count

Land area

589 square miles

Water area

12 square miles

People per sq mi

25 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Who to ask before you build, dig or sell

Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.

Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.

Permits

Licenses & Permitsfrom sibleycounty.gov

County government

County government
The official website of Sibley County.
co.sibley.mn.us

See your own lot on these maps

Open Sibley County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Sibley County

When was Sibley County founded?: Sibley County was founded in 1853, formed from Dakota County and Hennepin County, and named after Henry Hastings Sibley.
What is the county seat of Sibley County?: The county seat of Sibley County is Gaylord.
Is there an online parcel map for Sibley County?: Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 12,748 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Sibley County's boundary or name changed?: Sibley County was created in 1853 from Dakota County and Hennepin County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 6 later changes, chiefly involving Le Sueur County, Hennepin County and Nicollet County.
Who issues building permits in Sibley County?: The county's page on building permits: Licenses & Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Sibley County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby