Fergus Falls, Minnesota: Difference between revisions

Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Fergus Falls, Minnesota
City
	Clockwise from top: Downtown Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County Courthouse, Fergus Falls City Hall, Otto the Otter in Grotto Park, Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center (former state hospital)
	Flag
	Location of Fergus Falls in Otter Tail County, Minnesota (left) and of Otter Tail County in Minnesota (right)
	Coordinates: 46°17′07″N 96°04′33″W / 46.28528°N 96.07583°W
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Otter Tail
Platted	August 1870
Incorporated (village)	February 29, 1872
Incorporated (city)	March 3, 1881
Government
• Mayor	Ben Schierer (D)
Area
• City	15.720 sq mi (40.715 km2)
• Land	14.388 sq mi (37.264 km2)
• Water	1.332 sq mi (34.496 km2) 8.20%
Elevation	1,194 ft (364 m)
Population (2020)
• City	14,119
• Estimate (2022)	14,187
• Density	986.0/sq mi (380.7/km2)
• Urban	13,116
• Metro	60,626 (US: 156th)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	56537
Area code	218
FIPS code	27-20906
GNIS feature ID	2394758
Sales tax	7.875%
Website	ci.fergus-falls.mn.us

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Fergus Falls (/ˈfɜːrɡəs/ FUR-gəss)^[7] is a city in and the county seat of Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,119 at the 2020 census.^[4]^[8]

History

The falls from which the city gets part of its name were discovered by Joe Whitford (a Scottish trapper) in 1856 and promptly named in honor of his employer, James Fergus.^[9] It is not known whether Fergus ever visited the city, but Whitford did not live to see the city develop, as he was killed during the 1862 Dakota war in western Minnesota. In 1867, George B. Wright was at the land office at St. Cloud and found Whitford's lapsed claim, purchased the land, and built what is now the Central Dam in downtown Fergus Falls around 1871. After Wright died in 1882, his son Vernon moved from Boston to Minnesota and took over his father's interests in the town. Vernon Wright was also one of the two people who established the Otter Tail Power Company in 1907. The city was incorporated in the late 1870s and is situated along the dividing line between the former great deciduous forest of the Northwest Territories to the east and the great plains to the west, in a region of gentle hills, where the recent geological history is dominated by the recession of the glaciers from the last great Ice Age, with numerous lakes and small rivers.

Two major tornadoes hit Fergus Falls during the early 20th century, the second, the 1919 Fergus Falls tornado, being the greater. The only church edifice left standing after the great cyclone was the predominantly black Baptist church.

21st century

Fergus Falls features different parks, including tallgrass prairie and eastern woodlands, stores, and other tourist attractions. The Union Avenue Bridge spans the Otter Tail River, and was reconstructed in 2004. Just below the bridge is part of scenic River Walk Park, which spans about a mile of the river. The part nearest the Union Avenue Bridge was redone along with the bridge. The town hall was modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Its west wing housed the city fire station until the 1970s. Other points of interest include the county museum, Lake Alice, George B. Wright Park, Pebble Lake Golf Course, and Veteran's Memorial Park. Arts in Fergus Falls are booming with a community theater program downtown. Many local and professional artists perform at A Center for the Arts.

The city also lends its name to the song "Fergus Falls" by the band Field Report on its 2012 self-titled album.

Fergus Falls received international coverage in early 2017 ^[10] and late 2018 after a news article in Der Spiegel falsely claimed there was an anti-Mexican sign at the city's entrance and fabricated other things about the town.^[11] The story's author, Claas Relotius, admitted to numerous instances of journalistic fraud.^[12]^[13]^[14] In December 2018 two residents of Fergus Falls, Michele Anderson and Jake Krohn, published a report pointing out the "11 most absurd lies" of the 2017 article.^[15] The same month Der Spiegel also sent a reporter to Fergus Falls to investigate and apologize.^[16]

Ethnicity

A strong economic division between later Scandinavian immigrant farmers and the earlier English and Scottish war veterans who retained control of the principal businesses of the city center, the banks, and the increasingly important Otter Tail Power Company, persisted for decades until several generations of ethnic intermarriage and continuing inward and outward migration largely erased the divisions along ethnic lines.^{[citation needed]} The small black community, largely Baptist, which clustered in the Southeast section of the city, gradually dwindled as people departed for larger cities.^{[citation needed]}

Growth

The dams built on the Otter Tail River beginning in the 1880s were powerful economic forces that shaped the area's development. Returning soldiers from the American Civil War settled in the region, mostly as farmers (wheat and corn in the western plains and dairy and hogs in the eastern hills and forests). The importance of the Civil War experience to these early settlers is highlighted by the town's street names: the intersecting principal thoroughfares are Lincoln Avenue and Union Avenue. The oldest parts of the town have streets with names such as Sherman, Sheridan, and Vernon. The early English wave of settlement claimed control of the falls along the Otter Tail River and established the first Episcopalian and Presbyterian churches.

Hotel Kaddatz, Fergus Falls, Minnesota, 1920

Immigration

Almost as soon as the foundational structure of the town was laid, an influx of Norwegian immigrants arrived, by way of the Scandinavian migration of Chicago and Minneapolis, often on the Great Northern Railway. Primarily dairy farmers, they established numerous Lutheran churches in the area. The Lutheran Brethren (Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America) established an academy in Fergus Falls, which today operates a private high school, theological seminary and mission society, with an office in Fergus Falls. The pietistic, low-church Lutherans constituted one cultural center of the Norwegian-German community, while the high-church First Lutheran constituted a separate center, which attracted a more upwardly mobile class of parishioner.

Population growth and loss

After the Interstate Defense Highway System built Interstate 94 along the western edge of Fergus Falls in the late 1950s, population mobility increased dramatically, and high school graduates increasingly left the town to attend colleges in Morris, Fargo-Moorhead, or the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. As farming declined as an occupation and lifestyle, with large-scale commercial farming gradually replacing the family farm system during the second half of the 20th century, the city appeared increasingly destined to become a retirement and nursing community until a new migration of younger remote workers moved to the city. The bucolic environment, with abundant sporting opportunities that had long attracted summer vacationers. The relatively low cost of real estate, cost of living, and a variety of public school locations has also attracted families to the city.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.720 square miles (40.71 km²), of which 14.388 square miles (37.26 km²) is land and 1.332 square miles (3.45 km²) (8.2%)is water.^[1]

Interstate 94, U.S. Highway 59, U.S. Highway 52, and Minnesota State Highway 210 (co-signed), and County Highways 1, 82, and 88 are the main routes in Fergus Falls.

Lakes


Lake Name	Size (Acres)
Alice	31
Chautauqua	229
Devils	348
Hoot	161
Horseshoe	n/a
Iverson	54
Jewett	737
Larson	45
Opperman	84
Orwell	782
Pebble	169
Spring	47
Swan	689
Wright	66

Major highways

The following routes are located within the city of Fergus Falls.

Interstate 94/U.S. Highway 52
U.S. Highway 59
Minnesota State Highway 210
Otter Tail County Highway 1
Otter Tail County Highway 82
Otter Tail County Highway 88

Climate

Climate data for Fergus Falls, Minnesota, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–2018
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	56 (13)	57 (14)	80 (27)	94 (34)	105 (41)	105 (41)	110 (43)	105 (41)	105 (41)	93 (34)	74 (23)	65 (18)	110 (43)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	18.4 (−7.6)	22.3 (−5.4)	35.6 (2.0)	52.9 (11.6)	66.8 (19.3)	76.3 (24.6)	80.8 (27.1)	79.4 (26.3)	70.8 (21.6)	55.7 (13.2)	38.0 (3.3)	24.4 (−4.2)	51.8 (11.0)
Daily mean °F (°C)	9.0 (−12.8)	12.7 (−10.7)	26.9 (−2.8)	42.3 (5.7)	55.9 (13.3)	66.3 (19.1)	70.8 (21.6)	68.2 (20.1)	59.8 (15.4)	45.4 (7.4)	29.7 (−1.3)	16.1 (−8.8)	41.9 (5.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	−0.4 (−18.0)	3.2 (−16.0)	18.1 (−7.7)	31.8 (−0.1)	45.0 (7.2)	56.3 (13.5)	60.7 (15.9)	57.1 (13.9)	48.9 (9.4)	35.1 (1.7)	21.4 (−5.9)	7.9 (−13.4)	32.1 (0.0)
Record low °F (°C)	−38 (−39)	−42 (−41)	−31 (−35)	−2 (−19)	19 (−7)	29 (−2)	37 (3)	34 (1)	20 (−7)	2 (−17)	−23 (−31)	−35 (−37)	−42 (−41)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	1.29 (33)	0.83 (21)	1.15 (29)	2.00 (51)	3.86 (98)	4.35 (110)	3.28 (83)	2.95 (75)	3.04 (77)	2.37 (60)	1.04 (26)	0.71 (18)	26.87 (681)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	11.9 (30)	7.2 (18)	8.1 (21)	1.0 (2.5)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.8 (2.0)	7.6 (19)	7.4 (19)	45.0 (114)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	4.1	2.9	4.1	4.4	8.1	9.6	8.4	6.1	6.2	5.5	4.5	4.4	68.3
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	5.2	3.1	3.0	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	3.5	4.4	20.2
Source 1: NOAA (snow/snow days 1981–2010)^[17]^[18]
Source 2: XMACIS2^[19]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	1,635		—
1890	3,772		130.7%
1900	6,072		61.0%
1910	6,887		13.4%
1920	7,581		10.1%
1930	9,389		23.8%
1940	10,848		15.5%
1950	12,917		19.1%
1960	13,733		6.3%
1970	12,443		−9.4%
1980	12,519		0.6%
1990	12,362		−1.3%
2000	13,471		9.0%
2010	13,138		−2.5%
2020	14,119		7.5%
2022 (est.)	14,187	^[5]	0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census^[20] 2020 Census^[4]

2020 census

Fergus Falls Racial Composition^[21]
Race	Number	Percent
White (NH)	12,737	90.2%
Black or African American (NH)	246	1.7%
Native American (NH)	116	0.8%
Asian (NH)	112	0.8%
Pacific Islander (NH)	8	0.1%
Some Other (NH)	34	0.2%
Other/Mixed (NH)	518	3.7%
Hispanic or Latino	348	2.5%

As of the 2020 census, there were 14,119 people, 6,171 households, and 3,379 families residing in the city.^[22] The population density was 981.6 inhabitants per square mile (379.0/km²). There were 6,731 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 91.2% White, 1.7% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other races and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.^[23] 20.0% of residents were under the age of 18, 5.3% were under 5 years of age, and 24.4% were 65 and older.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 13,138 people, 5,814 households, and 3,262 families residing in the city. The population density was 931.0 inhabitants per square mile (359.5/km²). There were 6,342 housing units at an average density of 449.5 per square mile (173.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.5% White, 1.1% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 5,814 households, of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.9% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.84.

The median age in the city was 43.4 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 22.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 13,471 people, 5,633 households, and 3,306 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,031.5 inhabitants per square mile (398.3/km²). There were 5,909 housing units at an average density of 452.5 per square mile (174.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.02% White, 0.62% African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.

There were 5,633 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.3% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,454, and the median income for a family was $44,280. Males had a median income of $32,051 versus $20,841 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,929. About 7.0% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Fergus Falls is a micropolitan with a diversified economy that includes healthcare, manufacturing, commercial, agricultural, information technology, and utilities. The largest employer is Lake Region Healthcare, an integrated health system with a 108-bed hospital, cancer research center, assisted living community, and multiple clinics.

Top employers

According to the City's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,^[24] the largest employers in the city are:

#	Employer	Type of Business	# of Employees	Percentage
1	Lake Region Healthcare Corporation	Hospital	835	8.88%
2	Fergus Falls Public Schools ISD #544	Education	418	4.44%
3	Otter Tail County	Government	396	4.21%
4	Otter Tail Power Company	Public Utility	340	3.61%
5	Pioneer Home	Nursing Home	215	1.95%
6	Veterans Home	Nursing Home	194	2.29%
7	City of Fergus Falls	Municipality	192	2.06%
8	LB Homes	Nursing Home	183	2.04%
9	Northern Contours	Manufacturing	161	1.71%
10	Productive Alternatives	Vocational Rehabilitation Service	157	1.67%
—	Total employers	—	3,091	32.86%

Education

Fergus Falls Public Schools (Independent School District #544) operates public schools.

Elementary schools

- Adams Elementary (1-2)
- Cleveland Elementary (3-4)
- McKinley Elementary (K-1)
- Prairie Science Class (4-5)

Middle school

- School of Choice, Homeschool Co-op (K-8)

Secondary school

Kennedy Secondary School (6-12), with separate middle and high school divisions, is the sole public secondary school

Private schools

Claire Ann Shover Nursery School (Pre K)
Trinity Lutheran Elementary (Pre K)
Our Lady of Victory School (K-6)
Hillcrest Lutheran Academy (Pre K-12)

Higher education

Lutheran Brethren Seminary
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Park Region Luther College (no longer exists)

Arts and culture

Fergus Falls is home to several arts and culture organizations and has a reputation of being a cultural hub in West Central Minnesota.^{[citation needed]}

A Center for the Arts building was originally built in 1921 and was home to The Orpheum Theater, producing live theater and vaudeville performances and movies. In the early 1990s, after several decades of change and transition, over $1 million was raised to renovate the theater and A Center for the Arts was founded. The Theater is also home to one of the largest pipe organs in the midwest, the Mighty Wurlitzer Theater Pipe Organ.

The Kaddatz Galleries is a nonprofit art gallery located in historic downtown Fergus Falls, whose mission is to foster visual arts education and appreciation, and to maintain a gallery where the works of Charles Beck and other recognized local artists are accessible to the public. The Kaddatz Galleries were founded in 2001 when Artspace bought The Kaddatz Hotel building in partnership with the Hotel Kaddatz Preservation Association. The upstairs of the Kaddatz Hotel Building is home to artist live/work spaces.

The Lake Region Arts Council serves 9 counties (Becker, Clay, Otter Tail, Wilkin, Traverse, Stevens, Grant, and Pope) and has its main office in the River Inn Building in Fergus Falls. The Lake Region Arts Council's mission is to encourage and support the arts in West Central Minnesota. Their programs and services are made possible through an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature, Legacy Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund and the McKnight Foundation.

Springboard for the Arts, a nonprofit artist service organization based in St. Paul, has its only satellite office in the River Inn Building, which serves as an artist resource center.

The band Field Report has a song named after Fergus Falls on their eponymous debut album. Lead singer and songwriter, Chris Porterfield, once dated a woman from the town, but the song is actually about a woman he spotted at a downtown Milwaukee music festival. "I saw a girl who was pregnant, and she was with a guy who looked like an asshole," he said. "She looked like she wanted to get out of there. The song was written from her perspective." The song has received critical acclaim.^[25]

Media

Television
- Public, educational, and government access
Radio
- 1020 AM KJJK (AM) (Sports), Leighton Broadcasting
- 1250 AM KBRF (Talk), Leighton Broadcasting
- 90.7 FM K214FP (Christian), CSN International
- 89.7 FM KCMF (Classical), Minnesota Public Radio
- 91.5 FM KNWF (News), Minnesota Public Radio
- 96.5 FM KJJK-FM (Country), Leighton Broadcasting
- 99.5 FM KPRW (Adult Contemporary), Result Radio, Inc.
- 103.3 FM KZCR (Adult Album Alternative), Leighton Broadcasting
Newspaper
- The Daily Journal
- The Midweek Inc

Sports

Fergus Falls is the proud home of the Fergus Falls Otters as well as home to M State - Fergus Falls sports and many other local teams and organizations for children, teens, adults and seniors.^[26]

Twinning

Fergus falls is twinned with:

Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom

Hordaland, Norway

Notable people

Elmer Ellsworth Adams, Minnesota newspaper editor and politician
Frank Albertson (1909–1964), actor who appeared in over 100 Hollywood movies including It's a Wonderful Life and Psycho.^[27]
Marcus Borg, theologian; one of the leaders of the Jesus Seminar
Peter Brandvold, author
Colvin G. Butler, Minnesota state legislator
Moses Clapp, Minnesota politician
Donald Cressey, (1919–1987) American penologist, sociologist, and criminologist who made innovative contributions to the study of organized crime, prisons, criminology, the sociology of criminal law, white-collar crime. His work is still used in Fraud investigations today.
Chad Daniels (b. 1975), comedian, "Comedy Central Presents: Chad Daniels" (2008, 1/2 hour TV special)^[28]
Roger L. Dell, Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court^[29]
Richard Edlund, multi-Academy Award-winning visual effects artist for his work on Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Return of the Jedi
Clifford L. Hilton, Minnesota Supreme Court justice
Chuck Knapp, Radio Broadcaster
Charles Lundy Lewis, Minnesota Supreme Court justice
Mary MacLane (1881–1929), pioneering feminist author, film-maker, and media personality. Her tomboy youth was spent in Fergus Falls from approximately 1884–1889.
Mark W. Olson, former member of Board of Governors of U.S. Federal Reserve
Cliff Sterrett (1883–1964), innovative and influential artist and cartoonist
Dave Theurer, creator of Atari's Missile Command, Tempest (video game), and I, Robot (video game)
Peter Van Santen, Minnesota politician and farmer
Walter Wellbrock, Minnesota politician and farmer
Charles Brewster Wheeler, U.S. Army brigadier general^[30]^[31]
Ernest J. Windmiller, Minnesota politician and businessman

City Council

The Fergus Falls City Council holds an Open Forum session from 5:20-5:30 pm in the City Council Chambers. Those wishing to address the City Council regarding an item not on the agenda are asked to completely fill out the Open Forum registration form by noon the day of the City Council meeting.^[32] Local city positions besides Mayor are up for election every two years as one Council Member from one of the four wards makes up the city council with the whole council being the Mayor and two council members from each ward.^[33]

The list below is the recent history of the Mayor of Fergus Falls, MN.

Full Name	Term Years
Ben Schierer	2017-2024
Hal Leland	2008-2017
Russell Anderson	2002-2008
Calvin (Kelly) Ferber	1981-2002^[34]
Gus M. Kantrud	?

References

^ ^a ^b "2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
^ United States Census Bureau (April 23, 2024). "2020 Census Qualifying Urban Areas and Final Criteria Clarifications". Federal Register.
^ ^a ^b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fergus Falls, Minnesota
^ ^a ^b ^c "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
^ "Fergus Falls (MN) sales tax rate". Retrieved January 17, 2024.
^ "Minnesota Pronunciation Guide". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 394.
^ "DER SPIEGEL 13/2017 - Inhaltsverzeichnis".
^ Ferber, Matt; Smith, Mitch (December 30, 2018). "Minnesota Town Defamed by German Reporter Is Ready to Forgive". The New York Times. Retrieved December 30, 2018 – via MSN.
^ Thomas Borgböhmer (December 20, 2018). "Der Spiegel and its noble Faker: Two inhabitants of a small US town show how boldly Relotius falsified reports". MEEDIA (in German). Retrieved December 20, 2018. The extent to which Relotius has falsified his reportage is now demonstrated by an article published Wednesday evening on the portal Medium.com, which refers to the Der Spiegel story of late March 2017, a snapshot from Fergus Falls in Minnesota
^ Kelly Smith (December 20, 2018). "German journalist admits to fabricating 2017 article on Fergus Falls". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 20, 2018. Relotius traveled to Fergus Falls, a city of 13,000 residents in Otter Tail County, and spent three weeks there, hoping to interview voters in one of the rural Minnesota counties Trump won. Der Spiegel said it sent Relotius to write an article to give readers better insight into Americans.
^ IAN STEWART (December 19, 2018). "Celebrated 33-Year-Old German Journalist Adds A Line To His Resume: Fraudster". NPR. Retrieved December 20, 2018. A 2017 piece about a rural Minnesota town's love of President Trump opened with a striking anecdote about a sign at the city's entrance that read "Mexicans keep out." Der Spiegel now says the sign never existed. Two residents of the town posted an article Wednesday outlining other fabrications in the piece.
^ Michele Anderson, Jake Krohn (December 17, 2018). "Der Spiegel journalist messed with the wrong small town". Medium.com. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
^ Christoph Scheuermann (December 23, 2018). "Fergus Falls - A Fantastic Town". Der Spiegel. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Fergus Falls, MN (1991–2020)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Fergus Falls, MN (1981–2010)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
^ "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
^ "Census of Population and Housing". census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fergus Falls city, Minnesota".
^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
^ "How many people live in Fergus Falls city, Minnesota". USA Today. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
^ "City of Fergus Falls 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report" (PDF). January 17, 2024. p. 185.
^ Steven Hyden (May 4, 2012). "Field Report Set a Course for Breakout Debut | Music News". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
^ "Fergus Falls Sports Teams & Organizations | #FFGameOn". visitfergusfalls.com. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
^ "Frank Albertson". IMDb.
^ [1]
^ "ShieldSquare Captcha". mn.gov. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014.
^ Nichols, Zella Wheeler (January 1947). Branham, Charles N. (ed.). "Obituary, Charles Brewster Wheeler". Assembly. West Point, NY: Association of Graduates, United States Military Academy. p. 38 – via West Point Digital Library.
^ "At Fergus falls: Charles Wheeler". Minneapolis Tribune. Minneapolis, MN. June 18, 1887. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Mayor and City Council Members". Retrieved August 12, 2018.
^ "Elections". Retrieved August 12, 2018.
^ "VRNA's Veterans Resource: VRNA President Kelly Ferber 1932-2002". www.vrna.org. Retrieved March 30, 2021.

External links

[CenPopGazetteer2023-1] "2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 23, 2024.

[urban_area-2] United States Census Bureau (April 23, 2024). "2020 Census Qualifying Urban Areas and Final Criteria Clarifications". Federal Register.

[gnis-3] U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fergus Falls, Minnesota

[2020_Census_(City)-4] "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 17, 2024.

[USCensusEst2022-5] "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.

[6] "Fergus Falls (MN) sales tax rate". Retrieved January 17, 2024.

[7] "Minnesota Pronunciation Guide". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2011.

[GR6-8] "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.

[9] Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 394.

[10] "DER SPIEGEL 13/2017 - Inhaltsverzeichnis".

[11] Ferber, Matt; Smith, Mitch (December 30, 2018). "Minnesota Town Defamed by German Reporter Is Ready to Forgive". The New York Times. Retrieved December 30, 2018 – via MSN.

[12] Thomas Borgböhmer (December 20, 2018). "Der Spiegel and its noble Faker: Two inhabitants of a small US town show how boldly Relotius falsified reports". MEEDIA (in German). Retrieved December 20, 2018. The extent to which Relotius has falsified his reportage is now demonstrated by an article published Wednesday evening on the portal Medium.com, which refers to the Der Spiegel story of late March 2017, a snapshot from Fergus Falls in Minnesota

[13] Kelly Smith (December 20, 2018). "German journalist admits to fabricating 2017 article on Fergus Falls". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 20, 2018. Relotius traveled to Fergus Falls, a city of 13,000 residents in Otter Tail County, and spent three weeks there, hoping to interview voters in one of the rural Minnesota counties Trump won. Der Spiegel said it sent Relotius to write an article to give readers better insight into Americans.

[14] IAN STEWART (December 19, 2018). "Celebrated 33-Year-Old German Journalist Adds A Line To His Resume: Fraudster". NPR. Retrieved December 20, 2018. A 2017 piece about a rural Minnesota town's love of President Trump opened with a striking anecdote about a sign at the city's entrance that read "Mexicans keep out." Der Spiegel now says the sign never existed. Two residents of the town posted an article Wednesday outlining other fabrications in the piece.

[15] Michele Anderson, Jake Krohn (December 17, 2018). "Der Spiegel journalist messed with the wrong small town". Medium.com. Retrieved December 27, 2018.

[16] Christoph Scheuermann (December 23, 2018). "Fergus Falls - A Fantastic Town". Der Spiegel. Retrieved December 26, 2018.

[NOAA-17] "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Fergus Falls, MN (1991–2020)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 24, 2023.

[18] "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Fergus Falls, MN (1981–2010)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 24, 2023.

[XMACIS2-19] "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 24, 2023.

[20] "Census of Population and Housing". census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.

[21] "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fergus Falls city, Minnesota".

[22] "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 23, 2024.

[23] "How many people live in Fergus Falls city, Minnesota". USA Today. Retrieved April 23, 2024.

[24] "City of Fergus Falls 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report" (PDF). January 17, 2024. p. 185.

[25] Steven Hyden (May 4, 2012). "Field Report Set a Course for Breakout Debut | Music News". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 8, 2012.

[26] "Fergus Falls Sports Teams & Organizations | #FFGameOn". visitfergusfalls.com. Retrieved August 27, 2018.

[27] "Frank Albertson". IMDb.

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[29] "ShieldSquare Captcha". mn.gov. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014.

[30] Nichols, Zella Wheeler (January 1947). Branham, Charles N. (ed.). "Obituary, Charles Brewster Wheeler". Assembly. West Point, NY: Association of Graduates, United States Military Academy. p. 38 – via West Point Digital Library.

[31] "At Fergus falls: Charles Wheeler". Minneapolis Tribune. Minneapolis, MN. June 18, 1887. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.

[32] "Mayor and City Council Members". Retrieved August 12, 2018.

[33] "Elections". Retrieved August 12, 2018.

[34] "VRNA's Veterans Resource: VRNA President Kelly Ferber 1932-2002". www.vrna.org. Retrieved March 30, 2021.

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v t e Municipalities and communities of Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States
County seat: Fergus Falls
Cities	Battle Lake Bluffton Clitherall Dalton Deer Creek Dent Elizabeth Erhard Fergus Falls Henning New York Mills Ottertail Parkers Prairie Pelican Rapids Perham Richville Rothsay‡ Underwood Urbank Vergas Vining Wadena‡	Map of Minnesota highlighting Otter Tail County
Townships	Aastad Amor Aurdal Blowers Bluffton Buse Butler Candor Carlisle Clitherall Compton Corliss Dane Prairie Dead Lake Deer Creek Dora Dunn Eagle Lake Eastern Edna Effington Elizabeth Elmo Erhards Grove Everts Fergus Falls Folden Friberg Girard Gorman Henning Hobart Homestead Inman Leaf Lake Leaf Mountain Lida Maine Maplewood Newton Nidaros Norwegian Grove Oak Valley Orwell Oscar Otter Tail Otto Paddock Parkers Prairie Pelican Perham Pine Lake Rush Lake Scambler St. Olaf Star Lake Sverdrup Tordenskjold Trondhjem Tumuli Western Woodside
Unincorporated communities	Carlisle Dunvilla Luce Parkdale Richdale Wall Lake
Indian reservation	Mille Lacs‡
Ghost towns	Parkton Topelius
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Minnesota portal United States portal

v t e State of Minnesota
Saint Paul (capital)
Topics	Index Outline Biking/Cycling Cities Climate (Climate change) Colleges and universities Congressional districts Delegations Ecology Geography Geology Governor Hiking Historical Landmarks History Indian reservations Lakes Legislature Local government Townships People Political parties Rivers School districts High schools Scouting State fair Statutes State parks Symbols Territory Tourist attractions Mall of America Transportation
Society	Abortion Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Homelessness Law Cannabis Guns LGBT Movies and TV Music Newspapers Politics Religion Sports Theater
Regions	Arrowhead Boundary Waters Buffalo Ridge Central Coteau des Prairies Dissected Till Plains Driftless Area Iron Range Minnesota River Valley North Shore Northwest Angle North Woods Pipestone Red River Valley Siouxland Southeast Twin Cities metropolitan area
Largest cities pop. over 25,000	Andover Apple Valley Austin Blaine Bloomington Brooklyn Center Brooklyn Park Burnsville Chanhassen Chaska Coon Rapids Cottage Grove Duluth Eagan Eden Prairie Edina Elk River Fridley Inver Grove Heights Lakeville Mankato Maple Grove Maplewood Minneapolis Minnetonka Moorhead Oakdale Owatonna Plymouth Prior Lake Ramsey Richfield Rochester Rosemount Roseville St. Cloud St. Louis Park Saint Paul Savage Shakopee Shoreview Winona Woodbury
Counties	Aitkin Anoka Becker Beltrami Benton Big Stone Blue Earth Brown Carlton Carver Cass Chippewa Chisago Clay Clearwater Cook Cottonwood Crow Wing Dakota Dodge Douglas Faribault Fillmore Freeborn Goodhue Grant Hennepin Houston Hubbard Isanti Itasca Jackson Kanabec Kandiyohi Kittson Koochiching Lac qui Parle Lake Lake of the Woods Le Sueur Lincoln Lyon Mahnomen Marshall Martin McLeod Meeker Mille Lacs Morrison Mower Murray Nicollet Nobles Norman Olmsted Otter Tail Pennington Pine Pipestone Polk Pope Ramsey Red Lake Redwood Renville Rice Rock Roseau Saint Louis Scott Sherburne Sibley Stearns Steele Stevens Swift Todd Traverse Wabasha Wadena Waseca Washington Watonwan Wilkin Winona Wright Yellow Medicine
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Geographic	MusicBrainz area
Other	NARA