Crookston, Minnesota

Crookston is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Polk County⁶. The population was 8,192 at the 2000 census. It is part of the "Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area" or "Greater Grand Forks".

Crookston is home to the University of Minnesota - Crookston (a campus of the University of Minnesota system) and is also the site of a Catholic diocese. Since it close to the larger city of Grand Forks, North Dakota, many people live in Crookston while being employed in the Grand Forks area.

KROX 1260 AM is Crookston's only local radio station. Most of the media in Crookston comes from nearby Grand Forks.

History

Early history

The area in which Crookston is located was virtually unoccupied during pre-European contact and remained little more than a hunting ground associated with the Pembina settlements until the 1860s. The land in the immediate vicinity of Crookston is not connected with any verifiable Native American or European historic events or circumstances until transfer in the "Treaty of Old Crossing" of 1863 and the "Treaty of Old Crossing" of 1864. Prior to that time, the territory now included in Crookston was technically a part of Rupert's Land and Assiniboia before becoming part of British Canada as a result of the boundary settlement in the Treaty of 1818.

The area in which Crookston is located was likely traversed by trappers and traders including Ojibwa (or Chippewa) and Sioux Indians, Metis, and other half-breed people as well as white men incidental to the fur trade between 1790 and 1870.

Settlement

The present day site of Crookston first saw settlement by non-Indian people around 1872. It was the site of a federal land office by 1876 and sited on a portion of the Great Northern Railway which began operations prior to 1880. The town was incorporated on April 1, 1879 as "Queen City." By the end of that year, the town boasted a jail, graded streets, and a few plank sidewalks. Soon, it was decided that the town needed a new name. Two factions emerged that supported two different names. One group wished to honor the town's first mayor, Captain Ellerey C. Davis, by renaming "Queen City" to "Davis." Another group picked the name "Crookston" to honor Colonel William Crooks, a soldier and railroad builder. The present day name was reportedly chosen by means of a coin toss.

Soon, immigrants from Scandinavia and Germany begin populating Crookston. At one point, eight different railroad lines reached Crookston and the town became a center of commerce and manufacturing.

Recent history

Today, Crookston is the site of the University of Minnesota Crookston which began as an agricultural high school and college and has since become a four-year institution with a full college curriculum. The city has not seen a major period of population growth for quite some time and the economy has suffered from increased competition from nearby Grand Forks, North Dakota. Typical of many small towns across America, many buildings in the historic downtown area of Crookston have been abandoned as local stores have closed.

The Wal-Mart corporation has announced plans to construct a Wal-Mart Supercenter in the city. Crookston currently has few national chain stores or restaurants. The construction of a Wal-Mart store could mean the shift away from local "Mom and Pop" merchants towards more popular national chains.

Geography

Location of Crookston, Minnesota

Crookston sits in the fertile Red River Valley. The Valley was once a part of glacial Lake Agassiz. As Lake Agassiz receded, it left behind rich mineral deposits. This made the area around Crookston prime for agricultural uses. Grains like wheat and other crops like sugar beets and potatoes grow well in the immediate area around Crookston.

Crookston has a relatively flat landscape. The Red Lake River flows through the city and makes several twists and turns (oxbows). Crookston has experienced some erosion of the riverbank lately. A recent minor landslide has led the city to seek a permanent solution to such problems.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.8 km² (4.9 mi²), all land.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 8,192 people, 3,078 households, and 1,819 families residing in the city. The population density was 640.3/km² (1,658.8/mi²). There were 3,382 housing units at an average density of 264.3/km² (684.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.25% White, 0.50% African American, 1.54% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 4.64% from other races, and 1.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.81% of the population.

There were 3,078 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 14.9% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,609, and the median income for a family was $44,157. Males had a median income of $30,564 versus $21,021 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,219. About 7.5% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.

Trivia

• Crookston is home to The Grand Theater. This facility is the oldest continuously operating movie theater in the United States. It was originally an opera house and played host to legendary entertainers like author Mark Twain and early film actress Mary Pickford.

External link

• City of Crookston official website