Detroit Lakes, Minnesota | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Detroit Lakes along Washington Avenue | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: "DL" | |
 Location of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota | |
| Coordinates:46°49′02″N95°50′43″W / 46.81722°N 95.84528°W /46.81722; -95.84528 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Becker |
| Founded | 1871 |
| Incorporated (village) | 1880 |
| Incorporated (city) | 1900 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Matt Brenk |
| • Alderman (Councilmembers) | Shaun Carlson Ron Zeman Mike Stearns Wendy Spry Aaron Dallmann Matt Boeke |
| • At-large | Craig Caulfield Jaimie Deraney Jackie Buboltz |
| Area | |
• City | 17.460 sq mi (45.221 km2) |
| • Land | 11.841 sq mi (30.668 km2) |
| • Water | 5.619 sq mi (14.554 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,371 ft (418 m) |
| Population | |
• City | 9,869 |
• Estimate (2023)[5] | 9,981 |
| • Density | 849.0/sq mi (327.79/km2) |
| • Urban | 10,234 |
| • Metro | 35,283 |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 56501, 56502 |
| Area code | 218 |
| FIPS code | 27-15832 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0642777[3] |
| Sales tax | 7.375%[6] |
| Website | cityofdetroitlakes.com |
Detroit Lakes is acity in and thecounty seat ofBecker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 9,869 at the2020 census.[4] Its unofficial population during the summer is higher, estimated by citizens to peak at 13,000, due to seasonal residents and tourists.
U.S. Highways10 and59 andMinnesota State Highway 34 are the primary routes through the city. Detroit Lakes is 45 miles east of theFargo–Moorhead ND-MN statistical metropolitan area. The nearest major metropolitan area with a population over 1 million isMinneapolis–Saint Paul, which is about 205 miles southeast of Detroit Lakes.
Detroit Lakes is a regional summer and winter recreation destination, attracting large numbers of tourists and seasonal residents each year. Tourism is the area's chief industry.
Detroit Lakes was founded in 1871 by Colonel George Johnston. It was called Detroit until 1927, when it was renamed to avoid confusion withDetroit,Michigan. The name was given by a French missionary. "Détroit" means "strait" or "narrows", and refers to the sandbar separatingBig Detroit lake from Little Detroit lake.[7] In the late 19th century, the sandbar was dredged and partially submerged to make the Pelican River watershed navigable by steamboat.
Detroit Lakes was a resting place on theRed River Oxcart Trails. ItsOjibwe name is Gaiajawangag, meaning a lake with a crossing in a sandy place.[8]
The city grew quickly with the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad. In 1877, an election decided that Detroit Lakes, then still known as Detroit, would be the county seat. By 1884, Detroit Lakes had many businesses, including the Hotel Minnesota, the Lakes Hotel, a bank, a newspaper, and an opera house. The first county courthouse was also built in Detroit Lakes that year. Some of the city's historic buildings still stand, such as the 1908 railroad station and the Holmes Theater. The Becker County Museum, near the Holmes Theater, has information and exhibits on the history of the city and the surrounding area.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 17.460 square miles (45.22 km2), of which 11.841 square miles (30.67 km2) is land and 5.619 square miles (14.55 km2) is water.[2] See alsoDetroit Lake (Minnesota).
| Climate data for Detroit Lakes, Minnesota (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1895–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 55 (13) | 59 (15) | 77 (25) | 95 (35) | 97 (36) | 100 (38) | 110 (43) | 105 (41) | 100 (38) | 91 (33) | 75 (24) | 60 (16) | 110 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 39.4 (4.1) | 37.6 (3.1) | 51.0 (10.6) | 72.1 (22.3) | 80.4 (26.9) | 85.5 (29.7) | 95.7 (35.4) | 90.8 (32.7) | 77.1 (25.1) | 71.7 (22.1) | 55.9 (13.3) | 35.4 (1.9) | 95.7 (35.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 17.2 (−8.2) | 22.7 (−5.2) | 35.5 (1.9) | 52.0 (11.1) | 66.4 (19.1) | 75.5 (24.2) | 79.2 (26.2) | 77.7 (25.4) | 69.5 (20.8) | 53.1 (11.7) | 36.7 (2.6) | 22.4 (−5.3) | 50.7 (10.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 6.8 (−14.0) | 11.5 (−11.4) | 25.4 (−3.7) | 40.6 (4.8) | 54.4 (12.4) | 64.3 (17.9) | 68.3 (20.2) | 66.5 (19.2) | 57.9 (14.4) | 43.3 (6.3) | 27.9 (−2.3) | 14.0 (−10.0) | 40.1 (4.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | −3.6 (−19.8) | 0.2 (−17.7) | 15.4 (−9.2) | 29.1 (−1.6) | 42.4 (5.8) | 53.1 (11.7) | 57.5 (14.2) | 55.3 (12.9) | 46.3 (7.9) | 33.5 (0.8) | 19.2 (−7.1) | 5.6 (−14.7) | 29.5 (−1.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −24.6 (−31.4) | −19.4 (−28.6) | −13.7 (−25.4) | 13.5 (−10.3) | 30.2 (−1.0) | 42.3 (5.7) | 47.1 (8.4) | 41.5 (5.3) | 31.9 (−0.1) | 18.4 (−7.6) | −6.5 (−21.4) | −18.2 (−27.9) | −24.6 (−31.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −44 (−42) | −45 (−43) | −35 (−37) | −12 (−24) | 15 (−9) | 28 (−2) | 33 (1) | 31 (−1) | 15 (−9) | −10 (−23) | −32 (−36) | −48 (−44) | −48 (−44) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.82 (21) | 0.66 (17) | 0.96 (24) | 2.03 (52) | 3.73 (95) | 4.90 (124) | 4.35 (110) | 3.26 (83) | 3.55 (90) | 2.84 (72) | 1.37 (35) | 0.98 (25) | 29.45 (748) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 6.2 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 7.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 10.9 | 9.2 | 10.2 | 9.6 | 7.2 | 9.4 | 109.8 |
| Source:NOAA[9][10] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 554 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,510 | 172.6% | |
| 1900 | 2,060 | 36.4% | |
| 1910 | 2,807 | 36.3% | |
| 1920 | 3,426 | 22.1% | |
| 1930 | 3,675 | 7.3% | |
| 1940 | 5,015 | 36.5% | |
| 1950 | 5,787 | 15.4% | |
| 1960 | 5,633 | −2.7% | |
| 1970 | 5,797 | 2.9% | |
| 1980 | 7,106 | 22.6% | |
| 1990 | 6,635 | −6.6% | |
| 2000 | 7,348 | 10.7% | |
| 2010 | 8,569 | 16.6% | |
| 2020 | 9,869 | 15.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 9,981 | [5] | 1.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 2020 Census[4] | |||
As of the 2023American Community Survey, there are 4,485 estimated households in Detroit Lakes with an average of 2.15 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $62,123. Approximately 10.2% of the city's population lives at or below thepoverty line. Detroit Lakes has an estimated 60.1% employment rate, with 32.4% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.5% holding a high school diploma.[12]
The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were Scandinavian (98.1%), Spanish (0.9%), Indo-European (0.6%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.1%), and Other (0.3%).
The median age in the city was 41.5 years.
| Race / ethnicity(NH = non-Hispanic) | Pop. 2000[13] | Pop. 2010[14] | Pop. 2020[15] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 6,723 | 7,701 | 8,331 | 91.49% | 89.87% | 84.42% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 29 | 57 | 124 | 0.39% | 0.67% | 1.26% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 325 | 359 | 393 | 4.42% | 4.19% | 3.98% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 39 | 67 | 98 | 0.53% | 0.78% | 0.99% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0.01% | 0.06% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 9 | 10 | 34 | 0.12% | 0.12% | 0.34% |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | 134 | 230 | 646 | 1.82% | 2.68% | 6.55% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 88 | 140 | 239 | 1.20% | 1.63% | 2.42% |
| Total | 7,348 | 8,569 | 9,869 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 census, there were 9,869 people, 4,462 households, and 2,400 families residing in the city.[16] Thepopulation density was 887.7 inhabitants per square mile (342.7/km2). There were 5,205 housing units at an average density of 468.2 per square mile (180.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 85.19%White, 1.26%African American, 4.16%Native American, 1.03%Asian, 0.09%Pacific Islander, 0.86% from some other races and 7.41% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.42% of the population.[17] 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18, 6.5% were under 5 years of age, and 24.7% were 65 and older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.
As of the2010 census, there were 8,569 people, 3,864 households, and 2,093 families residing in the city. The population density was 838.5 inhabitants per square mile (323.7/km2). There were 4,535 housing units at an average density of 443.7 per square mile (171.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.57%White, 0.72%African American, 4.38%Native American, 0.78%Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 0.57% from some other races and 2.92% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.63% of the population.
There were 3,864 households, of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% weremarried couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.8% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.84.
The median age in the city was 41.6 years. 22% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.2% were from 25 to 44; 24.6% were from 45 to 64; and 21.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.
As of the2000 census, there were 7,348 people, 3,319 households, and 1,845 families residing in the city. The population density was 980.4 inhabitants per square mile (378.5/km2). There were 3,782 housing units at an average density of 504.6 per square mile (194.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.98%White, 4.50%Native American, 0.53%Asian American, 0.42%African American, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.59% fromother races, and 1.96% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.20% of the population.
There were 3,319 households, out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% weremarried couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.4% were non-families. 40.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 23.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,264, and the median income for a family was $42,267. Males had a median income of $28,939 versus $21,439 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $18,509. About 9.9% of families and 15.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.
Detroit Lakes is the county seat ofBecker County and has the county courthouse and law enforcement center. District headquarters for theMinnesota Department of Transportation and theMinnesota State Patrol are also in the city.
A nine-member City Council serves the city, with the mayor voting in case of a tie. There are three wards, with two council members serving each and three serving at large.[1]
There are 14 city boards and commissions, including the Park Board, Library Board, Public Utilities Commission, Planning Commission, Police Civil Service Commission, the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, the Airport Commission, and the Tourism Bureau.[18]
Detroit Lakes is inMinnesota's 7th congressional district, represented byMichelle Fischbach. It is in Minnesota Senate District 4, represented byRob Kupec,[19] and Minnesota House District 4B, represented byJim Joy.[20]
The Detroit Lakes campus of theMinnesota State Community and Technical College system is one of four campus locations (others are in Moorhead, Fergus Falls, and Wadena). The Detroit Lakes campus, onMinnesota Highway 34, has about 650 students in 25 degree programs. The college offers both classroom and online distance education programs and grants AAS, AS, diploma, certificate, and AFA degrees.[21]
Built in 1913 with a $10,000 grant from theAndrew Carnegie Foundation, the Detroit Lakes Public Library is a branch of theLake Agassiz Regional Library Network (LARL). Originally 4,142 square feet (384.8 m2) on two floors, the library was designed by the architectural firm ofClaude and Starck ofMadison, Wisconsin. The building is on theNational Register of Historic Places. It features aLouis Sullivan exterior frieze, lead and stained-glass windows and doors, and a completely open and unobstructed interior. Designed in thePrairie School architectural style popularized by such architects asLouis Sullivan andFrank Lloyd Wright, it is also noted for its orange clay-tiled hip roof that defies regional construction convention. In 1985, the original building was expanded.[22]
Numerous works of architecture and engineering in Detroit Lakes have been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Detroit Lakes Carnegie Library of thePrairie School architectural style, by architectsClaude and Starck, was added to the Register in 1976. The Graystone Hotel was added in 1999.The Amtrak Depot, formerly the Northern Pacific Passenger Depot and later the Burlington Northern Depot, now primarily serving as a small shop and eatery, was added in 1988. The Homer E. Sargent House on Lake Avenue, a privately owned domestic dwelling of theQueen Anne architectural style, was added in 1988. The Edgewater Beach Cottages, also known asStovewood Cottages, by architects George Jewell and Frederick Wright, were added in 1989. Fairyland Cottages Historic District on W. Lake Shore Drive was added in 1989. The Holmes Block (also known as the Opera House Block), including downtown commercial buildings at 710–718 Washington Avenue, was added in 2001.[23]
The city's economy is largely driven by summer tourism and seasonal population increases. A variety of health care services, retail stores, and service businesses are available to area residents and tourists. Detroit Lakes has about 15 chain and independent hotels. Numerous resorts in the area provide additional units. The city's downtown has a 135,000-square-foot (12,500 m2) shopping center, including Washington Square Mall. Most newer chain retail businesses, including discount and home centers, restaurants, and strip malls, are along Highways 10 and 59. The city is also home to a number of businesses servicing tourism ranging from sporting goods retailers to amusement parks and river tubing companies. With two industrial parks in the city's outskirts, it is also home to many manufacturing and industrial businesses.
According to the City's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[24] the city's largest employers are:
| # | Employer | Type of Business | # of Employees | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essentia Health/St. Mary's Hospital | Health Care | 918 | 4.7% |
| 2 | Detroit Lakes Public Schools ISD #22 | Education | 650 | 3.3% |
| 3 | Lakeshirts Screen Printing | Shirt Screen Printing | 506 | 2.6% |
| 4 | BTD Manufacturing | Metal Stamping | 502 | 2.6% |
| 5 | Becker County | Government | 372 | 1.9% |
| 6 | Walmart | Retail Store | 362 | 1.9% |
| 7 | Minnesota Department of Transportation | Highway Maintenance | 270 | 1.4% |
| 8 | Menards | Retail Store | 161 | 0.8% |
| 9 | Sanford Health | Health Care | 160 | 0.8% |
| 10 | Ecumen | Nursing Home & Assisted Living | 150 | 0.8% |
| 11 | Central Market | Grocery Store | 150 | 0.8% |
| — | Total employers | — | 4,201 | 21.6% |
In and around Detroit Lakes are several lakes used for fishing, boating, wake sports, sailing,jet-skiing, swimming, and freshwater scuba diving. Most prominent and heavily used isDetroit Lake, which features the mile-long city beach. The beach annually hosts the city'sIndependence Day celebration and fireworks display. In and around Detroit Lakes are 14 golf courses. The area also features an amusement park, a paintball arena, two river tubing companies, and a horseback riding ranch. The city also hosts the annual Becker County Fair. The Shrine Circus performs in Detroit Lakes each year at the Kent Freeman Arena. In the winter, the area is a popular destination for ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and downhill skiing and snowboarding at the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area. The city is one of perhaps three in the U.S. that have a park dedicated to the Grand Army of the Republic (rededicated on April 15, 2015).
The Historic Holmes Theatre, a physical and organizational branch of the Detroit Lakes Community and Cultural Center complex, is anArt Deco theatre that hosts year-round music, drama, and dance performances. Seating nearly 1,000, the theatre features a wide variety of national and international touring shows (includingArlo Guthrie, the Chinese Golden Acrobats, the New York Theatre Ballet, and theGuthrie Theater), local performing groups (Playhouse 412, Fargo/Moorhead Jazz Arts Group, Wadena Madhatters), and events (wedding receptions, business meetings, and the Annual Festival of the Birds).[25]
Each August since 1983, the city has hostedWE Fest, a three-day camping and country music festival. Campgrounds packed with tents surround a large stage. WE Fest attracts around 50,000 people each year. In 2007, the attendance reached a record high of 83,000 for the themed "Heavin in '07" concert. WE Fest is held at the Soo Pass Ranch, south of Detroit Lakes onHighway 59.
Formerly held in July each year at the Soo Pass Ranch, the10,000 Lakes Festival was put on hiatus in 2009. According to 10KLF.com, the festival did not succeed financially.[26]
The Community & Cultural Center is in a completely renovated brick building that once was the Holmes School. Its fitness center features an 8-lane Olympic regulation pool, an indoor track, a fieldhouse with two basketball courts, a weight room, cardio fitness center, racquetball courts, and a golf driving/putting range. The old 1931 school building houses the renovated 837-seat Historic Holmes Theatre featuring orchestra and balcony-level seating and conference rooms. The 105,000 square feet (9,800 m2) building was completed in 2001 at a cost of $9.5 million.[27]
There are severalChristian churches in and around Detroit Lakes. In greatest number are Lutheran churches of variedsynods. In addition to Holy Rosary Church and St. Mary of the Lakes (Roman Catholic), the city has one of each of the following denominational churches:Episcopal Church,United Methodist,Assemblies of God,United Church of Christ,Mennonite,The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,Jehovah's Witnesses,Seventh-day Adventist Church, Community Alliance ChurchChristian & Missionary Alliance,Vineyard Church. There is also an interdenominationalChristian Fellowship Church. No non-Christian religious denominations have places of worship in Detroit Lakes.
FM
| FM radio stations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Call sign | Name | Format | Owner |
| 88.1 FM | KAWD (LPFM) | LPFM | Religious | Christian Media, Inc, |
| 89.1 FM | KNNZ | 89.1 Ken's FM | Adult Contemporary | Pioneer Public Broadcasting Company, Inc |
| 89.9 FM | KKWE | Niijii Radio | Variety | White Earth Land Recovery Project |
| 90.3 FM | KCCD | MPR | Public Radio | Minnesota Public Radio |
| 91.1 FM | KCCM | MPR | Classical | Minnesota Public Radio |
| 93.1 FM | K226CAKDLM-AM | KDLM | Adult Contemporary | Leighton Broadcasting |
| 94.5 FM | KDLB | Bob FM | Country | Radio Fargo-Moorhead, Inc. |
| 95.1 FM | KBVB | Bob FM | Country | Radio Fargo-Moorhead, Inc. |
| 96.5 FM | KJJK | Kj Country 96.5 FM | Country | Leighton Radio Holdings, Inc. |
| 97.5 FM | KDKK | Star Station - Music of Life | Nostalgia | Ec Broadcasting |
| 98.7 FM | KLTA | Big 98.7 | HotAdult Contemporary | Radio Fargo-Moorhead, Inc. |
| 99.5 FM | KPRW | The Lakes 99.5 | HotAdult Contemporary | Leighton Radio Holdings, Inc. |
| 99.9 FM | KVOX | Froggy 99.9 | Country | Midwest Communications, Inc. |
| 102.3 FM | KRCQ | Real Country 102 | Country | Leighton Enterprises, Inc. |
| 103.3 FM | KZCR | Z 103.3 | Classic Rock | Leighton Radio Holdings, Inc. |
| 104.1 FM | KBOT | Wave 104.1 | Adult Contemporary | Leighton Enterprises, Inc. |
| 105.1 FM | KQWB | Q105.1 Rocks | Rock | Radio Fargo-Moorhead, Inc. |
| 105.9 FM | KKWS | Superstation K106 | Country | HBI Radio Brainerd/Wadena, LLC |
| 106.5 FM | KRJB | Your Sports Channel | Sports | R&J Broadcasting, Inc. |
| 106.9 FM | KEGK | 106.9 The Eagle | Classic Hits | Radio Wahpeton Breckenridge, LLC |
| 107.9 FM | KPFX | The Fox | Classic Rock | Radio Fargo-Moorhead, Inc. |
TheForum Communications Company ofFargo, North Dakota, owns and operates theDetroit Lakes Tribune (published twice weekly) and the regional daily newspaper,The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, with coverage spanning theFargo–Moorhead metropolitan area and much of northwestMinnesota and northeastNorth Dakota.[28]
InJohn Steinbeck's bookTravels with Charley, depicting his 1960 road trip across the U.S. with his dog, Charley, Steinbeck passes through and stays the night near Detroit Lakes.
A postcard depicting the Fairyland Cottages in Detroit Lakes appears in the opening credits of the 1983 movieNational Lampoon's Vacation. The cabins were destroyed in 2008 by the Detroit Lakes Fire Department, in a training exercise.[30] It is now home to a condominium complex.
A fictional version of Detroit Lakes's courthouse and rural countryside appears inAli Selim's 2006 filmSweet Land, about a German immigrant's settlement in Becker County in the aftermath ofWorld War I. The scene was filmed inMontevideo, Minnesota.
Ed Schultz, formerMSNBCanchor ofThe Ed Show, often taped or broadcast his show live from a studio in Detroit Lakes.
The 2016Netflix documentaryThe Seventh Fire, about gang culture on American Indian reservations, was filmed in Detroit Lakes, surrounding towns, and the nearbyWhite Earth Indian Reservation.
The popularYouTube channelCBOYSTV films is headquartered at Cormorant Lake, eight miles east of Detroit Lake. CBoysTV is a comedy and motorsports channel with over 1 million subscribers.[31]
Municipalities and communities ofBecker County, Minnesota,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
46°49′02″N95°50′43″W / 46.81722°N 95.84528°W /46.81722; -95.84528
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