Detroit Lakes

Detroit Lakes was founded by Colonel George Johnston in 1871. The city's current name has been extant since 1927, to avoid confusion with Detroit, Michigan. The Ojibwe name for Detroit Lakes is "Gaiajawangag", meaning a lake with a crossing in a sandy place. In 1877, an election finally decided that Detroit Lakes, then still known as Detroit, was to become the county seat. Some of the city's historic buildings still stand, such as the 1908 railroad station and the historic Holmes Theater. The nearest major metropolitan area with a population over 1 million is MinneapolisSaint Paul, which is approximately 205 miles southeast of Detroit Lakes. U.S. Highways 10 and 59, and Minnesota State Highway 34 serve as the primary routes through the city. The population was 9,869 at the 2020 census. Its unofficial population during summer months is much higher, estimated by citizens to peak at 13,000 midsummers, due to seasonal residents and tourists. It is a regional summer and winter recreation destination, attracting large numbers of tourists and seasonal residents each year. Its economy is fueled by seasonal population increases, with tourism being the area's chief industry. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.20 square miles (39.37 km²), of which 10.22 sq miles (26.47 km²) is land and 4.98sq miles (12.90 km²") is water. In 2010, there were 8,569 people, 3,864 households, and 2,093 families residing in the city, and the population was 980 permanently.

History

The city of Detroit Lakes was founded by Colonel George Johnston in 1871. The city's current name has been extant since 1927, to avoid confusion with Detroit, Michigan. The name was given by a French missionary. Détroit is French and translates to strait or narrows, referring to the sand bar separating Big Detroit lake from Little Detroit lake. The sand bar was dredged and partially submerged to make the Pelican River watershed navigable by steamboat in the late 19th century. By 1884, Detroit Lakes had many businesses, including the Hotel Minnesota, the Lakes Hotel, a bank, a newspaper, and an opera house. Some of the city's historic buildings still stand, such as the 1908 railroad station and the historic Holmes Theater. The Becker County Museum, located near the Holmes Theater in Detroit Lakes, has information and exhibits on the history of theCity and the surrounding area. The Ojibwe name for Detroit Lakes is "Gaiajawangag", meaning a lake with a crossing in a sandy place. In 1877, an election finally decided that Detroit Lakes, then still known as Detroit, was to become the county seat. Detroit won the election by a ninety percent majority. The nearby cities of Frazee, Lake Park, and Audubon were also in the running for the County seat. By the end of the 20th century, the city had a population of more than 100,000. It was a resting place on the Red River Oxcart Trails.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.20 square miles (39.37 km²) of which 10.22 square miles is land and 4.98 sq miles (12.90 km² is water. The city is located on the Mississippi River, which runs through the center of the city. It is the only city in the state to have a population of more than 1,000 people. The population of the town was 1,071 at the 2010 census. The town's population is 1,082. It has a population density of 15,000 per square mile (39,400 per km²), which is about 2.4% higher than the national average for the same time period. Its population has grown to 1,091 people (1,074 in 2010) from 1,061 in 2000. It was the first city in Mississippi to reach 1,100 people in the mid-20th century, and the first to reach 2,000 in the early 20th century. It also has the highest percentage of people living in poverty at 0.7%. The city's population has declined since the early 1900s, when it was about 1,200 people (0.7% of the population at the time of the last census). It has the lowest percentage of residents in the United States of any city, at 1.1%. It has one of the highest percentages of people in poverty in the country, at 2.3%.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,569 people, 3,864 households, and 2,093 families residing in the city. 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 90.6% White, 0.7% African American, 4.4% Native American,0.8% Asian, 0,1% Pacific Islander, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6%. The median income for a household in theCity was $29,264, and the median income. for a family was $42,267. The per capita income for the city is $18,509. About 9.9%. of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 13.9. of those age 65 or over. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was2.86. The median age in the City was 41.6 years. The city has a population density of 838.5 inhabitants per squaremile (323.7/km 2) The city's population was 7,348 in 2000, and 7,318 in 2010. The gender makeup ofthe city was 47.2%. The city had a median income of $28,939 in 2010, and $21,439 for females.

Government

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 of the three primary wards and three serving the "at large" area. Detroit Lakes is located in Minnesota's 7th congressional district. The city is in Minnesota Senate District 4 after 2012 redistricting, represented by Kent Eken (DFL) and Minnesota House District 4B. The county seat of Becker County, the city is home to the county courthouse and law enforcement center. The Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota State Highway Patrol are also located in the city. It is located on the Minnesota River, which runs through the city and into the city of St. Louis County. It has a population of about 4,000. It was the site of the World War II-era Battle of the Bulge, which was fought between the U.S. Army and the Soviet Union. It also hosted the World Trade Center, which is now part of the University of Minnesota, St. Mary's, and the National Museum of Natural History, which are located in St. Peter and Saint Paul. The City of Detroit Lakes was founded in 1858. It became the seat of the Becker County Board of Supervisors in 1881. It's also the location of the St. Paul Police Department, which has been in operation since 1883. It had a seat on the City Council from 1881 to 1971. It currently has 14 city boards and commissions, including the Park Board, Library Board, Public Utilities Commission and Planning Commission.

Education

The Detroit Lakes campus of the Minnesota State Community and Technical College system is one of four campus locations. The college offers both classroom and online distance education programs and grants AAS, AS, diploma, certificate, and AFA degrees. The Detroit Lakes Public Library is a branch of the Lake Agassiz Regional Library Network (LARL) The library was designed by the architectural firm of Claude and Starck of Madison, Wisconsin and was built in 1913 with a $10,000 grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. In 1985, due to space issues, the original Carnegie building was expanded. The library is noted for its orange clay-tiled hip roof that defies regional construction convention. The building today is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed in the prairie school architectural style popularized by such architects as Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, and features a Louis Sullivan exterior frieze, lead and stained glass windows and doors, and a completely open and unobstructed interior. It is located on Minnesota Highway 34, located in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, near the town of Fergus Falls. The school system has four grade levels: K5, K4, K7, and K8. It also has an alternative high school, the Lakes Area Learning Center Alternative High School (ALC), which is located in Wadena, Minnesota. It enrolls approximately 650 students in 25 different degree programs, including AAS and AS degrees, and offers a variety of certificate and diploma programs.

Architecture

Detroit Lakes Carnegie Library of the Prairie School architectural style, by architects Claude and Starck, was added to the Register in 1976. The Amtrak Depot, formerly the Northern Pacific Passenger Depot and later the Burlington Northern Depot, significant of the periods 1900-1924 and 1925-1949. The Homer E. Sargent House on Lake Avenue, currently a privately owned domestic dwelling of the Queen Anne architectural style. The Edgewater Beach Cottages, also known as Stovewood Cottage, by George Jewell and Frederick Wright, were added in 1989. Finally, the Holmes Block (also known as the Opera House Block), including downtown commercial buildings occupying addresses 710718 Washington Avenue, are significant of various historical periods ranging from 1875 to 1974. The downtown block wasadded to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. It is now primarily serving as a small shop and eatery, and is located in the heart of the city's downtown area, on the corner of Lake Shore Drive and Washington Avenue. It has been named a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service and the National Institute of Architecture and Design, and has been listed on the U.S. Geological Survey's register of historic buildings and structures. It was named a U.N. National Landmark for the first time in 1973, and was listed in its current form in 1978. It also has been added to The National Register for the second time in 1998, and the third time in 1999. It will be listed in a new edition of the National Geographic Traveler's Guide to the United States, which will be published in September 2014.

Economy

Detroit Lakes is home to approximately 15 chain and independent hotels. The city's downtown offers a 135,000-square-foot (12,500 m2) shopping center, including Washington Square Mall. With two industrial parks in the city's outskirts, it is also home to many manufacturing and industrial businesses. Most newer chain retail businesses, including discount and home centers, restaurants, and strip malls, are located along Highways 10 and 59. A variety of health care services, retail stores, and service businesses are available to area residents and tourists. Detroit Lakes has a population of 1.2 million. It is the second-largest city in the state, after Grand Rapids, Michigan, with 1.3 million people. It has one of the highest murder rates in the U.S., with more than 20 murders per 100,000 residents. It also has the highest crime rate, with over 30 murders per 1,000,000 inhabitants. It had the highest population growth rate in the United States in the first half of the year, with nearly 10,000 people per cent of the population living in or near Detroit Lakes. The economy is driven by summer tourism and seasonal population increases. In the first quarter of 2013, Detroit Lakes had a growth rate of nearly 10%. In the second quarter of that year, the city had a population increase of more than 7.5 percent. In 2013, the economy grew by 6.7 percent. The growth rate was fueled by summer tourists, with the majority of visitors coming during the summer.

Recreation

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 is Detroit Lake, which features the mile-long city beach. The city is one of perhaps five in the Nation that has a park dedicated to the Grand Army of the Republic (rededicated on April 15, 2015). In the winter off-season, the area remains a popular recreation destination for ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and downhill skiing and snowboarding at the newly renovated Detroit Mountain Recreation Area. The Shrine Circus performs in Detroit Lakes each year at the Kent Freeman Arena. The area also features an amusement park, a paintball arena, two river tubing companies, and a horseback riding ranch. It is home to the Becker County Fair, which is held each year in August. It also hosts the annual Michigan State Fair, held in late September and early October. In and around the city are 14 golf courses, as well as the Detroit Lake Golf Course. The beach annually hosts the city's Independence Day celebration and fireworks display. The lake is used for wake sports and sailing, and is also a popular destination for jet- skiing and wake sports. It has a mile- long city beach, which hosts the July 4th fireworks display and the annual state fair, which also takes place in the summer. The town has a number of other attractions, including a water park, an indoor waterpark, and an equestrian center.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Detroit Lakes, Becker County, Minnesota = 91.2. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 60. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 99. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Detroit Lakes = 2.9 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 9,869 individuals with a median age of 41.3 age the population grows by 4.28% in Detroit Lakes, Becker County, Minnesota population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 840.13 residents per square mile of area (324.37/km²). There are average 2.08 people per household in the 3,547 households with an average household income of $34,118 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 6.60% of the available work force and has growths 0.48% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 34.36%. The number of physicians in Detroit Lakes per 100,000 population = 122.5.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Detroit Lakes = 24.5 inches and the annual snowfall = 43.5 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 88. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 194. 81 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and -5.6 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 54, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Detroit Lakes, Becker County, Minnesota which are owned by the occupant = 56.85%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 43 years with median home cost = $120,480 and home appreciation of -2.06%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $9.39 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,438 per student. There are 17.2 students for each teacher in the school, 452 students for each Librarian and 438 students for each Counselor. 8.55% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 18.30% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 5.74% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).