Alexandria, Minnesota
Alexandria is a city of 14,735 people in Douglas County, Minnesota, founded in 1858.
Why visit Alexandria
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 32 parks and trails, 50 places to eat, 12 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Midway Mall Cinema 9, Great Northern Passenger Depot, Runestone Museum and Casey's Amusement Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; January lows average 2°F.
Weather in Alexandria
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Alexandria
Alexandria is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,335 as of the 2020 census. I-94 passes through Alexandria, along with Minnesota State Highways 27 and 29. It is ten miles (16 km) south of Lake Carlos State Park.
From the Wikipedia article Alexandria, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks6
Great Northern Passenger Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
United States historic place in Alexandria, Minnesota
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Kensington Runestone
Monument and historic site · 0.9 mi
Rune-covered stone slab unearthed in 1898 in Kensington, Minnesota
Parks, trails and playgrounds32
Casey's Amusement Park
Sports field and stadium · 2.0 mi
1305 North Nokomis Northeast, Alexandria
Mo-Su 10:30-22:00
Alexandria Golf Club
Golf course · 2.8 mi
2300 N Nokomis NE, Alexandria
Pat Karnis Park
Park · 2.5 mi
Small residential park near lake Darling dedicated to a former resident.
20 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes50
D. Michael B's Resort Bar & Grill
Diner · American · 1.1 mi
3015-#107 Highway 29 South, Alexandria
Su-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-00:00
Zorbaz
Restaurant · American, Mexican · 3.1 mi
2710 North Nokomis Northeast, Alexandria
Mo-Su 11:00-02:00
China Buffet
Restaurant · Chinese · 2.1 mi
4721 South State Highway 29, Alexandria
38 more on the map.
History
First settled in 1858, it was named after brothers Alexander and William Kinkead from Maryland. The form of the name alludes to Alexandria, Egypt, a center of learning and civilization.
The village of Alexandria was incorporated February 20, 1877. Its city charter was adopted in 1908, and it was incorporated as a city in 1909. W. E. Hicks was pivotal to the town's early development. He purchased the townsite in 1868 and established a mill, hotel, newspaper, and store. He donated property for a courthouse, jail, and two churches: Methodist and Congregational.
The Kensington Runestone, a purported artifact left behind by pre-Columbian Norse explorers of the region, was uncovered by farmer Olaf Ohman near Alexandria in 1898. Despite scholarly consensus identifying the stone as a hoax, the stone quickly became a symbol of Alexandria and western Minnesota writ large. The stone is housed in the Runestone Museum, and is commemorated with a 28-foot-tall statue of a viking, "Big Ole", whose shield bears the slogan "Alexandria: The Birthplace of America". The statue, originally built for the 1964 New York World's Fair, currently stands at the north end of the downtown, on the shore of Lake Agnes.
From the History section of Alexandria, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay12
Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Alexandria, MN
Motel and hotel · 2.4 mi
5304 Highway 29 South, Alexandria
Churches and places of worship8
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 0.4 mi
1427 Lake Street, Alexandria
The Church of St. Mary
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.7 mi
420 Irving Street, Alexandria
Shopping18
Gas and EV charging14
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Healthcare7
Map of Alexandria
164 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19°F | 2°F | 0.4 in |
| Feb | 24°F | 6°F | 0.4 in |
| Mar | 37°F | 19°F | 1.0 in |
| Apr | 52°F | 33°F | 2.0 in |
| May | 66°F | 46°F | 3.0 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 56°F | 3.7 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 61°F | 4.0 in |
| Aug | 78°F | 59°F | 3.5 in |
| Sep | 70°F | 50°F | 2.6 in |
| Oct | 54°F | 37°F | 2.2 in |
| Nov | 38°F | 23°F | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 24°F | 10°F | 0.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Alexandria Muni Ap (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Douglas County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2022-08-09: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2022-07-08: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-07-25: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2009-04-09: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chandler Field (AXN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Carlos 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Osakis 11 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Brandon 12 mi northwest, about 20 min by car
- Miltona 12 mi north, about 20 min by car
- Lowry 14 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
- Glenwood 15 mi south, about 24 min by car
- Long Beach 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Evansville 17 mi northwest, about 28 min by car
- Parkers Prairie 19 mi north, about 31 min by car
- Starbuck 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Alexandria Post Office, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alexandria Residential Historic District, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alexandria Technical and Community College, LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alexandria Carnegie Library, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Douglas County Court House, Alexandria, Minnesota (41585850432), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Douglas County Courthouse - Alexandria, Minnesota (40734171385), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Douglas County Courthouse - Winter in Alexandria, Minnesota (28207277318), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Great Northern Passenger Depot, Alexandria MN, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Greetings from Alexandria, Minnesota - Large Letter Postcard (8291088450), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Lakes Area Pride 2026, Alexandria, Minnesota-18, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lakes Area Pride 2026, Alexandria, Minnesota-17, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lakes Area Pride 2026, Alexandria, Minnesota-01, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Burgen Lake Rest Area outside Alexandria, Minnesota in January 2025, PinchyCC, CC BY 4.0
- Runestone Museum-00, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kensington-runestone flom-1910, Book author: George T. Flom, Public domain
- Douglas County Courthouse (MN), McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Noah P. Ward House, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rival Microwave, https://www.homespothq.com/, CC BY 2.0
- Thomas F. Cowing House, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kensington Runestone, Mauricio Valle, CC BY-SA 4.0
- KensingtonStone, Mauricio Valle, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 76 Oldsmobile 442 (14110203784), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1958 Edsel Pacer (14110166974), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 69 Cadillac Eldorado (13923154259), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1958 Edsel Pacer (14086646906), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 69 Cadillac Eldorado (13923128487), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1958 Edsel Pacer (14106497991), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 76 Oldsmobile 442 (14110189034), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1969 Cadillac Eldorado (14106545541), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 1958 Edsel Pacer (14110165694), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 76 Oldsmobile 442 (14106740372), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 69 Cadillac Eldorado (14086654916), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- ISS065-E-238697 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS045-E-42003 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS037-E-21762 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Lake Victoria Water Access Signs - Minnesota DNR - Boat Launch (26757729217), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Grill (8846285376), HomeSpot HQ, CC BY 2.0
- A stack of pale wood shims on carpet, HomeSpot HQ, CC BY 2.0
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