Blue Earth, Minnesota
Blue Earth is a city of 3,165 people in Faribault County, Minnesota.
Why visit Blue Earth
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 5 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Faribault County Courthouse and Southern Minnesota Museum of Natural History.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 6°F, and about 47 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Blue Earth
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Blue Earth
Blue Earth is a city in Faribault County, Minnesota, United States, at the confluence of the east and west branches of the Blue Earth River. The population was 3,174 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Faribault County. It is home to a statue of the Jolly Green Giant.
From the Wikipedia article Blue Earth, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Faribault County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
County courthouse in Blue Earth, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes5
Farmer's Daughters Restaurant
Restaurant · 0.9 mi
1430 Giant Drive, Blue Earth
Mo 07:00-20:00; Tu-Th 07:00-14:00; Fr-Sa 07:00-21:00; Su 08:00-14:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 0.6 mi
702 Fairview Street, Blue Earth
Mo-Th,Sa 08:30-22:00; Fr 08:30-21:00; Su 09:00-22:00
McDonald's
Fast food · Burger · 0.8 mi
1202 Buccaneer Drive, Blue Earth
Su-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-23:30
Where to stay3
History
Blue Earth was platted in 1856. The city took its name from the Blue Earth River which surrounds the town. The river was given the Dakota language name makȟátȟo (meaning "blue earth") for the blue-green clay found in the river banks, from the phrase makato osa watapa: "the river where blue earth is gathered".
A post office has been in operation at Blue Earth since 1856.
The city celebrated its sesquicentennial in the summer of 2006 with community events, including a concert headlined by Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits.
From the History section of Blue Earth, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship1
Church of the Good Shepherd-Episcopal
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare1
Map of Blue Earth
27 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23°F | 6°F | 0.9 in | 10.4 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 10°F | 1.0 in | 9.1 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 23°F | 1.9 in | 7.3 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 36°F | 3.5 in | 4.1 in |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 59°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 38°F | 2.7 in | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 25°F | 1.6 in | 5.4 in |
| Dec | 29°F | 13°F | 1.2 in | 10.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Winnebago Hcn (9 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
Faribault County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2024-06-28: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-12: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2018-09-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2014-07-21: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Fairmont Municipal Airport (FRM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Fairmont 18 mi west, about 29 min by car
- Lake Mills 33 mi southeast, about 52 min by car
- Forest City 35 mi southeast, about 57 min by car
- Mankato 37 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Albert Lea 37 mi east, about 59 min by car
- North Mankato 37 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Algona 40 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Estherville 40 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- St. Peter 48 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- New Ulm 50 mi north, about 1 h 15 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
- CourthouseFaribaultCountyMinnesota2007May, Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Main Street in Blue Earth, Minnesota, Lorie Shaull, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Earth Library, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Good Shepherd Church Blue Earth Minnesota, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jolly Green Giant statue Blue Earth Minnesota 2026, Czbik, CC0
- Blue Earth, Minnesota, Wikideas1, CC0
- Blue Earth Rest Area, Blue Earth, Minnesota 02, Runner1928, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Blue Earth Rest Area, Blue Earth, Minnesota 01, Runner1928, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Blue Earth Rest Area, Blue Earth, Minnesota 03, Runner1928, CC BY-SA 4.0
- FaribaultCountyCourthouseMN, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- FaribaultCountyCourthouse, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- WakefieldHouseBlueEarthMN, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Wakefield House, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- LibraryBlueEarthMN, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- EpiscopalChurchGoodShepherdBlueEarthMN, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- Jolly Green Giant Statue, Skiba, Justin M., Public domain
- Jolly Green Giant - panoramio, Wallace Parry, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Green Giant Statue Park - Green Giant Museum, Michel Curi, CC BY 2.0
- Restroom signs, daveynin from United States, CC BY 2.0
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