Brainerd, Minnesota
Brainerd is a city of 14,468 people in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, founded in 1870.
Why visit Brainerd
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 17 parks and trails, 28 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Washington Street Bridge, Lakes 12 Theatre, Brainerd Public Library and Brainerd Water Tower.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; January lows average -2°F, and about 48 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Brainerd
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Brainerd
Brainerd is a city in and the county seat of Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 14,395 at the 2020 census. Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from its confluence with the Crow Wing River, having been founded as a site for a railroad crossing above the confluence.
From the Wikipedia article Brainerd, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Washington Street Bridge
Bridge · 0.7 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Museums and landmarks10
Brainerd Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Brainerd, Minnesota, United States
416 South 5th Street, Brainerd
Mo-Th 09:00-19:30; Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-16:00
Brainerd Water Tower
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Water tower in Brainerd, United States of America
Crow Wing County Courthouse and Jail
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Brainerd, United States of America
Franklin Junior High School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Brainerd, Minnesota, United States
Northern Pacific Railroad Shops Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic district in Minnesota, United States
Parker Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
NRHP-listed, in Crow Wing County
WonderTrek Children's Museum
Museum · 1.1 mi
Interim location while new structure is built. See website.
Parks, trails and playgrounds17
Bane Park
Park · 1.1 mi
Park in Brainerd, Crow Wing County, United States of America
5 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes28
Caribou Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.0 mi
524 West Washington Street
Mo-Fr 05:30-19:00; Sa 06:00-19:00; Su 06:00-19:00
Ippin Ramen
Restaurant · Ramen, Sushi · 1.9 mi
7788 Fairview Road North, Baxter
Mo,We,Th 11:00-21:00; Tu off; Fr,Sa 11:00-21:30; Su 11:30-21:00
Poncho & Lefty's
Restaurant · Mexican · 2.2 mi
14151 Edgewood Drive North, Baxter
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00
El Potro Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican
320 South 7th Street
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
16 more on the map.
History
The area that is now Brainerd was formerly Ojibwe territory. Brainerd was first seen by European settlers on Christmas Day in 1805, when Zebulon Pike stopped there while searching for the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Crow Wing Village, a fur and logging community near Fort Ripley, brought settlers to the area in the mid-19th century.
In those early years, the relationship between the settlers and the Native Americans was fraught. The most famous example of this tenuous relationship was the "Blueberry War" of 1872. Two Ojibwe were accused of murdering a missing girl. After they were arrested and jailed, a mob overpowered the sheriff's officers, dragged the suspects from the jail and lynched them. Shortly after these events, a group of Ojibwe approached the town, and troops from Fort Ripley were called in to prevent what residents assumed was a reprisal attack for the lynchings. As it turned out, the Ojibwe only wanted to sell blueberries and the settlers avoided a bloody misunderstanding. The guilt of the two Ojibwe was never proven.
From the History section of Brainerd, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Baxter Brainerd Area
Motel and hotel · 2.2 mi
14466 Dellwood Drive North, Baxter, MN 56425, Baxter
Arrowwood Lodge At Brainerd Lakes
Motel and hotel · 3.2 mi
6967 Lake Forest Rd, Baxter
Comfort Suites Rapid River Lodge
Motel and hotel · 2.5 mi
7376 Woida Road, Baxter
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Brainerd-Baxter
Motel and hotel · 3.1 mi
15739 Audubon Way, Baxter
Churches and places of worship5
Shopping13
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries16
Healthcare4
Map of Brainerd
113 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20°F | -2°F | 0.8 in | 10.0 in |
| Feb | 25°F | 1°F | 0.8 in | 8.3 in |
| Mar | 38°F | 15°F | 1.5 in | 9.2 in |
| Apr | 53°F | 29°F | 2.5 in | 4.3 in |
| May | 67°F | 43°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 53°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 58°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 78°F | 55°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 70°F | 46°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 55°F | 34°F | 3.0 in | 0.7 in |
| Nov | 38°F | 21°F | 1.5 in | 5.7 in |
| Dec | 25°F | 7°F | 1.0 in | 10.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Brainerd (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
Crow Wing County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2022-08-09: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2012-07-06: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2002-06-01: Mn - By-Pass Fire - 05/31/2002 (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Baxter 4 mi west, about 6 min by car
- East Gull Lake 8 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Nisswa 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Lake Shore 13 mi northwest, about 21 min by car
- Ironton 13 mi northeast, about 21 min by car
- Pillager 13 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Crosby 15 mi northeast, about 25 min by car
- Deerwood 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- Pequot Lakes 17 mi north, about 27 min by car
- Breezy Point 18 mi north, about 28 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
- Northern Pacific Railroad Shops Historic District, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Brainerd Carnegie Library 2016, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Crow Wing Co. Courthouse, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Parker Bldg 2, Elkman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Franklin Junior High School, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MN-210 Bridge 2a, Todd Murray, CC BY-SA 3.0
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