Crookston, Minnesota
Crookston is a city of 7,344 people in Polk County, Minnesota, founded in 1872.
Why visit Crookston
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 30 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Grand Theatre.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; January lows average -4°F.
Weather in Crookston
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Crookston
Crookston is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Polk County. The population was 7,482 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Greater Grand Forks metropolitan statistical area.
From the Wikipedia article Crookston, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds30
18 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes17
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza
601 North Broadway, Crookston
Mo-Th 10:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-01:00; Su 10:30-24:00
5 more on the map.
History
Crookston was settled around 1872. It was the site of a federal land office by 1876 and sited on a portion of the Great Northern Railway that began operation by 1880. The town was incorporated on April 1, 1879 as "Queen City". By the end of that year, the town had a jail, graded streets, and a few plank sidewalks. Soon, it was decided that the town needed a new name. Two factions emerged supporting two different names. One wished to honor the town's first mayor, Captain Ellerey C. Davis, with the name Davis. Another group picked the name Crookston to honor Col. William Crooks, chief engineer of the Great Northern Railway which was built through the community. The name was reportedly chosen by coin toss.
Soon, Scandinavian, French-Canadian, and German immigrants began populating Crookston. At one point, eight different railroad lines reached the town, and it became a center of commerce and manufacturing.
From the History section of Crookston, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Crookston Inn and Convention Center
Motel and hotel · 1.3 mi
2200 University Avenue, Crookston
Churches and places of worship14
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Church · Roman Catholic · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
702 Summit Avenue North, Crookston
Shopping12
Local Hardware Hank - Crookston
Hardware store · 0.8 mi
1400 University Avenue, Crookston
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare2
Map of Crookston
95 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16°F | -4°F | 0.5 in |
| Feb | 20°F | 0°F | 0.5 in |
| Mar | 34°F | 15°F | 0.7 in |
| Apr | 51°F | 30°F | 1.3 in |
| May | 67°F | 43°F | 2.8 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 54°F | 4.2 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 58°F | 3.3 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 55°F | 3.0 in |
| Sep | 70°F | 46°F | 2.6 in |
| Oct | 54°F | 33°F | 2.1 in |
| Nov | 36°F | 19°F | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 22°F | 5°F | 0.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Crookston Nw Exp Stn (3 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
Polk County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2022-07-13: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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)
- 2011-05-10: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Crookston Municipal Airport-Kirkwood Field (CKN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Fisher 9 mi west, about 15 min by car
- Red Lake Falls 17 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- East Grand Forks 22 mi northwest, about 35 min by car
- Thompson 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- Fertile 23 mi southeast, about 36 min by car
- Grand Forks 24 mi northwest, about 39 min by car
- Reynolds 24 mi west, about 39 min by car
- Buxton 26 mi southwest, about 41 min by car
- Warren 30 mi north, about 48 min by car
- Thief River Falls 31 mi northeast, about 49 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
- Crookston Commercial Historic District, Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception - Crookston, Minnesota 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
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