Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Fergus Falls is a city of 14,181 people in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Why visit Fergus Falls
Townapedia lists 23 museums and landmarks, 36 parks and trails, 36 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Westridge Theatre, Fergus Falls City Hall and C.C. Clement House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 0°F.
Weather in Fergus Falls
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Fergus Falls
Fergus Falls is a city in and the county seat of Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,119 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 14,258 in 2024.
From the Wikipedia article Fergus Falls, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
School · 1.0 mi
Multi-campus public college in Minnesota, US
Museums and landmarks23
Fergus Falls City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
City hall in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, United States
112 West Washington Avenue, Fergus Falls
C.C. Clement House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic building located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, United States
C.J. Wright House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in Minnesota, United States
Edward J. Devitt U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse and post office in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, United States
Fergus Falls station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Railway station in Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Hotel Kaddatz
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, United States
John W. Mason House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
In Fergus Falls, Minnesota, listed on the NRHP in Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Otter Tail County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
County courthouse in Fergus Falls, United States of America
Park Region Luther College
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
School building in Fergus Falls, United States of America
River Inn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, United States
Barnard Mortuary
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
11 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds36
Kirkbride Park
Park · 0.9 mi
1515 North Union Avenue, Fergus Falls
Mo-Su 06:00-22:30
Prairie Wetlands Learning Center
Hiking and trails · 1.9 mi
602 State Hwy 210 East, Fergus Falls
West Ottertail County Fair Grounds
Park · 1.6 mi
1812 Pebble Lake Road, Fergus Falls
24 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes36
The Fabled Farmer
Restaurant · Juice, Sandwich, Soup, Salad, Breakfast
412 West Lincoln Avenue, Fergus Falls
Mo-Sa 08:00-15:00
Dairyland
Restaurant · Burger, Chicken, Ice Cream · 0.7 mi
1220 Union Avenue, Fergus Falls
Tu-Su 10:30-20:00
The Viking Cafe
Restaurant · Burger, Breakfast
203 West Lincoln Avenue, Fergus Falls
Mo-Fr 05:30-14:00; Sa-Su 07:00-14:00
Hunan Springs Buffet
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.7 mi
2115 West Lincoln Avenue, Fergus Falls
Perkins
Diner · American · 2.1 mi
623 Frontier Drive, Fergus Falls
Töast
Restaurant · Breakfast, Brunch, Scandinavian, European
116 South Union Avenue, Fergus Falls
Socials Bar & Grill
Restaurant · American, Burger, Grill · 1.4 mi
1815 West Lincoln Avenue, Fergus Falls
24 more on the map.
History
The falls from which the city gets part of its name were discovered by Joe Whitford (a Scottish trapper) in 1856 and promptly named in honor of his employer, James Fergus. It is not known whether Fergus ever visited the city, but Whitford did not live to see the city develop, as he was killed during the 1862 Dakota war in western Minnesota. In 1867, George B. Wright was at the land office at St. Cloud and found Whitford's lapsed claim, purchased the land, and built what is now the Central Dam in downtown Fergus Falls around 1871. After Wright died in 1882, his son Vernon moved from Boston to Minnesota and took over his father's interests in the town. Vernon Wright was also one of the two people who established the Otter Tail Power Company in 1907. The city was incorporated in the late 1870s and is situated along the dividing line between the former great deciduous forest of the Northwest Territories to the east and the great plains to the west, in a region of gentle hills, where the recent geological history is dominated by the recession of the glaciers from the last great Ice Age, with numerous lakes and small rivers.
Two major tornadoes hit Fergus Falls during the early 20th century, the second, the 1919 Fergus Falls tornado, being the greater. The only church edifice left standing after the great cyclone was the predominantly black Baptist church.
From the History section of Fergus Falls, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Delagoon Park & Rec Area Camp
Campground · 2.7 mi
2607 Pebble Lake Rd, Fergus Falls
AmericInn by Wyndham Fergus Falls
Motel and hotel · 1.9 mi
526 Western Avenue, Fergus Falls
Churches and places of worship10
Calvary Free Lutheran Church
Church · Evangelical Lutheran · 1.4 mi
1416 County Highway 111, Fergus Falls
Cornerstone Church
Church · Free Evangelical
207 West Lincoln Avenue, Fergus Falls
Faith Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 0.7 mi
333 East Cedar Avenue, Fergus Falls
Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church
Church · Evangelical Lutheran · 1.7 mi
1309 Stony Brook Road, Fergus Falls
Love of God Family Church
Church · Pentecostal · 1.3 mi
829 North Tower Road, Fergus Falls
Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
Church · Catholic
207 North Vine Street, Fergus Falls
Shopping13
Fergus Home & Hardware
Hardware store · 1.1 mi
1005 North Tower Road, Fergus Falls
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries19
Healthcare7
Community Behavioral Health Hospital - Fergus Falls
Hospital · 1.6 mi
1801 West Alcott Avenue, Fergus Falls
Autism Innovation in Motion
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.6 mi
1806 East Fir Avenue, Fergus Falls
Lake Region Healthcare - Fergus Falls - Hospital
Hospital · 0.7 mi
712 Cascade Street South, Fergus Falls
Map of Fergus Falls
162 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18°F | 0°F | 1.3 in |
| Feb | 22°F | 3°F | 0.8 in |
| Mar | 36°F | 18°F | 1.1 in |
| Apr | 53°F | 32°F | 2.0 in |
| May | 67°F | 45°F | 3.9 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 56°F | 4.3 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 61°F | 3.3 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 57°F | 3.0 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 49°F | 3.0 in |
| Oct | 56°F | 35°F | 2.4 in |
| Nov | 38°F | 21°F | 1.0 in |
| Dec | 24°F | 8°F | 0.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Fergus Falls (2 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
Otter Tail County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2011-05-10: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2010-07-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Tornado)
- 2009-04-09: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Sky Crew Services LLC (KFFM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Underwood 10 mi east, about 16 min by car
- Rothsay 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
- Battle Lake 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- Ashby 18 mi southeast, about 29 min by car
- Pelican Rapids 20 mi north, about 32 min by car
- Elbow Lake 21 mi south, about 34 min by car
- Wahpeton 26 mi west, about 41 min by car
- Detroit Lakes 38 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Alexandria 44 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Fargo 54 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 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
- St. James Episcopal Church - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 04, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. James Episcopal Church - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 02, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. James Episcopal Church - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St. James Episcopal Church - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 03, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Federated Church - Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fergus Falls station 02, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fergus Falls station 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fergus Falls station 03, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Church - Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fergus Falls, Minnesota 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fergus Falls, Minnesota 02, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Law Office Building - Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lake Alice - Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hotel Kaddatz - Fergus Falls, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 02, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 02, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 10, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 06, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 04, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 08, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 09, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 11, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 07, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 03, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory Church interior - Fergus Falls, Minnesota 05, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Our Lady of Victory School - Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- River Inn - Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- River Inn and Courthouse - Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Otter Tail River - Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Otter Tail River dam - Fergus Falls 01, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fergus Falls City Hall on Labor Day 2012, Elizabeth A. Armour, CC BY-SA 3.0
- John W. Mason House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Otter Tail, SH5544, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CC Clement, SH5544, CC BY-SA 3.0
- C.J. Wright House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, Gaylan K. Mathiesen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fergus Theatre, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Barnard Mortuary, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
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