Grand Rapids, Minnesota
Grand Rapids is a city of 11,207 people in Itasca County, Minnesota, founded in 1872.
Why visit Grand Rapids
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 21 parks and trails, 27 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Mann's Cinema 8, Forest History Center, Judy Garland Museum and Pokegama Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; January lows average -2°F, and about 60 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Grand Rapids
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is a city in, and the county seat of, Itasca County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,126 at the 2020 census. The city is named for the 3.5-mile (5.6 km) long rapids on the Mississippi River that was the uppermost limit of practical steamboat travel in the late 19th century. Today the rapids are hidden below the dam of UPM Paper Company.
From the Wikipedia article Grand Rapids, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks5
Forest History Center
Museum · 1.7 mi
Forestry museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota
2609 Forest History Road, Grand Rapids
Judy Garland Museum
Museum · 2.2 mi
2727 South Pokegama Avenue, Grand Rapids
09:00-17:00; Oct-May Su-Tu off
Parks, trails and playgrounds21
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9 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes27
Sammy's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.0 mi
802 South Pokegama Avenue, Grand Rapids
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00; Th-Sa 11:00-22:00
El Potro Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.8 mi
510 South Pokegama Avenue, Grand Rapids
15 more on the map.
History
Grand Rapids became a logging town, as the Mississippi River provided an optimal way to ship logs to population centers. Blandin Paper Mill opened in 1902. The Forest History Center, in Grand Rapids, is a State Historic Site and a living history museum that recreates life in a turn-of-the-20th-century logging camp. Costumed interpreters educate visitors on the history of white pine logging and its relevance to today's economy. Miles of nature trails, educational naturalist programming, and an interpretive museum are also at the site.
Old Central School, in downtown Grand Rapids, was built in 1895 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture. The three-story building served as an elementary school from 1895 to 1972. A community effort restored the building in 1984 and it now serves as a location for commerce and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1991, Enbridge's Line 3 pipeline ruptured, spilling 1.7 million gallons of oil into the area, including the Prairie River, in the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history.
From the History section of Grand Rapids, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay15
Itasca County Fairgrouds Campground
Campground · 0.9 mi
1336 Fairgrounds Rd, Grand Rapids
Churches and places of worship3
Church of the Good Shepherd
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 5.9 mi
Coleraine Methodist Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 5.9 mi
Shopping13
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Healthcare5
Grand Itasca Professional Building
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 mi
111 Southeast 3rd Street, Grand Rapids
Map of Grand Rapids
114 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19°F | -2°F | 1.0 in | 12.2 in |
| Feb | 26°F | 2°F | 0.8 in | 9.7 in |
| Mar | 39°F | 15°F | 1.3 in | 7.5 in |
| Apr | 53°F | 28°F | 2.1 in | 5.6 in |
| May | 66°F | 40°F | 3.2 in | 0.2 in |
| Jun | 75°F | 50°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 55°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 78°F | 53°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 68°F | 45°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 53°F | 33°F | 2.8 in | 2.0 in |
| Nov | 36°F | 20°F | 1.6 in | 9.0 in |
| Dec | 23°F | 6°F | 1.2 in | 13.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Grand Rpds Forest Lab Hcn (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
Itasca County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-06-28: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 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)
- 2018-09-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2012-07-06: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Grand Rapids - Itasca County Airport (GPZ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- La Prairie 2 mi east, about 3 min by car
- Coleraine 4 mi east, about 6 min by car
- Cohasset 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Bovey 7 mi northeast, about 12 min by car
- Taconite 9 mi northeast, about 14 min by car
- Marble 13 mi northeast, about 21 min by car
- Deer River 14 mi northwest, about 23 min by car
- Hill City 18 mi south, about 29 min by car
- Nashwauk 20 mi northeast, about 32 min by car
- Keewatin 24 mi northeast, about 38 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
- City Hall, Grand Rapids, MN-03, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-30, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- U.S. Post Office - Grand Rapids, Minnesota (36837540803), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- US Post Office, Grand Rapids, MN, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-32, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-46, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-47, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-48, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-45, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-57, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-49, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-44, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-50, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-51, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-55, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-54, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-43, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-35, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-34, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-56, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-31, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-41, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-33, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-37, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-36, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-42, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Grand Rapids Minnesota banner, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Blandin Paper Company (UPM Blandin), paper mill plant, Grand Rapids, MN-01, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-38, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-39, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-52, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-29, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-40, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024 Itasca Pride, Grand Rapids, MN-53, Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- City Hall, Grand Rapids, MN, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- City Hall, Grand Rapids, MN-02, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Greetings from Grand Rapids, Minnesota - Large Letter Postcard (9228004559), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Pokegama Avenue and 3th Street, Grand Rapids, MN, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Businesses on 3rd Street, Grand Rapids, MN, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- GoodShepChurch, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
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