Granite Falls, Minnesota
Granite Falls is a city of 2,685 people in Chippewa County, Minnesota.
Why visit Granite Falls
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 7 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Andrew John Volstead House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 3°F, and about 52 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Granite Falls
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Granite Falls
Granite Falls is a city located mostly in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, of which it is the county seat with a small portion in Chippewa County, Minnesota. The population was 2,737 at the 2020 census. The Andrew John Volstead House, a National Historic Landmark (NHL), is located in Granite Falls. Another NHL located in Granite Falls is the Julian A.
From the Wikipedia article Granite Falls, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
Andrew John Volstead House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Granite Falls, Minnesota
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes7
Where to stay1
Granite Falls Memorial Park Campground
Campground · 0.5 mi
$10-$12
Mn 67, Granite Falls
History
In 1870 a post office began operating at Granite Falls. The town was platted in 1872 and named for deposits of granite rock in the area. In 1874 the county seat was moved to Granite Falls and a small one courtroom courthouse was erected. In 1876 the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was formed and a church was built. Granite Falls was incorporated as a city in 1879 with East Granite Falls joining in 1889. The existing county courthouse was erected in 1880. In 1888 the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad built the town train station that still stands. The rail line remains active as a short line operated by the Twin Cities and Western Railroad (TC&W).
A grain elevator was built along the rail lines that today exists as the Farmers Co-Op elevator. In 2005 Granite Falls Energy LLC began producing Corn ethanol and extract Corn oil at their newly constructed plant.
From the History section of Granite Falls, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Healthcare1
Map of Granite Falls
21 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 3°F | 0.8 in | 9.4 in |
| Feb | 29°F | 7°F | 0.8 in | 11.7 in |
| Mar | 42°F | 20°F | 1.5 in | 7.9 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 33°F | 2.4 in | 3.9 in |
| May | 71°F | 45°F | 3.5 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 55°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 60°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 58°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 48°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 35°F | 2.4 in | 0.8 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 22°F | 1.4 in | 6.6 in |
| Dec | 29°F | 10°F | 1.1 in | 11.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Granite Falls (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
Chippewa County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2023-07-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2022-08-09: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2022-07-08: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 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)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Granite Falls Municipal Airport (GDB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Sacred Heart 10 mi east, about 15 min by car
- Montevideo 13 mi northwest, about 21 min by car
- Dawson 26 mi west, about 42 min by car
- Marshall 28 mi southwest, about 44 min by car
- Willmar 32 mi northeast, about 52 min by car
- Benson 35 mi north, about 57 min by car
- Appleton 36 mi northwest, about 58 min by car
- Canby 36 mi west, about 58 min by car
- Atwater 44 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Fairfax 45 mi southeast, 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
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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
- Granite Falls Minnesota, Tim Kiser ( w:User:Malepheasant ), CC BY-SA 2.5
- Andrew John Volstead House, Unknown author, Public domain
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