Why visit Wadena
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 5 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Cozy Theatre, Commercial Hotel and Wadena Depot.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 78°F; January lows average -2°F, and about 51 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Wadena
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Wadena
Wadena is a city in Otter Tail and Wadena counties in the state of Minnesota. It is about one hundred sixty miles northwest of the Minneapolis – Saint Paul metro area. The population was 4,325 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Wadena County.
From the Wikipedia article Wadena, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks4
Commercial Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic hotel building in Wadena, Minnesota, United States
Wadena Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Railway station in Wadena, the United States of America
Wadena Fire and City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes5
History
The first permanent settlement at Wadena was made in 1871. The city is named after Chief Wadena, an Ojibwe Indian chief of the late 19th century in northwestern Minnesota. A post office has been in operation at Wadena since 1873. Wadena was incorporated in 1881. Four properties in Wadena are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Commercial Hotel built circa 1885, the Wadena Fire and City Hall built in 1912, the Northern Pacific Passenger Depot built in 1915, and the Peterson-Biddick Seed and Feed Company built 1916–1936.
From the History section of Wadena, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare2
Map of Wadena
35 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18°F | -2°F | 0.9 in | 12.2 in |
| Feb | 23°F | 2°F | 0.8 in | 7.9 in |
| Mar | 36°F | 15°F | 1.4 in | 8.9 in |
| Apr | 52°F | 29°F | 2.6 in | 4.5 in |
| May | 65°F | 42°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 74°F | 54°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 78°F | 58°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 76°F | 55°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 69°F | 46°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 54°F | 34°F | 2.8 in | 1.1 in |
| Nov | 37°F | 20°F | 1.3 in | 7.5 in |
| Dec | 24°F | 7°F | 0.9 in | 8.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Wadena 3 S (4 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
Perham Municipal Airport (16D) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 25 miles away.
- Staples 16 mi east, about 25 min by car
- Perham 24 mi northwest, about 38 min by car
- Park Rapids 33 mi north, about 52 min by car
- Frazee 34 mi northwest, about 54 min by car
- Long Prairie 35 mi south, about 56 min by car
- Nisswa 40 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Alexandria 41 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Baxter 41 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Detroit Lakes 42 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Brainerd 45 mi east, 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
- Jefferson Street looking N at Bryant Avenue, Wadena, Minnesota, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Wadena County Historical Society Museum, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wadena County Historical Society Museum entrance, Wadena, Minnesota, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Old Wadena County Court House Tower, Wadena, Minnesota, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Wadena Depot, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Former Fire and City Hall, Wadena Minnesota-03, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Wadena Fire & City Hall, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Commercial Hotel Wadena, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cozy Theater, Wadena Minnesota-02, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Cozy Theater, Wadena Minnesota-01, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Smith Furniture storefront, Wadena, Minnesota, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Jefferson Street at Colfax Avenue looking NE, Wadena, Minnesota, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Wadena County Court House - Minnesota (51242929358), Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0
- St Ann's Catholic Church and Rectory, Wadena, Minnesota, Myotus, CC BY 4.0
- Peterson-Biddick Seed & Feed Company, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
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