Fergus Falls Minnesota Real Estate

The county seat of Otter Tail County is beautiful Fergus Falls, and Fergus Falls real estate is a great investment!  Fergus Falls is located in West Central Minnesota, a convenient distance from Interstate 94 and less than 3 hours from Minneapolis.  The borders of North Dakota and Canada are even closer.  Fergus Falls is home to almost 14,000 residents, a quaint downtown area and a wealth of art and history.  Surrounding communites include Elbow Lake, Elizabeth, Wendell, Dalton, Aastad, Melby and Underwood.

Fergus Falls combines the best features of two unique geographies; the Minnesota lakes area and the Minnesota prairie region.  The abundant farm land to the west and the lakes to the east of Fergus Falls were formed by glacial Lake Agassiz so, not surprisingly, agriculture is the leading industry of the county.  Fergus Falls is a family-oriented community, evidenced by its exceptional educational system, its superior health care options and its beautiful parks, public beaches with lake access, sports complexes and playgrounds.  Fergus Falls is also home to the corporate headquarters of Otter Tail Power, a leading electric utility company.  Fergus Falls real estate is affordable, the job market is holding strong and a succession of new businesses are on their way.

If you want recreation, a peaceful vacation or a fabulous second-home for relaxing retreats, Fergus Falls is your answer.  With over 1,100 lakes in the county, water sports aren't just encouraged, they are required.  Your summers will be filled with fishing, swimming, boating, canoeing, water skiing, sailing and windsurfing.  In the winter months, you will stay busy with ice fishing, snow skiing and snowmobiling.  Fergus Falls is also home to fantastic museums, a nature learning center, a performing arts center and even a world-class horse arena.  Please don't miss taking a stroll along the popular Riverwalk. 

Fergus Falls Minnesota History

Land speculator, James B. Fergus, hired Joe Whitford in 1854 to establish a townsite along the Red River.  During his travels, Whitford happened upon some Indians who shared the location of beautiful falls and rapids just up the river.  After arriving at the specified location, Whitford staked out the townsite and named it "Fergus Falls" after his employer.

Fergus Falls really came into its own in 1870 when George B. Wright purchased the entire town site for $100.00.  With funds from his partner, R. J. Mendenhall, Wright proceeded to construct a sawmill near a dam that was built on the river.  Although growth was slow in the early years, the arrival of the railroad, the availability of electrical power harnessed from the rapids and the various mills led to the success of Fergus Falls. 

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