Becker - Minnesota - History

For 10 years after the establishment of Becker County there were no white settlers. The Chippewa (Ojibwe) Indians occupied nearly the entire county. The Sioux Indians had about one half of Cormorant Township and a small part of the corner of Lake Park Township. In 1867, a treaty was signed establishing the White Earth Reservation, a large tract of land in the northern part of Becker County, to be home for the Chippewa Indians.

Colonel George Johnston, the founder of Detroit Lakes, selected the area in 1871 for settlement. He built a flourmill on the Pelican River, and as the Northern Pacific Railroad was constructed through Becker County, the city quickly grew.

As the population of Becker County grew, it became necessary to choose a county seat. There was considerable controversy over the matter. Detroit, Frazee, Audubon, and Lake Park each felt they were the most desirable location.

During 1874 and 1875, the County Commissioners used Lake Park as their meeting place due to the fact that the County Auditor owned a store and had his office in Lake Park, and all of the Commissioners lived west of Detroit.

In August 1875, the Becker County Commissioners resolved to obtain offices in Detroit. The matter was finally decided at an election in the fall of 1877 and resulted in a victory for Detroit by about a ninety percent majority, which settled the county seat contest.

In 1881, the village was incorporated and named Detroit - which is French for strait. By 1884 businesses in Detroit included the elegant Hotel Minnesota, and Lakes Hotel, a bank, a newspaper, and an opera house. Also in 1884, the foundation for the first Courthouse was laid. The first major industry was the Fargo-Detroit Ice Company, which bottled and sold pure spring water. In 1885, the village hall was built which housed the County Fire Department. In 1926, Detroit was renamed Detroit Lakes to eliminate postal mix-ups with Detroit, Michigan.

In 1941 a State Fire Marshall described the Courthouse as a very serious fire hazard and a menace to public safety. In a short time, the Courthouse was sold to Gopher Lumber and Wrecking Company of St. Cloud for $531.00. On September 18, 1941, there was a groundbreaking ceremony for the present Courthouse, built by the WPA. Additions and changes have since been made to many parts of the Courthouse.

The Detroit Lakes area has an excellent transportation system. The Soo Line Railroad was built through the county in 1903. The Burlington Northern and Soo Line Railroads serve the area with connections to the City/County owned Industrial Park. Federal and State Highways 10, 59 and 34 directly link the Twin Cities, Duluth and the Fargo/Moorhead area. School District #22 in Detroit Lakes serves over 3,200 students in 3,278 square mile area. The District includes five elementary schools, one junior high school, one senior high school, three parochial schools, and a technical college. Three major universities are located within 45 miles.

In 1990 the population of Becker County was 27,881. Detroit Lakes, with a population of 6,600 is the service center of the County. The Courthouse and law enforcement center are located there as well as the district headquarters for Mn/DOT and the Minnesota State Patrol. Extensive tourism accounts for the largest employment in the County.