Faribault ( ) is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Rice County, Minnesota Rice County is a county located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,097. Its county seat is Faribault. Rice County comprises the ''Faribault- Northfield, MN Micropolitan ...

, United States. The population was 24,453 at the 2020 census. Faribault is approximately south of

Minneapolis–Saint Paul Minneapolis–Saint Paul is a metropolitan area in the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States centered around the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi, Minnesota River, Minnesota, and St. Croix River (Wisconsin–Minnesota), ...

Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican bo ...

and Minnesota State Highways 3, 21, and 60 are the principal highways serving the city. Faribault is situated at the confluence of the

Cannon A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during th ...

and

Straight Straight may refer to: Slang * Straight, slang for heterosexual ** Straight-acting, normal person * Straight, a member of the straight edge subculture Sport and games * Straight, an alternative name for the cross, a type of punch in boxing * Str ...

Rivers in southern Minnesota.

History

Faribault is regarded as one of the most historic communities in

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, with settlement and commercial activity predating Minnesota's establishment as a U.S. Territory. Until 1745, the area was primarily occupied by the Wahpekute band of Dakotah. Shortly thereafter, the tribe was driven south after several clashes with the

Ojibwe The Ojibwe (; Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics, syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains, n ...

over territory. The city's namesake,

Alexander Faribault Alexander Faribault (June 22, 1806 – November 28, 1882) was an American trading post operator and territorial legislator who helped to found Faribault, Minnesota, and was its first postmaster. Born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, Prairie ...

, was the son of Jean-Baptiste Faribault, a French-Canadian fur trader, and Elizabeth Pelagie Kinzie Haines, a Dakotah woman. He is credited with fueling most of the early settlement in the area, beginning in 1826, when he established a fur trading post on the banks of the Cannon River. By 1834, the trading post had grown in popularity and was relocated to the Straight River, one mile (1.6 km) upstream of its junction with the Cannon River, the site of modern-day Faribault. The young Alexander Faribault used his knowledge of

Dakota language The Dakota language ( or ), also referred to as Dakhóta, is a Siouan language spoken by the Dakota people of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, commonly known in English as the Sioux. Dakota is closely related to and mutually intelligible with the Lak ...

and culture to improve relations with the displaced Wahpekute and even helped the tribe to resettle in the area. This relationship was instrumental in ensuring the success of the trading post and allowing safe travel to the area for settlers. The Dakota in the area called this soon-to-be town "Adek" for Alex (Alexander Faribault). Another source maintains the city is named for Jean-Baptiste Faribault. The Alexander Faribault House was built in 1853 by Alexander Faribault at a cost of $4,000, equal to $ today. It is considered the oldest frame structure in the area, and still stands in its original location near the southern edge of Faribault's historic downtown district. The years following the construction of this first building brought unprecedented growth, development, and economic prosperity to the young settlement. Spurred by the completion of the area's first steam-powered sawmill in early 1854, the next year took Faribault from a sleepy settlement of 20 buildings to a bustling town with more than 250. Historians attribute Faribault's impressive growth during this period to a number of important milestones in 1855 and 1856, including the creation of roads connecting to other settlements and trading posts in

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

and

Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Minnesota and the w ...

, the availability of mail service, and the construction of schools and churches. The City of Faribault was platted in 1855 and granted a home-rule charter in 1872.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of ; is land and is water. The confluence of the Straight River and the Cannon River is located within city limits. Sakatah Lake State Park and Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park are nearby. Interstate Highway 35 runs along the western edge of the city. The city is served by two full interchanges and one partial interchange. Before I-35's completion, traffic was routed through town, generating significant sales revenue to the retailers that had a major highway running past their doors. In approximately 1975, the last portions of I-35 were completed and through traffic started to bypass Faribault. On that same corridor through town, the White Sands Swimming Pool (''"Minnesota's Largest Outdoor Swimming Pool"'') operated from 1964 to 1977. This swimming area is now the White Sands Dog Park, as well as the trailhead for the Sakatah Singing Hills Trail, which runs to Mankato. The Mill Towns Trail is planned to run to Northfield. The site includes parking, restrooms and a shelter.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2020, there were 24,453 people and 8,853 households living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . The racial makeup of the city was 70.9%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 14.8%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.9% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.2%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, and 5.4% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 14.5% of the population.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 23,352 people, 8,317 households, and 5,208 families living in the city. The

was . There were 8,946 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 82.6%

, 7.6%

, 0.9% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.1%

, 4.4% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 13.0% of the population. There were 8,317 households, of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.4% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age in the city was 35.4 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.5% were from 25 to 44; 23.8% were from 45 to 64; and 13.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 54.1% male and 45.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 20,818 people, 7,472 households, and 4,946 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 7,668 housing units at an average density of . The ethnic/racial makeup of the city was 89.87%

, 2.69%

, 0.67% Native American, 1.83% Asian, 0.06%

, 3.33% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 8.90% of the population. There were 7,472 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were

living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.10. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $40,865, and the median income for a family was $49,662. Males had a median income of $32,404 versus $24,046 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $18,610. About 5.8% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Faribault has the usual gamut of small-town retail and service shops. Employers also include an assortment of light manufacturing offerings. The main street, Central Avenue, is seeing a renaissance of redevelopment with most of the historic commercial block listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many buildings are being restored to their original appearance. Among them is the Paradise Center for the Arts, a multipurpose art center that is the result of a merger between the Faribault Art Center and the Faribault Area Community Theatre. Two longtime Faribault retailing/shopping institutions closed: the oldest, a longtime Central Avenue fixture, Jim & Joe's Clothiers closed after 125+ years of service due to a number of related factors. The other, Minnick's Food Market, was Faribault's last

mom-and-pop Small businesses are types of corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships which have a small number of employees and/or less annual revenue than a regular-sized business or corporation. Businesses are defined as "small" in terms of being ...

grocery store and closed after 60+ years of operation in late 2006. Herbert Sellner, a woodworker and maker of water slides, invented the

Tilt-A-Whirl Tilt-A-Whirl is a flat ride designed for commercial use at amusement parks, fairs, and carnivals. The ride consists of a number of cars which rotate freely while moving in a circle. As the cars revolve, the floor of the ride undulates so that th ...

in 1926 at his Faribault home. Over the next year, the first 14 Tilt-A-Whirls were built in Sellner's basement and yard. In 1927, Sellner Manufacturing opened its factory in Faribault, and the ride debuted that year at the

Minnesota State Fair The Minnesota State Fair is the state fair of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Also known by its slogan, "The Great Minnesota Get-Together", it is the largest state fair in the United States by average daily attendance and the second-largest state f ...

. Founded in 1865, the Faribault Woolen Mills stayed in continuous operation until 2009. Reopened in 2011, it is one of few remaining vertical woolen mills in the United States, taking raw wool and producing finished goods.

SAGE Electrochromics SAGE Electrochromics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, is a specialized window glass developer based in Faribault, Minnesota. The company develops electronically tintable smart glass (also called electrochromic glass, EC, or dy ...

, a specialized window glass developer and wholly owned subsidiary of

Saint-Gobain Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. () is a French multinational corporation, founded in 1665 in Paris as the Manufacture royale de glaces de miroirs, and today headquartered on the outskirts of Paris, at La Défense and in Courbevoie. Originally a ...

, is based in Faribault.

Politics

Faribault is in

Minnesota's 1st congressional district Minnesota's 1st congressional district spans southern Minnesota from the border with South Dakota to the border with Wisconsin. It is a primarily rural district built on a strong history of agriculture, though this is changing rapidly due to pop ...

, represented by

Brad Finstad Bradley Howard Finstad (born May 30, 1976) is an American politician, farmer, and agricultural consultant serving as the U.S. representative for since 2022. Finstad represents a large section of southern Minnesota situated along the border with ...

, a Republican. On the state level, Faribault is in District 19, represented by Republican Representative Brian Daniels, and Republican State Senator John Jasinski.

Notable institutions

Education

The

Faribault Public Schools The Faribault Public Schools comprise the public elementary and secondary schools and other educational facilities in and near the city of Faribault, Minnesota, United States. The school district, ISD #656, includes the city and surrounding rur ...

, a school district which covers the entire municipality, operate an early childhood center, four elementary schools (one of which is a

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

), a middle school, Faribault High School, the Area Learning Center, and Faribault Education Center, which offers adult education. Students come from Faribault and surrounding communities and rural areas. The Cannon River STEM School, a K-8 charter school, operated from 2009 until its closure in 2025. The Minnesota State Academies for the Deaf and for the Blind, including the State Library for the Blind, are in southeastern Faribault, above the Straight River. Noyes Hall, a neoclassical building on the campus of Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf, is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The building is named for Jonathon L. Noyes, the school's longtime administrator.

Shattuck-Saint Mary's Shattuck-St. Mary's (also known as Shattuck-St. Mary's School, Shattuck, or simply SSM) is a coeducational Episcopal-affiliated boarding school in the city of Faribault, Minnesota. History Established in 1858 as an Episcopal mission scho ...

is a coeducational college preparatory boarding school especially noted for its Centers of Excellence program in hockey, winning numerous youth national championships and producing several NHL and Olympic team players. South Central Community College (a Minnesota State College and University System institution) has a campus in Faribault.

Other institutions

The Thomas Scott Buckham Memorial Library is the city library. The Minnesota Correctional Facility - Faribault is a state prison on the campus of a former mental hospital (aka "The State Schools"). The River Bend Nature Center is a nonprofit nature center in Faribault's southeast corner. The Rice County Historical Society is in Faribault.

Media

The major daily newspaper in the area is the '' Faribault Daily News''.

Radio

FM

* 95.9 FM,

KQCL KQCL (95.9 FM, "Classic Rock Power 96") is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock music format. Licensed to Faribault, Minnesota, United States, the station is currently owned by Townsquare Media. History The station was assigned the call ...

, classic rock * 107.5 FM,

KBGY Logo with former format KBGY (107.5 FM "Bob FM") is a commercial radio station licensed to Faribault, Minnesota, with a signal that reaches Mankato, Rochester and the southern suburbs of the Twin Cities. It simulcasts a classic country radio ...

, classic country

AM

* 920, KDHL, classic country

Notable people

* Howard Bachrach (1920–2008), virologist and

foot-and-mouth disease Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or hoof-and-mouth disease (HMD) is an infectious disease, infectious and sometimes fatal virus (biology), viral disease that primarily affects even-toed ungulates, including domestic and wild Bovidae, bovids. The vir ...

researcher *

George Ballis George "Elfie" Ballis (August 12, 1925 – September 24, 2010) was an American photographer and activist who advocated on behalf of migrant farm workers in California, and took tens of thousands of photographs documenting the efforts of César ...

(1925–2010), photographer and activist whose photos documented the efforts of

César Chávez Cesario Estrada Chavez (; ; March 31, 1927 – April 23, 1993) was an American labor leader and civil rights activist. Along with Dolores Huerta and lesser known Gilbert Padilla, he co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), ...

and formation of

United Farm Workers The United Farm Workers of America, or more commonly just United Farm Workers (UFW), is a labor union for farmworkers in the United States. It originated from the merger of two workers' rights organizations, the National Farm Workers Associatio ...

Brown, Emma
"George 'Elfie' Ballis, 85, who photographed struggle of Cesar Chávez and migrant farmworkers, dies"
''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'', September 27, 2010. Accessed September 29, 2010. * Orville E. Birnstihl (1917–2015), Minnesota state representative, businessman, and farmer * Deming Bronson (1894–1957),

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient * Stephen Chatman, Canadian composer, born in Faribault in 1950 *

Richard Cross Richard Cross is the name of: Politicians *Richard Cross (died c. 1438), MP for Reading (UK Parliament constituency) *R. A. Cross, 1st Viscount Cross (1823–1914), British statesman and Conservative politician Others *Richard Cross (actor) (fl. ...

, operatic bass-baritone * Mark Dusbabek, NFL player * Patrick Eaves,

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

player for

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

; born in

Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

but grew up in Faribault * David Wallace Illsley (1864–1951), Minnesota state legislator and farmer * Marsha Johnson Luknic (1943–1992), Minnesota state legislator and businesswoman * Tom Lieb (1899–1962), Olympic track and field athlete, All-American college football player and multi-sport coach * Mike Mason (1958–), former pitcher for the Texas Rangers * Diana E. Murphy (1934–2018), United States judge *

Jake Petricka Jacob Steven Petricka (born June 5, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and Los Angeles Angels. Career Chicago White ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

pitcher * Roy W. Ranum, Minnesota state senator *

Bruce Smith Bruce Bernard Smith (born June 18, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for 19 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Vir ...

, 1941

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...

winner * Ursula Batchelder Stone (1900–1985), professor, civic leader in Chicago * Elizabeth Strohfus, aviator * Arnin O. Sundet (1904–1980), businessman and Minnesota state legislator * Wendy Shon, member of South Korean group Red Velvet, lived in Faribault from 2007 to 2010 * Charles H. Whipple, US Army brigadier general * Henry Benjamin Whipple, first Episcopal bishop of Minnesota * Kuoth Wiel (1990–), South-Sudanese-American model and actress * Raphael Louis Zengel, Faribault-born winner of

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

for actions performed with

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF; French: ''Corps expéditionnaire canadien'') was the expeditionary warfare, expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed on August 15, 1914, following United Kingdom declarat ...

during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

References

External links

City of Faribault, MN – Official WebsiteFaribault Area Chamber of Commerce siteFaribault Tourism Department – Visitor Information WebsiteFaribault Public SchoolsRice County Historical Society

Additional historical resources

{{Authority control Cities in Minnesota Cities in Rice County, Minnesota County seats in Minnesota Populated places established in 1826 1826 establishments in Michigan Territory

History

Geography

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

2000 census

Economy

Politics

Notable institutions

Education

Other institutions

Media

Radio

FM

AM

Notable people

See also

References

External links

Additional historical resources