Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the
state of
North Dakota
North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, ...
(after
Fargo and
Bismarck) and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
of
Grand Forks County. According to the
2020 census, the city's population was 59,166.
Grand Forks, along with its
twin city of
East Grand Forks, Minnesota, forms the center of the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is often called
Greater Grand Forks or the Grand Cities.
Located on the western banks of the north-flowing
Red River of the North, in a flat region known as the
Red River Valley,
the city is prone to flooding. The
Red River Flood of 1997
The Red River flood of 1997 was a major flood that occurred in April and May 1997 along the Red River of the North in Minnesota, North Dakota, and southern Manitoba. It was the most severe flood of the river since 1826. The flood reached through ...
devastated the city.
Originally called ''Les Grandes Fourches'' by French fur traders from Canada, who had long worked and lived in the region, steamboat captain
Alexander Griggs platted a community after being forced to winter there. The post office was established in 1870, and the town was incorporated on February 22, 1881.
The city was named for its location at the fork of the Red River and the
Red Lake River.
Initially dependent on local agriculture, the city's economy has since broadened to include a wide variety of industries, including higher education, defense, health care, manufacturing, food processing, and scientific research.
Grand Forks is served by
Grand Forks International Airport
Grand Forks International Airport is a public airport five miles (8 km) northwest of Grand Forks, in Grand Forks County, North Dakota, United States. GFK has no scheduled passenger flights out of the country but has an "international" t ...
and
Grand Forks Air Force Base. The city's
University of North Dakota is the oldest institution of higher education in the state.
The
Alerus Center and
Ralph Engelstad Arena
Ralph Engelstad Arena (REA), commonly called the Ralph, is an indoor arena located on the campus of the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota and serves as the home of UND men's ice hockey. The arena was built by controvers ...
host athletic and other events, while the
Empire Arts Center The Empire Arts Center is a non-profit, multi-purpose arts facility located in downtown Grand Forks, North Dakota United States. Renovated in 1998 due to damage from the 1997 Red River flood, the Empire is a circa 1919 movie house renovated into a ...
and
Chester Fritz Auditorium are the city's largest cultural venues.
History
Prior to settlement by Europeans, the area where the city developed, at the forks of the Red River and Red Lake River for thousands of years, had been an important meeting and trading point for
Native Americans. Early French explorers, fur
trappers, and traders called the area ''Les Grandes Fourches,'' meaning "The Grand Forks". By the 1740s, French fur trappers relied on ''Les Grandes Fourches'' as an important
trading post
A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded.
Typically the location of the trading post would allow people from one geographic area to tr ...
. This was French colonial territory.
The United States acquired the territory from British
Rupert's Land with the
Treaty of 1818
The Convention respecting fisheries, boundary and the restoration of slaves, also known as the London Convention, Anglo-American Convention of 1818, Convention of 1818, or simply the Treaty of 1818, is an international treaty signed in 1818 betw ...
, but indigenous tribes dominated the area until the late 19th century. After years of warfare, the United States made treaties to extinguish the land claims of the
Ojibwe
The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains.
According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...
and other Native American peoples. When a U.S. post office was established on the site on June 15, 1870, the name was changed to the English "Grand Forks".
Alexander Griggs, a steamboat captain, is regarded as "The Father of Grand Forks". Griggs' steamboat froze in the Red River on a voyage in late 1870, forcing the captain and his crew to spend the winter camping at Grand Forks. Griggs
plat
In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bea ...
ted a community in 1875, and Grand Forks was officially incorporated on February 22, 1881.
Thousands of settlers were attracted to the
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of N ...
in the 1870s and 1880s for its cheap land, and the population began to rise. Many established small family farms, but some investors bought thousands of acres for
bonanza farm
Bonanza farms were very large farms established in the western United States during the late nineteenth century. They conducted large-scale operations, mostly cultivating and harvesting wheat. Bonanza farms developed as a result of a number of fa ...
s, where they supervised the cultivation and harvesting of wheat as a commodity crop. The city grew quickly after the arrival of the
Great Northern Railway in 1880 and the
Northern Pacific Railway in 1887. In 1883, the
University of North Dakota was established, six years before North Dakota was admitted as an independent state born from the
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of N ...
.
During the first half of the 20th century, new residential neighborhoods were developed south and west of
downtown Grand Forks. In the 1920s, the
state-owned
State ownership, also called government ownership and public ownership, is the ownership of an industry, asset, or enterprise by the state or a public body representing a community, as opposed to an individual or private party. Public owne ...
North Dakota Mill and Elevator
The North Dakota Mill and Elevator is the largest flour mill in the United States. It is located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Established by the state government when it was led by Nonpartisan League representatives, it is the only ...
was constructed on the city's north side.
In 1954, Grand Forks was chosen as the site for an
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
base. Grand Forks Air Force Base brought thousands of new jobs and residents to the community. The military base and the University of North Dakota became integral to the city's economy. With construction of federal highways, during the postwar years residential and business development became suburbanized, spreading to new areas as land was available.
Interstate 29 was built on the western side of the city, and two enclosed shopping malls—
South Forks Plaza and
Columbia Mall—were built on the south side.
The Red River had a history of seasonal flooding, aggravated by the broad ancient lake bed that formed the
Red River Valley. The
1997 Red River flood caused extensive damage in the city. Fargo was upstream from the bulk of the flood waters that season, and
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...
had built an extensive system of flood control structures in the 1960s. In 1997, Grand Forks suffered the most damage of any major city in the Red River Valley. During the height of the flooding, a major fire destroyed 11 buildings in the downtown area. The government began developing a new
levee
A levee (), dike (American English), dyke (Commonwealth English), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is a structure that is usually earthen and that often runs parallel to the course of a river in its floodplain or along low-lying coastli ...
system to protect the city, which was completed 10 years later. It required the relocation of numerous residents, as some neighborhoods were emptied for this construction.
The floodplain bordering the Red River was later converted into a large park known as the
Greater Grand Forks Greenway. This provided new recreation space for city residents on both sides of the river, as well as space for future floodwaters to be absorbed naturally by trees and other plants, without damage to infrastructure.
New public and private developments have continued to expand Grand Forks's footprint since the 1997 flood. Two new, large sports venues opened in 2001: the
Alerus Center and the
Ralph Engelstad Arena
Ralph Engelstad Arena (REA), commonly called the Ralph, is an indoor arena located on the campus of the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota and serves as the home of UND men's ice hockey. The arena was built by controvers ...
.
Six years later, the
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...
-based
Canad Inns
Canad Inns is a chain of hotels headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Company overview
Canad Inns operates a total of 12 hotel properties in the province of Manitoba and one in the U.S. state of North Dakota. Canad Inns also operates r ...
hotel chain added a 13-story hotel and waterpark connected to the Alerus Center.
Grand Forks also surpassed pre-flood level population, area employment, and taxable sales in 2007.
Geography
Grand Forks is north of the
Fargo-Moorhead area and south of
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...
,
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
. Grand Forks is on the western bank of the
Red River of the North in an area known as the
Red River Valley. The term "forks" refers to the forking of the Red River with the
Red Lake River near downtown Grand Forks.
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Since it is in one of the flattest parts of the world, the city has few differences in elevation.
There are no lakes within the city limits of Grand Forks, but the meandering Red River and the English Coulee flow through the community and provide some break in the terrain.
The Red River Valley is the result of an ancient glacier carving its way south during the last ice age. Once the glacier receded, it formed a glacial lake called
Lake Agassiz
Lake Agassiz was a large glacial lake in central North America. Fed by glacial meltwater at the end of the last glacial period, its area was larger than all of the modern Great Lakes combined.
First postulated in 1823 by William H. Keating, i ...
. The valley is formed from the ancient lake bed. The ancient beaches can still be seen as rolling hills west of the city.
Cityscape
Grand Forks has several distinct neighborhoods. The area adjacent to the Red River developed first; this is where some of the oldest neighborhoods, including the downtown area, can be found. The area between downtown and the University of North Dakota campus was another early growth area, and historic properties can be found here, as well.
Downtown Grand Forks contains many recognized historic buildings. It is the governmental center of the city and county. It is also used as a gathering place for large community events and festivals. A farmer's market takes place every Saturday from mid-June to mid-September in the Town Square at the corner of 3rd Street S. and DeMers Avenue.
In 2006, city leaders and developers announced plans to convert older office buildings into high-end
condos
A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership structure whereby a building is divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned. The term can be applied to the building or complex ...
and
apartment
An apartment (American English), or flat (British English, Indian English, South African English), is a self-contained housing unit (a type of residential real estate) that occupies part of a building, generally on a single story. There are ma ...
s, and to construct new buildings for the same purpose to provide for residents downtown. Directly south of downtown, the streets of the
Near Southside Historic District are lined with classic houses.
Reeves Drive was once one of the city's most fashionable neighborhoods. It has many historic mansions exhibiting several unique architectural styles. This neighborhood has areas of original granitoid paving, several historic churches, and Lincoln Drive Park. The Near Southside neighborhood has been designated as a "national historic district" and is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.
The newer neighborhoods of Grand Forks developed in the city's southern and western parts. The 32nd Avenue South corridor has been the commercial center of the city since 1978, when the
Columbia Mall opened. Many
big box stores and restaurants are now along the avenue.
A large strip mall, called the Grand Forks Marketplace, opened in 2001 near the Columbia Mall.
University Village is a new commercial district built on vacant lands owned by the University of North Dakota.
The centerpiece of the Village is the Ralph Engelstad Arena, used by the university's
North Dakota men's ice hockey team. All the buildings in the village have been built in a style similar style to those on the nearby UND campus. Restaurants and retail stores, as well as the university bookstore, were developed in the area to stimulate community life. In 2006, the university opened a new wellness center for its students on the village's west side.
Climate
Due to its location in the
Great Plains
The Great Plains (french: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, a ...
and its distance from both mountains and oceans, Grand Forks has a
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
(
Köppen: Dfb),
USDA
Plant Hardiness Zone 4a.
It has four very distinct seasons and great variation in temperatures over very short periods of time. Its location in the flat Red River Valley makes the city susceptible to spring flooding from the Red River of the North, and year-round windy conditions.
As there are no nearby mountain ranges or bodies of water to ameliorate the climatic conditions, Grand Forks lies exposed to numerous weather systems, including bitterly cold Arctic high pressure systems. The city has long, cold, and snowy winters. Summers are often warm to hot and often quite humid with frequent thunderstorms. Although warm weather normally ends soon after
Labor Day, a few warm days sometimes occur as late as October. Spring and autumn are short and highly variable seasons. Record temperature extremes range from on January 11, 1912, to on July 12, 1936.
The daily mean temperatures of the Grand Forks winters are associated with subarctic climates with frequent subzero temperatures. Due to the extended warm period of daily means above from May to September, the city's climate is still classified within the humid continental temperature range.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, there were 52,838 people, 22,260 households, and 11,275 families in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was . There were 23,449 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.7%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 2.0%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 2.9%
Native American, 2.2%
Asian (0.72%
Bhutanese, 0.67%
Chinese, 0.4%
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
, 0.36%
Filipino), 0.7% from
other races, and 2.5% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.
There were 22,260 households, of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.3% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.87.
The median age in the city was 28.4 years. 18.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 24.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 21.7% were from 45 to 64; and 10.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.2% male and 48.8% female.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 49,321 people, 19,677 households, and 11,058 families residing in the city.
The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 2,563.0 per square mile (989.8/km
2). There were 20,838 housing units at an average density of 1,082.8 per square mile (418.2/km
2).
The city's racial makeup was 93.4%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.9%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 2.8%
Native American, 1.0%
Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.6% from
other races, and 1.4% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population. The top six ancestry groups were
Norwegian (36.4%), German (34.7%), Irish (10.6%), French (6.5%),
Polish (6.2%), English (6.1%).
There were 21.4% of the population under the age of 18, 22.9% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.
Of the 19,677 households, 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.8% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 3.0.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,194, and the median income for a family was $47,491. Males had a median income of $30,703 versus $21,573 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $18,395. About 9.3% of families and 14.6% 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 14.6% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The economy of Grand Forks is not dominated by any one industry or sector. While agriculture continues to play a role in the area's economy, the city of Grand Forks now has a relatively diverse economy that includes public and private employers in sectors such as education, defense, health care, manufacturing, and food processing.
The state and federal governments are two of the largest employers in the Grand Forks area. The University of North Dakota, in the heart of the city, is the largest employer in the metropolitan area.
Grand Forks Air Force Base, just west of the city, employs a large number of civilian workers in addition to its military personnel.
Altru Health System
Altru Health System is an American healthcare provider headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Altru is a nonprofit organization that serves a region with a population of roughly 225,000. It employs 3,500 people including a 160+ physician medi ...
is the largest private employer in Grand Forks.
Largest employers
According to the City's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:
Major manufacturers in Grand Forks include wind turbine manufacturer
LM Wind Fiber and light aircraft manufacturer
Cirrus Design
The Cirrus Design Corporation, doing business as Cirrus Aircraft (formally Cirrus Design), is an aircraft manufacturer that was founded in 1984 by Alan and Dale Klapmeier to produce the VK-30 kit aircraft. The company is owned by a subsidia ...
.
Major food producers include potato processor
J. R. Simplot Company and the
state-owned
State ownership, also called government ownership and public ownership, is the ownership of an industry, asset, or enterprise by the state or a public body representing a community, as opposed to an individual or private party. Public owne ...
North Dakota Mill and Elevator
The North Dakota Mill and Elevator is the largest flour mill in the United States. It is located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Established by the state government when it was led by Nonpartisan League representatives, it is the only ...
, the nation's largest flour mill.
Amazon.com and SEI Information Technologies
both operate call centers in Grand Forks. Other large private employers in the city include the locally owned
Alerus Financial branch of banks,
Home of Economy, and the locally owned
Hugo's chain of supermarkets.
The retail and service sector is also an important part of the economy. The historic center of shopping in Grand Forks was the
downtown area. Today, downtown is home to small shops, bars, and restaurants. The south end of Grand Forks has become another major retail district, with three large shopping centers.
The oldest,
Grand Cities Mall, is on South Washington Street and contains small, locally owned stores and two churches. With about 70 stores, the city's largest indoor mall is
Columbia Mall, which is anchored by
J.C. Penney and
Scheels
Scheels () is an American privately held, employee-owned and operated sporting goods and entertainment chain store headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota. Scheels operates thirty-three store locations in fifteen U.S. states. Its slogan is "Gear. Pa ...
. The newest major shopping center is the Grand Forks Marketplace
power center mall, which features
Best Buy
Best Buy Co. Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was rebra ...
,
Lowe's,
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
and several smaller stores. Due to its proximity to Canada, the Greater Grand Forks area attracts many shoppers from
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
.
Economic development
The city government is involved in the economic development process, helping firms grow and attracting new firms. A portion of sales tax revenues is set aside for this, some going into the Grand Forks Growth Fund. Companies can request low-interest loans or grants from this fund provided they meet certain criteria, such as paying a relatively high wage and doing most of their business outside the city's trade region. The city also contributes to the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation (EDC), a public-private organization that receives funding from banks and other major businesses. The EDC plays a consulting role for businesses, such as identifying suitable sites for expansion or assembling public funding packages. Its other key role is to vet businesses to see if they are suitable for funding by the Growth Fund.
Community leaders have long seen UND as an "economic engine" for the city. Besides its regular faculty, it also has business-like components such as the
Energy and Environmental Research Center. UND hosts a technology incubator called the Center for Innovation. More recently, the University has been working to commercialize its research. A major thrust in that direction is the construction of a research park on the western fringes of the campus.
Another potential economic opportunity for the city is the addition of the
unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controll ...
(UAV) mission to
Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Culture
Arts and theatre
Due at least in part to the presence of the
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks offers a variety of arts and cultural events.
The
North Dakota Museum of Art, on the UND campus, brings many nationally touring exhibits to Grand Forks as well as the work of regional artists.
In addition to the Museum of Art, UND offers other gallery space for student art. UND also has Theater Arts and Music departments.
Students stage theater productions each year at the Burtness Theater on campus.
UND's
Chester Fritz Auditorium also brings music and theater events to Grand Forks, including national touring companies of
Broadway musicals.
The Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra has been performing since 1905 and the Grand Forks Master Chorale was formed in 1983.
Both groups stage productions each year at various locations in the community. The North Dakota Ballet Company is headquartered in Grand Forks and often performs at the Chester Fritz Auditorium. The Grand Forks City Band was formed in 1886 and still stages shows year round.
The Empire Arts Center, in
downtown Grand Forks, is home to several cultural events throughout the year. The Empire, a 1919 movie theater, was restored after the
Flood of 1997 and now includes performance space, a large movie screen, a gallery, and space for artists.
The Fire Hall Theatre, also downtown, is used by community members to put on several theater productions each year.
The
Summer Performing Arts Company (SPA) is a popular summer arts program for area K–12 students. SPA stages three major musicals mid-July. The Myra Museum, on Belmont Road near the
Greater Grand Forks Greenway, is a small history museum with exhibits that trace local history from the Ice Age, through settlement, and into the modern age. Other buildings on the Myra Museum grounds include the original 1868 Grand Forks Post Office, a 1917 one room school, and the historic Campbell House.
Sports
College sports
College athletics encompasses non- professional, collegiate and university-level competitive sports and games.
World University Games
The first World University Games were held in 1923. There were originally called the ''Union Nationale de ...
are popular in Grand Forks, with an intense following for the
University of North Dakota.
The
UND men's ice hockey team competes in the
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
Division I level and has been the
Frozen Four championship team eight times and the runner-up five times. The
UND football team was the 2001
NCAA Division II champion and the 2003 runner-up. In 2006, the university announced that it would be moving its entire athletic program to Division I.
Grand Forks is home to two major indoor athletic arenas. The city-owned
Alerus Center opened in 2001.
The Alerus Center is home to the
University of North Dakota football team and also plays host to a variety of other events including major concerts. The Alerus Center is the largest arena and convention center complex in the upper Midwest area. The
University of North Dakota hockey teams compete in the
Ralph Engelstad Arena
Ralph Engelstad Arena (REA), commonly called the Ralph, is an indoor arena located on the campus of the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota and serves as the home of UND men's ice hockey. The arena was built by controvers ...
, in the
University Village district of the UND campus. "The Ralph", as it is commonly called, was funded by UND benefactor
Ralph Engelstad and opened in 2001 at a cost of over .
Adjacent to the Ralph Engelstad Arena is the smaller
Betty Engelstad Sioux Center
The Betty Engelstad Sioux Center (The Betty) is an indoor arena located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It is adjacent to the larger $100 million Ralph Engelstad Arena in the University Village development.
The facility sits on the campus of the ...
. "The Betty" is the home of the
University of North Dakota basketball and volleyball teams.
Recreation
The
Grand Forks Park District
The Grand Forks Park District is a government agency of Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Park District was founded in 1905 and levies its own taxes separately from local government. The Park District was founded in 1905.
Description
The parks in ...
, established in 1905, operates 14 neighborhood parks, 28
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cov ...
courts, 2 swimming pools, and 3 splash parks. The parks include features such as playgrounds, baseball fields, softball fields, soccer fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, and picnic areas. Sertoma Park includes a
Japanese garden
are traditional gardens whose designs are accompanied by Japanese aesthetics and philosophical ideas, avoid artificial ornamentation, and highlight the natural landscape. Plants and worn, aged materials are generally used by Japanese garden des ...
. The Park District also operates eleven outdoor skating rinks and indoor ice arenas: Purpur Arena, Eagles Arena, Blueline Club Arena, and Gambucci Arena. The district also owns the Choice Health & Fitness.
There are several
golf course
A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". ...
s in the city and the surrounding area. The Park District operates the 18-hole,
Arnold Palmer-designed, links style King's Walk Golf Course and the historic, 9-hole Lincoln Golf Course. The
University of North Dakota operated the 9-hole Ray Richards Golf Course. However were forced to sell the course in 2016 leaving it abandoned. The 18-hole Grand Forks Country Club is directly south of the city. There are also golf courses in nearby
East Grand Forks, Minnesota and
Manvel, North Dakota.
The
Greater Grand Forks Greenway is a large park that runs the length of the
Red River in the city. It includes an extensive path system, large festival grounds, ski trails, and wildflower gardens. Including the Greenway, the
Andrew Hampsten
Andrew Hampsten (born April 7, 1962) is an American former professional road bicycle racer who won the 1988 Giro d'Italia and the Alpe d'Huez stage of the 1992 Tour de France. Between 1986–1994 he finished in the Top 10 of eight Grand Tours. ...
Bikeway System in Grand Forks is over long. These paths are in The Greenway, next to major streets, and on the banks of the English Coulee. There are also two pedestrian/bicycle bridges that span the Red River, connecting Grand Forks' and East Grand Forks' paths.
University Park is one of the parks with an adjacent school,
West Elementary School (1949), which was deliberately sited there to help serve the students' recreational and exercise needs.
[ 36 pages including 14 photos (pages 34-69 of 211 page PDF).]
Government
Grand Forks has a
mayor-council government. The mayor, who is elected every four years, oversees the administration of city government and works directly with department heads to ensure the proper provision of services. The mayor of Grand Forks is former
NHL hockey player and real estate developer
Brandon Bochenski. Bochenski defeated Michael Brown in the June 9, 2020, mayoral election. Brown served as mayor from 2000 to 2020.
The city is divided into seven wards, with each ward electing a council member to a four-year term. The council meets twice a month and its two main committees, the Finance/Development Committee and Service/Safety Committee, each meet twice a month. All these meetings are broadcast on a local cable channel.
Education
Higher education
The
University of North Dakota (UND), the state's oldest university and home to its only schools of medicine and law, is at Grand Forks. UND is known for its John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, which includes an Air Traffic Control Training program that in October 2009 the FAA ranked No.1 in the nation for the second consecutive year. UND and
North Dakota State University make up the
Red River Valley Research Corridor.
Northland Community and Technical College
Northland Community & Technical College (Northland) is a public community college with campuses in Thief River Falls and East Grand Forks, Minnesota. Northland also has an aerospace site in Thief River Falls and a satellite site in Roseau, Minnes ...
, a two-year school, is across the Red River in
East Grand Forks. The
University of Minnesota Crookston
The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMN Crookston) is a public college in Crookston, Minnesota. One of five campuses in the University of Minnesota system, UMN Crookston had a fall 2022 enrollment of 1,489 undergraduate students. Students come ...
is in nearby
Crookston, Minnesota
Crookston is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Polk County. The population was 7,482 at the 2020 census. It is part of the "Grand Forks, ND- MN Metropolitan Statistical Area" or "Greater Grand Forks".
Crookst ...
.
Primary and secondary schools
The
Grand Forks Public Schools system includes the Grand Forks and
Grand Forks Air Force Base school districts. Enrollment is about 7,400. There is one singular
Head Start program, ten
elementary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...
s, a combined elementary and middle school (Twining), three
middle school
A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...
s (Schroeder, South, and Valley), two
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
s (
Central High and
Red River High), an
alternative high school, and an adult education program. Grand Forks Public Schools is governed by a nine-member board of elected representatives, separate from the city and county governments.
There are several primary schools that are not part of the public school system, including the state-operated North Dakota School for the Blind. There are two
Catholic schools offering classes from kindergarten through sixth grade. The only private high school in the metropolitan area is
Sacred Heart High School, a Catholic school, in East Grand Forks. There is a non-denominational Christian elementary and middle school in East Grand Forks.
Six of the city's Mid-Century Modern-style schools were listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 2020 for their architecture.
[ 33 pages including six photos (pages 1-33 of 211 page PDF).]
Media
The ''
Grand Forks Herald'' is the major daily newspaper serving Grand Forks and the second most widely circulated newspaper in
North Dakota
North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, ...
with a daily circulation of around 31,000. ''The Exponent'' is a weekly newspaper published in
East Grand Forks, Minnesota. The
University of North Dakota also has its own student-published newspaper called ''
The Dakota Student'', which is published twice weekly during the school year.
The major
AM radio station in Grand Forks is
KNOX 1310, which is a
news and talk station, also heard at 107.9
FM. Nonprofit
KWTL
KWTL (1370 AM) is a radio station licensed to Grand Forks, North Dakota which airs Catholic talk radio programming. It is the flagship station for Real Presence Radio, and also airs Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) National radio progra ...
1370 AM broadcasts
Catholic programming, also heard at 92.5 FM. Other
commercial AM radio stations include
sports station KKXL-AM 1440;
classic rock
Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prim ...
station
KGFK 1590, also heard at 95.7 FM; and
news/talk KROX 1260, also heard at 92.1 FM. The city's
FM stations include
NPR affiliates
KUND-FM
KUND-FM (89.3 FM) is a radio station licensed to Grand Forks, North Dakota. It airs a format consisting of jazz, classical music and news and talk programming. KUND-FM and sister station KFJM share their coverage area with Minnesota Public Rad ...
89.3,
KFJM
KFJM (90.7 FM) is a public radio station in Grand Forks, North Dakota airing an adult album alternative format with news in the mornings, jazz in the late evenings and blues and folk on the weekends. It carries programs from NPR and Public Rad ...
90.7,
KQMN 91.5, and
KNTN 102.7. Other nonprofit FM stations include
K-Love's
K237ER 95.3; and
3ABN's
KOBT-LP 101.3.
Commercial FM stations include
active rock station
KJKJ
KJKJ (107.5 FM, "KJ108") is an American commercial Mainstream Rock radio station serving Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States. It first began broadcasting in 1985. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and the station's broadc ...
107.5;
top 40/CHR stations
KKXL-FM
KKXL-FM (92.9 MHz, "XL93") is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format serving the Grand Forks, North Dakota area. It first began broadcasting in the 1970s as KKDQ. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. (formerly Clea ...
92.9 and
KZGF 94.7;
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
stations
KSNR 100.3 and
KYCK 97.1;
adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
station
KZLT-FM 104.3;
contemporary Christian music station
KKEQ (K285BG) 104.9, and
classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes songs from the top 40 music charts from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, with music from the 1980s serving as the core of the format. Music that was popularized by MTV in the early 198 ...
station
KQHT
KQHT (96.1 FM, "96.1 The Fox") is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format serving Grand Forks, North Dakota, that's licensed to Crookston, Minnesota. It began broadcasting in 1985. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. KQHT p ...
96.1.
Grand Forks is part of the Fargo
television market, covering eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. Major television affiliates include
WDAZ-TV (ABC),
K30LR-D (CBS),
KBRR-TV (FOX) and
KVLY-TV (NBC).
Infrastructure
Transportation
Public transit
The city maintains a bus system,
Cities Area Transit (CAT). It has operated since 1926, when it was introduced to replace an earlier
trolley system. There are 12 bus routes, including night service and service in
East Grand Forks.
Rail
The
BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...
runs track in several directions in and around the city.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada. ...
passenger service on the ''
Empire Builder'' line heads westbound daily at and eastbound daily at . The ''Empire Builder'' stops at the
Grand Forks Amtrak station.
Air
Grand Forks International Airport
Grand Forks International Airport is a public airport five miles (8 km) northwest of Grand Forks, in Grand Forks County, North Dakota, United States. GFK has no scheduled passenger flights out of the country but has an "international" t ...
(GFK, KGFK) is served by
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline, along ...
with several daily round trips to
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and by
Allegiant Air, which operates flights a few times a week to
Mesa, Arizona (Phoenix-Gateway),
Sanford, Florida (Orlando-Sanford), and
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
. A passenger terminal completed in 2011 allows more passengers to come through the airport, improves circulation, has a baggage claim and addresses security and safety concerns. The airport was a major distribution center for
FedEx
FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. The name "Fe ...
, which conducts flights daily within the state and northern Minnesota, until FedEx moved its flight operations to Fargo in 2016. The airport is one of the busiest in the country, due in large measure to the presence of UND's
John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences
The John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (UND Aerospace) is a multidisciplinary college within the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school was formed in 1968. The majority of the school's fleet of over 120 ...
.
Streets and roads
Within the city, roads that run north to south are generally called "streets" and roads that run east to west are generally called "avenues". Streets are numbered in blocks west of the
Red River. Avenues are numbered in blocks north or south of DeMers Avenue, the city's historic dividing route next to the railyards.
Three federal highways pass through Grand Forks:
U.S. Route 2,
Interstate 29, and
U.S. Highway 81. U.S. Highway 2, known as Gateway Drive in the city, runs east to west through the northern part of town and is a four-lane highway. The highway is the primary connection between Grand Forks,
East Grand Forks, the
Grand Forks Air Force Base,
Grand Forks International Airport
Grand Forks International Airport is a public airport five miles (8 km) northwest of Grand Forks, in Grand Forks County, North Dakota, United States. GFK has no scheduled passenger flights out of the country but has an "international" t ...
, and
Crookston, Minnesota
Crookston is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Polk County. The population was 7,482 at the 2020 census. It is part of the "Grand Forks, ND- MN Metropolitan Statistical Area" or "Greater Grand Forks".
Crookst ...
. Interstate 29 runs north to south along the western part of the city, officially multiplexed with U.S. Highway 81 in the Grand Forks area. The U.S. Highway 81 business route, Washington Street and 32nd Avenue, runs through many of the city's major commercial districts.
Healthcare
With over 4,100 employees and nearly 300 physicians and advanced practice providers (nurse practitioners and physician assistants),
Altru Health System
Altru Health System is an American healthcare provider headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Altru is a nonprofit organization that serves a region with a population of roughly 225,000. It employs 3,500 people including a 160+ physician medi ...
is the main provider of health care in Greater Grand Forks and the surrounding region. Serving more than 220,000 residents in northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, Altru provides an array of services. As the first member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, Altru's providers have access to clinically integrated tools extending Mayo Clinic's knowledge and expertise to patients. Altru is also Grand Forks's largest private employer.
Offering all private patient rooms, Altru's Columbia Road Campus includes Altru Hospital (257 beds), Altru Rehabilitation Center (20 beds) and multiple clinics. Altru's South Washington Medical Park features Altru Specialty Center (45 beds), Altru Professional Center and Yorhom Medical Essentials.
The Sanny and Jerry Ryan Center for Prevention and Genetics, housed in Choice Health & Fitness, encourages people to consider preventive measures before it becomes medically necessary to seek care. It is the first of its kind in the region. Truyu Aesthetic Center, with locations in Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and across the region, offers surgical and non-surgical procedures, services and products under Altru's support. Altru is the result of a 1997 merger of United Hospital (formerly Deaconess and St. Michael's Hospitals) and the Grand Forks Clinic.
Grand Forks is also home to several long-term care facilities, serving many of the area's elderly: Th
Valley Memorial HomesSt. Anne'sEdgewood Parkwood Place an
Maple View Memory Care
Notable people
Sister cities
Grand Forks
sister cities:
*
Dickinson,
North Dakota
North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, ...
, US
*
Sarpsborg
Sarpsborg ( or ), historically Borg, is a city and municipality in Viken county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg.
Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neig ...
, Norway
*
Awano,
Tochigi, Japan (defunct)
*
Ishim,
Tyumen Oblast, Russia (inactive)
Grand Forks has an active
sister city
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
program designed to encourage cultural and economic exchanges. Its first sister city was
Ishim in the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
. That relationship formally began in 1984 during the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...
. Sometime in the late 1990s, political and economic turmoil in Russia ended the relationship.
While the relationship with Ishim faded, Grand Forks found a new sister in
Awano, Japan. An informal relationship began in 1994 when the school districts of both cities began exchanging students. In 1998, the two formally proclaimed themselves sister cities. The best publicly available testament to the relationship between the two is a Japanese rock garden in Grand Forks's Sertoma Park and a sculpture of an
American bison
The American bison (''Bison bison'') is a species of bison native to North America. Sometimes colloquially referred to as American buffalo or simply buffalo (a different clade of bovine), it is one of two extant species of bison, alongside the ...
in an Awano park. The annexation of Awano by the larger city of
Kanuma led to the end of the sister city relationship, but Kanuma and Grand Forks continue to partner in a yearly educational exchange of high school students. Grand Forks's relationship with
Dickinson, North Dakota
Dickinson is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 25,679 at the 2020 census. Dickinson is home to the Ukrainian Cultural Institute, which has a museum and holds events year round for th ...
, began in 2002, when delegations from each city visited the other. Grand Forks Mayor
Michael Brown said he thought having friends in western North Dakota, which typically has diverging interests from eastern cities, could help at the state legislature.
Sarpsborg
Sarpsborg ( or ), historically Borg, is a city and municipality in Viken county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg.
Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neig ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...
, became a sister city in 2005 after several exchanges among leaders from both cities. The city became interested in building a relationship with Sarpsborg because many Grand Forks residents have Norwegian heritage.
References
Further reading
* Tweton, Jerome D. (1986, reprinted 2005). ''Grand Forks, A Pictorial History'', Norfolk, Virginia: The Donning Company.
* Bladow, Eldon (Ed., 1974). ''They Came To Stay'', Grand Forks, North Dakota: Grand Forks Centennial Corporations.
* Jacobs, Mike (Ed., 1997). ''Come Hell and High Water'', Grand Forks, North Dakota:
Knight-Ridder
Knight Ridder was an American media company, specializing in newspaper and Internet publishing. Until it was bought by McClatchy on June 27, 2006, it was the second largest newspaper publisher in the United States, with 32 daily newspaper b ...
.
External links
City of Grand Forks official website''Grand Forks Herald'' websiteGrand Forks Convention and Visitors Bureau websiteGrand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation (EDC)City of Grand Forks, North Dakota (1952)from th
Digital Horizons website*
Historic Grand Forks : a walking tour guide (1986)from th
Digital Horizons websiteThe Future of Grand Forks : shaping the space we live in (1975)from th
Digital Horizons websiteThey came to stay : Grand Forks, North Dakota Centennial 1874–1974from th
Digital Horizons website
{{Authority control
Populated places established in 1870
Cities in Grand Forks County, North Dakota
Greater Grand Forks
Cities in North Dakota
County seats in North Dakota
Hudson's Bay Company trading posts
1870 establishments in Dakota Territory