Brainerd is a city in

Crow Wing County, Minnesota Crow Wing County is a county in the East Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 66,123. Its county seat is Brainerd. The county was formed in 1857, and was organized in 1870. Crow Wing County i ...

, United States. Its population was 14,395 at the 2020 census. It is 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 st ...

of Crow Wing County. Brainerd straddles the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

several miles upstream from its confluence with the

Crow Wing River The Crow Wing River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed November 29, 2012 tributary of the Mississippi River in Minnesota, United States. The river rises at an elevation ...

, having been founded as a site for a railroad crossing above the confluence. Brainerd is the principal city of the Brainerd Micropolitan Area, a micropolitan area covering

Cass Cass may refer to: People and fictional characters * Cass (surname), a list of people * Cass (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Big Cass, ring name of wrestler William Morrissey * Cass, in British band Skunk Anansie * Ca ...

and Crow Wing counties and with a combined population of 96,189 at the 2020 census. The city is well known for being the partial setting of the 1996 film '' Fargo''.

History

The area that is now Brainerd was formerly

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 ...

territory. Brainerd was first seen by European settlers on Christmas Day in 1805, when Zebulon Pike stopped there while searching for the

headwaters The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source. Definition The ...

of the

. Crow Wing Village, a fur and logging community near Fort Ripley, brought settlers to the area in the mid-19th century. In those early years, the relationship between the settlers and the Native Americans was fraught. The most famous example of this tenuous relationship was the "Blueberry War" of 1872. Two Ojibwe were hanged for allegedly murdering a missing girl. When a group of Ojibwe approached the town, troops from Fort Ripley were called to prevent a potential reprisal. As it turned out, the Ojibwe only wanted to sell blueberries and the settlers avoided a bloody misunderstanding. The guilt of the two Ojibwe was never proven. Brainerd was the idea of

Northern Pacific Northern Pacific may refer to: * Northern Pacific Airways, an upcoming airline * Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference, an NCAA Division I conference * Northern Pacific Hockey League, an American Tier III junior ice hockey league * Northern Pac ...

railroad president John Gregory Smith, who in 1870 named the

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, C ...

after his wife, Anne Eliza Brainerd Smith, and father-in-law, Lawrence Brainerd. The company built a bridge over the Mississippi seven miles north of Crow Wing Village and used the Brainerd station as a machine and car shop, prompting many to move north and abandon Crow Wing. Brainerd was organized as a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

on March 6, 1873. On January 11, 1876, the state legislature revoked Brainerd's charter for six years, in reaction to the election of local handyman Thomas Lanihan as mayor instead of Judge C.B. Sleeper. Brainerd functioned as a township in the interim. In 1881, the railroad, and with it the town, expanded. Lumber and paper, as well as agriculture in general, were important early industries, but for many decades Brainerd remained a railroad town: in the 1920s roughly 90% of Brainerd residents were dependent on the railroad. Participation in the nationwide railroad strike on July 1, 1922, left most Brainerd residents unemployed and embittered many of those involved. On October 27, 1933, the First National Bank of Brainerd became briefly famous when it was held up by

Baby Face Nelson Lester Joseph Gillis (December 6, 1908 – November 27, 1934), also known as George Nelson and Baby Face Nelson, was an American bank robber who became a criminal partner of John Dillinger, when he helped Dillinger escape from prison, in Crown P ...

and his gang. Over the years, increased efficiency and the better positioning of the more centralized Livingston,

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...

, shops led to a decline in the importance of a railroad station that once employed over 1,000 and serviced locomotives for the whole Northern Pacific line. The BNSF Railway (successor to the Northern Pacific) continues to employ approximately 70 people in Brainerd at a maintenance-of-way equipment shop that repairs and maintains track and equipment. The former Northern Pacific railway station has been converted to breweries, coffee shops, and event centers available to rent for special occasions. The Northwest Paper Company built Brainerd's first paper mill in 1903 and with the steady increase in

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...

since the early 20th century the paper and service industries have become Brainerd's primary employers. The town's coating mill was sold by Potlatch to Missota Paper in 2003 and then by Missota Paper to Wausau Paper in 2004. It is now used as a small industrial center called Brainerd Industrial Center (BIC). Due to the many lakes in the area, Brainerd is a popular summertime destination for those owning cabins in the area, better known as the Brainerd Lakes. Brainerd itself is now heavily developed into commercial and residential areas and has seen an uptick in development in recent years.

Geography

Brainerd is just north of Minnesota's geographical center, in a relatively hilly

terminal moraine A terminal moraine, also called end moraine, is a type of moraine that forms at the terminal (edge) of a glacier, marking its maximum advance. At this point, debris that has accumulated by plucking and abrasion, has been pushed by the front edge ...

area created by the Superior Lobe of the Labradorian ice sheet. The town occupies land on both sides of the

, though its older parts are almost all to the east. Though the city itself has relatively few lakes, there are over 460 lakes within of Brainerd, mostly to the north. For this reason,

Crow Wing County Crow Wing County is a County (United States), county in the East Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 66,123. Its county seat is Brainerd, Minnesota, Brainerd. The coun ...

and parts of the adjoining counties are often collectively called the Brainerd Lakes Area. According to the

United States 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 t ...

, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water. Brainerd has been assigned ZIP code 56401 by the

USPS The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...

Climate

Brainerd 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 freezing ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''Dfb'') with vast seasonal differences. Summers are warm and occasionally hot, whereas winters are often severely cold.

Superfund site and environmental damage

The Burlington Northern (Brainerd/Baxter)

United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...

Superfund site is on the boundary between Brainerd and Baxter. The site served as a Burlington Northern Railroad tie treatment plant from 1907 to 1985. During that time,

wastewater Wastewater is water generated after the use of freshwater, raw water, drinking water or saline water in a variety of deliberate applications or processes. Another definition of wastewater is "Used water from any combination of domestic, industrial ...

generated from the wood-treating process was sent to two shallow, unlined ponds. This created a toxic sludge that contaminated both the underlying soils and the

groundwater Groundwater is the water present beneath Earth's surface in rock and soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. About 30 percent of all readily available freshwater in the world is groundwater. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated ...

with

creosote Creosote is a category of carbonaceous chemicals formed by the distillation of various tars and pyrolysis of plant-derived material, such as wood or fossil fuel. They are typically used as preservatives or antiseptics. Some creosote types were ...

and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Demographics

2020 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 in ...

of 2020, the population was 14,395. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical ...

was . There were 6,473 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.6%

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 o ...

, 2.2% Native American, 1.6%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

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 ...

, 0.7% Asian, 0.8% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 6.1% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.5%

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 forme ...

or Latino of any race.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 13,590 people, 5,851 households, and 3,069 families living in the city. The

was . There were 6,390 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.5%

, 1.2%

, 1.6% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.4% from

, and 3.0% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.8% of the population. There were 5,851 households, of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.7% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.5% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age in the city was 32.2 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.5% were from 25 to 44; 20.5% were from 45 to 64, and 15.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 13,178 people, 5,623 households and 3,036 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 5,847 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.83%

, 0.71%

, 1.44% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.01%

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 ...

, 0.26% from

, and 1.29% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.86% of the population. 31.4% were of German, 28.1% were

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

, 17.7%

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

, 7.1%

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

, 6.8%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, and 6.1% United States or American ancestry. There were 5,623 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.94. Age distribution was 25.1% under the age of 18, 13.7% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...

was $26,901, and the median family income was $35,212. Males had a median income of $27,677 versus $21,217 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 $15,744. About 11.8% of families and 17.6% 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 t ...

, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

The Brainerd Lakes Area has a classical music festival during the summers called Lakes Area Music Festival. According to its website, the festival's mission is to connect the nation’s best performers and audiences through excellent classical music and inspiring education. There are educational programs for children in the area with musicians from across the world and high-caliber concerts that are free to the public. The Lakes Area Music Festival, through its Outreach initiative, brings classical music into areas that normally do not get concerts. Among these are public libraries, women’s shelters, and correctional facilities. The program is supported by many local and national organizations, as well as people in the community.

Education

Brainerd Public Schools is the local school district. Brainerd High School is the local high school.

Media

Radio stations and television channels in the Brainerd Lakes area:

Radio

Television

Infrastructure

Major highways

The following routes are in the Brainerd area: * MN-18

Minnesota State Highway 18 Minnesota State Highway 18 (MN 18) is a highway in east-central Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 25 in Brainerd and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 23 in Finlayson Tow ...

Minnesota State Highway 25 * MN-210

Minnesota State Highway 210 Minnesota State Highway 210 (MN 210) is a state highway in west-central, central, and northeast Minnesota, which runs from North Dakota Highway 210 (ND 210) at the North Dakota state line (at Breckenridge), and continues east to its ea ...

Minnesota State Highway 371

Notable people

* Solomon Flagg Alderman (1861-1928), Minnesota state senator and lawyer * John Carlton Atherton (1900–1952), artist *

Roger Awsumb Roger Awsumb (July 10, 1928 – July 15, 2002) was an American television show host and radio broadcaster in Saint Paul and Brainerd, Minnesota. He is most known for his lead role in the children's television show he created, ''Lunch With Casey ...

(1928–2002), TV and radio show host *

Win Borden Winston W. "Win" Borden (September 1, 1943 – January 20, 2014) was an American lawyer, businessman, and politician. Born in Brainerd, Minnesota, Borden received his bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State University, his master's degree from ...

(1943–2014), Minnesota state senator * Bullet Joe Bush (1892–1974), member of the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...

' first World Series championship team in 1923 * Franklin E. Ebner, Minnesota state senator and lawyerMinnesota Legislators: Past & Present=Franklin E. Ebner
/ref> * Joe Haeg (born 1993), professional football player * Frank B. Johnson (1894–1949), mayor of Brainerd and Minnesota state representative *

Brock Larson Brock Orville Larson (born August 23, 1977) is a retired American professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions. A professional competitor from 2002 until 2016, Larson has formerly competed for the ...

(born 1977), MMA fighter * Charles Marohn (born 1973), author and founder of Strong Towns *

Rick Nolan Richard Michael Nolan (born December 17, 1943) is an American politician and businessman who served as the U.S. representative from Minnesota's 8th congressional district from 2013 to 2019. He previously served as the U.S. representative from ...

(born 1943), U.S. Representative * Hilding Alfred Swanson (1885–1964), Minnesota state legislator and lawyer * Dale Walz (born 1964), Minnesota state representative and police officerMinnesota Legislators: Past & Present-Dale Walz
/ref>

In popular culture

The 1996 film '' Fargo'' was set partly in Brainerd.

References

External links

City of Brainerd, MN – Official WebsiteBrainerd History siteExplore Brainerd Lakes.com – Visitor Information and official Chamber websiteBrainerd.com - The Official Brainerd Lakes Area Tourism Information Website
{{Authority control Cities in Minnesota Cities in Crow Wing County, Minnesota Minnesota populated places on the Mississippi River County seats in Minnesota Populated places established in 1870 Brainerd, Minnesota micropolitan area 1870 establishments in Minnesota