Histopolis Place-of-the-Day

Histopolis features a different cemetery, town, county or other place every day on the Place-of-The-Day.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

The Histopolis Place-of-the-Day for Thursday, February 24, 2011 is the Becker County in Minnesota.

"Becker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2000, the population was 30,000. Its county seat is Detroit Lakes. A portion of the White Earth Indian Reservation extends into the county.

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"Becker County became a county on March 18, 1858. It was named after Brigadier General George Loomis Becker. Becker was one of three men elected to congress when Minnesota became a state, but since Minnesota could only send two, Becker elected to stay behind, and he was promised to have a county named after him.

"The city of Detroit Lakes was founded by Colonel George Johnston in 1871, the city grew quickly with the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad. In 1877, an election finally decided that Detroit Lakes, then known as Detroit, was to become the county seat. Detroit won the election by a ninety percent majority. Frazee, Lake Park, and Audubon were also in the running for the county seat.

"In 1884, Detroit Lakes had many businesses such as the Hotel Minnesota, the Lakes Hotel, a bank, a newspaper, and an opera house. The first courthouse was built that year also. In 1885, the first County Fire Department was constructed. In 1903, the Soo Line Railroads built a rail line through the county. Only one book has been published about Becker County, "History of Becker" was written by A.H. Wilcox in 1907."

Explore Becker County on Histopolis now. If you have a place that you would like to see featured as the Histopolis Place-of-the-Day, contact the webmaster to suggest it.

February 2011

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Note: The first Place-of-the-Day was in September 2010