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Fargo, North Dakota

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Country
  
United States

Population
  
113,658 (2013)

Unemployment rate
  
3.0% (Feb 2015)

Area
  
48.82 sq mi

State
  
North Dakota

Founded
  
1871

Mayor
  
Tim Mahoney

Colleges and Universities
  
North Dakota State University

Points of interest
  
Fargo–Moorhead, Bonanzaville - USA, Red River Zoo, The Roger Maris Museum, Fargo Air Museum


Fargo is the largest city in the State of North Dakota, accounting for nearly 16% of the state population. Fargo is also the county seat of Cass County. According to the 2013 United States Census estimates, its population was 113,658. Fargo, along with its twin city of Moorhead, Minnesota, as well as adjacent West Fargo, North Dakota and Dilworth, Minnesota, form the core of the Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in 2014 contained a population of 228,291. In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Fargo as the fourth fastest-growing small city in the United States.

Contents

Map of Fargo, North Dakota

Founded in 1871 and located on the Red River of the North floodplain, Fargo is a cultural, retail, health care, educational, and industrial center for Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota. In addition, Fargo is home to North Dakota State University.

Holiday inn fargo fargo north dakota


By far the most impressive trait of the Fargodome is how loud it gets inside. The boisterous Bison fans rival any in college football. The noise levels inside the Fargodome during Bison home games have been measured at levels matching those found at some NFL games. The intense noise levels inside the Fargodome have earned it the nickname "thunderdome."

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History

Fargo, North Dakota in the past, History of Fargo, North Dakota

The area that is present-day Fargo was an early stopping point for steamboats floating down the Red River during the 1870s and 1880s. The city was originally named "Centralia," but was later renamed "Fargo" after Northern Pacific Railway director and Wells Fargo Express Company founder William Fargo (1818?1881). The area started to flourish after the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad and the city became known as the "Gateway to the West."

During the 1880s, Fargo became the "divorce capital" of the Midwest because of lenient divorce laws.

A major fire struck the city on June 7, 1893, destroying 31 blocks of downtown Fargo. But the city was immediately rebuilt with new buildings made of brick, new streets, and a water system. More than 246 new buildings were built within 1 year. There were several rumors concerning the cause of the fire.

The North Dakota Agricultural College was founded in 1890 as North Dakotas land-grant university, becoming first accredited by the North Central Association in 1915. In 1960, NDAC became known as North Dakota State University.

Geography

Fargo, North Dakota Beautiful Landscapes of Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo is located at 46°52?17?N 96°48?31?W (46.871414, ?96.808658). Fargo is a core city of the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area, which also includes Moorhead, West Fargo, and Dilworth as well as outlying communities.

Fargo, North Dakota Beautiful Landscapes of Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo sits on the western bank of the Red River of the North in a flat geographic region known as the Red River Valley. The Red River Valley resulted from the withdrawal of glacial Lake Agassiz, which drained away about 9,300 years ago. The lake sediments deposited from Lake Agassiz made the land around Fargo some of the richest in the world for agricultural uses.

Fargos largest challenge are floods due to the rising water of the Red River, which flows from the United States into Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. The Red flows northward, which means melting snow and river ice, as well as runoff from its tributaries, often create ice dams causing the river to overflow. Fargos surrounding Red River Valley terrain is essentially flat, leading to overland flooding. With the Red River flowing right through the heart of the metro area, permanent flood protection will be an issue for many years to come for both Fargo and Moorhead.

Its geographical location makes the city vulnerable to flooding during seasons with above average precipitation. The Red Rivers "minor" flood stage in Fargo begins at a level of 18 feet, with "major" flooding categorized at 30 feet and above. Many major downtown roadways and access to Moorhead are closed off at this level. Record snowfalls late in 1996 led to flooding in 1997, causing the Red to rise to a record crest of 39.5 feet, nearly overtaking city defenses. In 2008-2009, significant fall precipitation coupled with a rapid snowmelt in March 2009 caused the Red to rise to a new record level of 40.84 feet, but again Fargo remained safe, in large part due to flood mitigation efforts instituted after the 1997 event and sandbagging efforts by the city residents. Further upgrades were made to city infrastructure and additional resources brought to bear following the 2009 flood, which caused no issues for the city in 2010 despite another rapid melt that caused the Red to rise to 37 feet (which ranks among the top ten highest levels ever recorded). Recent discussions have focused on a $1.5 billion diversion project that would channel the Reds water away from the city, but such a project is very much in the planning stages and being evaluated by various government agencies. As of 2012, Fargo has bought 700 houses in flood-prone areas.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 48.82 square miles (126.44 km2), all land.

Economy

The economy of the Fargo area has historically been dependent on agriculture. That dominance has decreased substantially in recent decades. Now, the city of Fargo has a growing economy based on food processing, manufacturing, technology, retail trade, higher education, and healthcare. In a study published by Forbes, Fargo was ranked the best small city in the nation to start a business or a career.

Culture

Fargo offers a wide variety of cultural opportunities for a city of its size. This is likely due, in part, to the presence of three universities in the area. Most theatre and events are either promoted or produced by the universities, although there are several private theatre companies in the city including Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre (FMCT), Theatre B in downtown Fargo, Ursa Major Productions, Music Theatre Fargo Moorhead, Tin Roof Theatre Company, The Entertainment Company and others. Music organizations in the area include the Fargo-Moorhead Opera, the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, and the Fargo-Moorhead Youth Symphony. Fargo also boasts a dance company in the Fargo-Moorhead Ballet.

Fargo, North Dakota Culture of Fargo, North Dakota

The Fargo Theatre is a restored 1926 Art Deco movie house that features first-run movies, film festivals, and other community events. The Fargodome routinely hosts concerts, Broadway musicals, dance performances, sporting events, as well as fairs and other gatherings.

The Winter Carnival in Fargo is a tradition that began in 1928.

The Plains Art Museum is the largest museum of art in the state. It is located in downtown Fargo and features regional and national exhibits. It also houses a large permanent collection of art. There are several other museums in Fargo including The Childrens Museum at Yunker Farm, The Fargo Air Museum, The Courthouse Museum, The Roger Maris Museum in West Acres Shopping Center, the North Dakota State University Wall of Fame in the Scheels All Sports store and the historic Bonanzaville village (West Fargo).

Fargo is an Academy Award–winning 1996 film named after the city. Fargo is only seen briefly at the films opening scene set in a bar and mentioned only twice in the film. None of Fargo was shot on location in or near Fargo.

A television series based on the film debuted on FX in April 2014. The city was featured in its seventh episode "Who Shaves the Barber?" The series was filmed in Calgary, Alberta.

Fargo North, Decoder was a trench coat wearing character on The Electric Company, who tried to make sense of messages with scrambled words or missing letters.

Museums

  • Bonanzaville, USA - Located in West Fargo, North Dakota, it is a village made up of many historic buildings from the region. Includes a church, school building, and log cabins. It is named after the historic bonanza farms of the area.
  • The Childrens Museum at Yunker Farm - Provides many exhibits and hands-on participation for children.
  • Fargo Air Museum - Features aircraft from World War II and beyond. Also hosts traveling exhibits.
  • Plains Art Museum - A large art museum located in a historic downtown building. Features regional and national exhibits.
  • The Roger Maris Museum - A small, free museum dedicated to Roger Maris located in a wing of the West Acres Shopping Center. Features memorabilia and a video presentation about the New York Yankees player who lived in Fargo for a portion of his life.
  • Maury Wills Museum - Located at Newman Outdoor Field the Maury Wills Museum is in honor of the former 1962 National League MVP and Major League Baseball player who worked for the RedHawks as a coach and a radio analyst.
  • Hjemkomst Center - Located in Moorhead, MN, displays and interprets the Hjemkmost replica Viking ship that was sailed to Norway. In addition, it is home of the Clay County Historical Society museum and archives and features a replica of a Norwegian Hopperstad Stave Church.
  • Rourke Art Museum Located in Moorhead, Minnesota, this art museum displays fine arts.
  • References

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