Faribault, Minnesota
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Faribault is a city located in Rice County, Minnesota. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 20,818. It is the county seat of Rice County6.
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History
The Wahpekute band of Dakotah Indians inhabited the area since about 1750, prior to the arrival of white settlers.
The city traces its history to the establishment of a fur trading post by fur trader Alexander Faribault in 1826. Alexander Faribault was the son of a French fur trader and a woman of Dakota heritage, and had the language skills necessary to serve his varied clientele. The establishment of his trading post predated the presence of any form of state government or meaningful federal supervision.
The Alexander Faribault house was constructed in 1853. It was the first frame building to be constructed in what would become the city, and still stands today. Important milestones were reached in 1855 and 1856, with the streets platted, availability of mail service, and construction of several churches and a school occurring in quick succession.
Rail service began in 1865.
The city was granted a home-rule charter in 1872.
The 1993 film, Grumpy Old Men, was shot in Faribault.
Prominent Individuals
Herbert Sellner was the inventor of the Tilt-A-Whirl carnival ride. As of 2004, the rides were still manufactured in Faribault.
Henry Benjamin Whipple was the first Episcopal bishop in Minnesota. He was an advocate for clemency for Dakota prisoners in the wake of the Sioux Uprising (also known as the Dakota War or Dakota Conflict) in 1862.
Businesses
Faribault has the usual gamut of small-town retail and service shops, including a Wal-Mart. Major employers include a turkey packing plant and a frozen vegetable processing plant in town. Several state-run institutions are located in Faribault, including a prison, a school for the blind, a school for the deaf, and a mental hospital. On the bluffs overlooking the Straight River and the town of Faribault, Shattuck-St.Marys School (formerly Shattuck School and St. Mary's Hall) now produces violinists and hockey players for orchestras and ice arenas around the world.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 33.3 km² (12.9 mi²). 32.8 km² (12.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.56% water.
The confluence of the Straight River and the Cannon River is located within city limits.
Faribault County, Minnesota, roughly 100 miles to the southwest, is unrelated to the city of Faribault.
Interstate 35 runs along the western edge of town. There are three exits. A truck stop and a hotel serve motorists.
Demographics
The racial makeup of Faribault was almost exclusively white until about 1985, when Hispanic and Somali immigrants and their families began to settle in the area. These groups were drawn by the availabilitiy of employment to unskilled workers, and the relative absence of crime compared to larger cities. By 2000, there were churches and businesses catering to each of these racial groups.
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 20,818 people, 7,472 households, and 4,946 families residing in the city. The population density is 634.9/km² (1,644.8/mi²). There are 7,668 housing units at an average density of 233.9/km² (605.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 89.87% White, 2.69% African American, 0.67% Native American, 1.83% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.33% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races. 8.90% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 7,472 households out of which 34.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% are married couples living together, 11.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% are non-families. 28.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.53 and the average family size is 3.10.
In the city the population is spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 106.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 106.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $40,865, and the median income for a family is $49,662. Males have a median income of $32,404 versus $24,046 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,610. 9.0% of the population and 5.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.9% of those under the age of 18 and 13.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
City of Faribault (http://www.faribault.org/)