Frazee, Minnesota
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Frazee is a city located in Becker County, Minnesota. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,377.
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Geography
MNMap-doton-Frazee.png
Location of Frazee, Minnesota
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²). 2.2 km² (0.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 5.43% water.
Frazee is located 46.8 degrees north of the equator and 95.8 degrees west of the prime meridian. Altitude is 1274 feet above sea level.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 1,377 people, 504 households, and 318 families residing in the city. The population density is 618.2/km² (1,593.2/mi²). There are 553 housing units at an average density of 248.3/km² (639.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 93.39% White, 0.65% African American, 2.98% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 0.94% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 504 households out of which 34.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% are married couples living together, 15.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% are non-families. 31.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 17.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.51 and the average family size is 3.16.
In the city the population is spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 79.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $26,150, and the median income for a family is $31,576. Males have a median income of $27,153 versus $18,875 for females. The per capita income for the city is $12,257. 19.0% of the population and 14.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 21.4% of those under the age of 18 and 33.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Big Tom
The First Big Tom
Since Frazee has long been a part of the turkey industry, a group of turkey growers and committee members got together in 1984 and decided to put up a giant turkey statue. They commissioned the artist Shell Scott to construct it. The original statue was built on a metal frame and covered in cement, fiberglass, cardboard, and insulation. When it was finished in 1986, it stood 22 feet tall and cost $20,000 to build, earning Frazee the title of "Home of the world's largest turkey."
Because of Big Tom's physical makeup, it needed frequent repairs. There were also complaints that Big Tom was not anatomically correct — it was not proportioned like a real turkey. So the area committee decided that they needed a new Big Tom. This time they commissioned Dave Oswald for the job.
Big Tom Burns
2:15 PM July 1st, 1998 As Burt Larson, Kenny Fett, and Ross Mickelson were tearing down the old statue, Burt attempted to use a cutting torch to remove the wings. As soon as the torch touched the bird, Big Tom caught fire, completely destroying the statue. No major injuries were reported.
The Next Big Tom
The new statue arrived in Frazee in August of 1998. Coming in three separate pieces on a flatbed trailer, it took eight hours to assemble. This Big Tom stands over 20 feet tall and is 17 feet wide. It weighs over 5,000 pounds, having 1,000 pounds of steel reinforcement. It is estimated to have 3,000 to 4,000 separate fiberglass feathers, which took the D.W.O. Fiberglass Company over 2,000 hours to make.