County of the Week – Faribault County

Faribault County, Minnesota

Founded: Faribault County was established on February 20^th, 1855

History:

· Named for Jean Baptiste Faribault, who was a trader with the Dakota.

· Faribault moved to Minnesota in 1803 and was the first white settler to practice agriculture in the state.

· In the fall of 1856 all 82 residents of the county voted to leave the county seat in Blue Earth.

· County Commissioners began to advertise bids for a new courthouse in 1890.

· December 1891, construction of the Faribault County Courthouse was complete with a price tag of over $70,000.

· Faribault was the first in Minnesota to be named a Star County.

· Some of America’s richest farmland can be found in this county.

Events/Festivals/Celebrations:

· Easton holds their Friendship Days Celebration on the last weekend in June.

· Festag, which is German for festival, takes place in Minnesota Lake in July.

· Check out Wells Kernel Days during the third weekend in August for you can experience the celebration of the city of Wells and their strong agricultural base.

Places to Visit:

· The world’s tallest Jolly Green Giant statue stands 55 ½ feet tall in Green Giant Park. (Blue Earth)

· Venture in to the Historic Good Sheppard Episcopal Church and view Minnesota’s first stained glass window. (Blue Earth)

· Catch a showing at Kiester’s historic Kee Theater.

· Spend a day at beautiful Old Mill Park in Minnesota Lake.

Population: As of the 2000 census, 16,181 people reside in Faribault County.

Cities:

· Blue Earth *

· Bricelyn

· Delavan

· Easton

· Elmore

· Frost

· Kiester

· Minnesota Lake

· Walters

· Wells

· Winnebago

* Largest city

 

Area: 722 sq. miles

For more information:

· http://www.co.faribault.mn.us/index.cfm

· http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/govseries/No32.htm

 

Information compiled by Andrew Ferguson

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