Crookston Minnesota: Encyclopedia II - Crookston Minnesota - History

Crookston Minnesota - History

The present day site of Crookston first saw settlement by non-Indian people around 1872. The town was incorporated on April 1, 1879 as "Queen City." By the end of that year the town boasted a jail, graded streets, and a few plank sidewalks. Soon, it was decided that the town needed a new name. Two factions emerged that supported two different names. One group wished to honor the town's first mayor, Captain Ellerey C. Davis, by renaming "Queen City" to "Davis." Another group picked the name "Crookston" to honor Colonel William Crooks, a soldier and railroad builder. The present day name was reportedly chosen by means of a coin toss.

Soon, immigrants from Scandinavia and Germany begin populating Crookston. At one point, eight different railroad lines reached Crookston and the town became a center of commerce and manufacturing.

Today, Crookston is probably best known for its University. The city has not seen a major period of population growth for quite some time and the economy has suffered with increased competition from nearby Grand Forks, North Dakota. Typical of many small towns across America, many buildings in the historic downtown area of Crookston have been abandoned as local stores have closed.

The Wal-Mart corporation has announced plans to construct a Wal-Mart Supercenter in the city. Crookston currently has few national chain stores or restaurants. The construction of a Wal-Mart store could mean the shift away from local "Mom and Pop" merchants towards more popular national chains. Several national companies have reportedly expressed interest in building in Crookston if a Wal-Mart is constructed.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki