Detroit Lakes is a city in and the county seat of Becker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 9,869 at the 2020 census. Its unofficial population during the summer is higher, estimated by citizens to peak at 13,000, due to seasonal residents and tourists.
U.S. Highways 10 and 59 and Minnesota State Highway 34 are the primary routes through the city. Detroit Lakes is 45 miles east of the Fargo–Moorhead ND-MN statistical metropolitan area. The nearest major metropolitan area with a population over 1 million is Minneapolis–Saint Paul, which is about 205 miles southeast of Detroit Lakes.
Detroit Lakes is a regional summer and winter recreation destination, attracting large numbers of tourists and seasonal residents each year. Tourism is the area's chief industry.
History
thumb|left|Detroit Lakes Amtrak stationDetroit Lakes was founded in 1871 by Colonel George Johnston. It was called Detroit until 1927, when it was renamed to avoid confusion with Detroit, Michigan. The name was given by a French missionary. "Détroit" means "strait" or "narrows", and refers to the sandbar separating Big Detroit lake from Little Detroit lake. In the late 19th century, the sandbar was dredged and partially submerged to make the Pelican River watershed navigable by steamboat.
Detroit Lakes was a resting place on the Red River Oxcart Trails. Its Ojibwe name is Gaiajawangag, meaning a lake with a crossing in a sandy place.
The city grew quickly with the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad. In 1877, an election decided that Detroit Lakes, then still known as Detroit, would be the county seat. By 1884, Detroit Lakes had many businesses, including the Hotel Minnesota, the Lakes Hotel, a bank, a newspaper, and an opera house. The first county courthouse was also built in Detroit Lakes that year. Some of the city's historic buildings still stand, such as the 1908 railroad station and the Holmes Theater. The Becker County Museum, now an addition to the Holmes Theater, has information and exhibits on the history of the city and the surrounding area.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.
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| Jan avg record low F = -24.6
| Feb avg record low F = -19.4
| Mar avg record low F = -13.7
| Apr avg record low F = 13.5
| May avg record low F = 30.2
| Jun avg record low F = 42.3
| Jul avg record low F = 47.1
| Aug avg record low F = 41.5
| Sep avg record low F = 31.9
| Oct avg record low F = 18.4
| Nov avg record low F = -6.5
| Dec avg record low F = -18.2
| Jan avg record high F = 39.4
| Feb avg record high F = 37.6
| Mar avg record high F = 51.0
| Apr avg record high F = 72.1
| May avg record high F = 80.4
| Jun avg record high F = 85.5
| Jul avg record high F = 95.7
| Aug avg record high F = 90.8
| Sep avg record high F = 77.1
| Oct avg record high F = 71.7
| Nov avg record high F = 55.9
| Dec avg record high F = 35.4