Detroit Lakes (US-MN)
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The city of Detroit Lakes was founded by Colonel George Johnston in 1871. The city's current name has been extant since 1927, to avoid confusion with Detroit, Michigan. Beforehand, it was simply called Detroit. The name was given by a French missionary. Détroit is French and translates to strait or narrows, referring to the sand bar separating Big Detroit lake from Little Detroit lake. The sand bar was dredged and partially submerged to make the Pelican River watershed navigable by steamboat in the late 19th century.
Detroit Lakes was a resting place on the Red River Oxcart Trails. The Ojibwe name for Detroit Lakes 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 finally decided that Detroit Lakes, then still known as Detroit, was to become the county seat. Detroit won the election by a ninety percent majority. The nearby cities of Frazee, Lake Park, and Audubon were also in the running for 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 built in Detroit Lakes that year also. Some of the city's historic buildings still stand, such as the 1908 railroad station and the historic Holmes Theater. The Becker County Museum, located near the Holmes Theater in Detroit Lakes, has information and exhibits on the history of the city and the surrounding area.
Currently Detroit Lakes uses zip codes 56501, and 56502.
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