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Park Rapids
Hubbard county Park Rapids MN IMG 1305.JPG
Location of Park Rapidswithin Hubbard County and state of Minnesota
Location of Park Rapids
within Hubbard County and state of Minnesota
Country United States
State Minnesota
County Hubbard
Area
 • Total 7.67 sq mi (19.85 km2)
 • Land 7.39 sq mi (19.14 km2)
 • Water 0.28 sq mi (0.72 km2)
Elevation
1,440 ft (439 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 3,709
 • Estimate 
(2019)
4,235
 • Density 573.15/sq mi (221.31/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
56470
Area code(s) 218 Exchange: 732
FIPS code 27-49768
GNIS feature ID 0649151
Website City of Park Rapids

Park Rapids is a city in the Heartland Lakes region and is the county seat of Hubbard County, Minnesota, United States. It is near Itasca State Park, the source of the Mississippi River, as well as the beginning of the Heartland State Trail. The city was founded in 1890 near the Fish Hook River rapids and is located along U.S. Highway 71 and Minnesota State Highway 34. The population was 3,709 at the 2010 census.

History

Park Rapids became a city in 1890, and was named by Frank C. Rice after the park groves and prairies beside the Fish Hook River rapids. These rapids have since been dammed.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.81 square miles (17.64 km2), of which, 6.59 square miles (17.07 km2) is land and 0.22 square miles (0.57 km2) is water. The Fish Hook River flows through the city.

Climate

Climate data for Park Rapids, Minnesota
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 51
(11)
61
(16)
74
(23)
96
(36)
96
(36)
96
(36)
100
(38)
101
(38)
99
(37)
90
(32)
72
(22)
58
(14)
101
(38)
Average high °F (°C) 18
(−8)
24
(−4)
36
(2)
54
(12)
67
(19)
74
(23)
80
(27)
78
(26)
67
(19)
53
(12)
35
(2)
21
(−6)
51
(10)
Average low °F (°C) −4
(−20)
1
(−17)
15
(−9)
29
(−2)
41
(5)
51
(11)
56
(13)
54
(12)
45
(7)
32
(0)
18
(−8)
3
(−16)
28
(−2)
Record low °F (°C) −45
(−43)
−51
(−46)
−36
(−38)
−8
(−22)
14
(−10)
28
(−2)
35
(2)
31
(−1)
17
(−8)
−2
(−19)
−29
(−34)
−46
(−43)
−51
(−46)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.52
(13)
0.50
(13)
1.13
(29)
1.85
(47)
3.10
(79)
4.20
(107)
4.10
(104)
3.55
(90)
3.08
(78)
2.65
(67)
0.96
(24)
0.57
(14)
26.21
(665)
Source: The Weather Channel

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1900 1,313
1910 1,801 37.2%
1920 1,603 −11.0%
1930 2,081 29.8%
1940 2,643 27.0%
1950 3,027 14.5%
1960 3,047 0.7%
1970 2,772 −9.0%
1980 2,976 7.4%
1990 2,863 −3.8%
2000 3,276 14.4%
2010 3,709 13.2%
2019 (est.) 4,235 14.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
2013 Estimate

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,709 people, 1,772 households, and 892 families residing in the city. The population density was 562.8 inhabitants per square mile (217.3/km2). There were 2,003 housing units at an average density of 303.9 per square mile (117.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.1% White, 0.4% African American, 2.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 1.2% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population.

There were 1,772 households, of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.7% were non-families. 44.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.80.

The median age in the city was 43.1 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.7% were from 25 to 44; 22.8% were from 45 to 64; and 24.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.3% male and 53.7% female.

Recreation

Hubbard county Park Rapids MN IMG 1308
Park Rapids.

There are over seventy lakes in the Park Rapids area, which all offer distinct fishing opportunities. Some of the notable nearby lakes include Lake Itasca (headwaters of the Mississippi River) as well as some of the numerous Crow Wing Lakes. Some of the most common fish caught within the area include largemouth, smallmouth and rock bass, bullhead, crappie, northern pike, perch, sunfish and walleye. The Heartland Trail, which is one of the oldest rail-to-trail projects in the United States, begins in Park Rapids. The forty-nine mile trail is open to horseback riding, hiking, snowmobiling, and biking at different segments throughout. Deer, coyote, grey wolf, chipmunks, bobcat, bear, bald eagle, red fox, raccoon, beaver and muskrat can all be spotted along the trail.

July 4th Park Rapids Parade
Two residents of Park Rapids, watching the July 4th Parade on Main street

Education

Park Rapids Area High School serves grades 9–12, and is located on 401 Huntsinger Avenue in Park Rapids. Century School houses grades K–8, and is located on 501 Helten Avenue. The latter was finished in 2001.

Park Rapids had two separate buildings for primary school that split up K–4 and 9–12 from grades 5–8. Frank White Elementary and Park Rapids High School were part of the same building. The Century School was built in 2001 to accommodate grades K–8. The Frank White Elementary School was remodeled and pieces of it became part of the Park Rapids Area High School, while several of the Frank White classrooms became preschool classrooms. The old Park Rapids Middle School was sold several times and part of it is now apartments.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Park Rapids and the surrounding Hubbard County area have three major transportation services. South of the city center is Park Rapids Municipal Airport (officially Konshok Field), a general aviation airport. According to the FAA, the airfield is publicly owned by the City of Park Rapids and has a physical address of 212 W. 2nd Street, Park Rapids, MN 56470. Also serving the Park Rapids and Hubbard County area for ground transportation is the Hubbard County Heartland Express bus service and a local taxi service. The closest commercial airport is Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, however it's only served by Delta Connection and flies to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, which itself is approximately 201 miles by car from Park Rapids.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 71 and Minnesota State Highway 34 are two of the main routes through Park Rapids. Highway 34 was expanded in 2008 into a five-lane route through the city. Downtown Main Avenue has street "center parking". Highway 71 and Main Street were reconstructed during the summer of 2009.

Notable people

Park Rapids is the birthplace of two notable authors: Will Weaver (1950-) and Nathan Aaseng (1953-). Weaver was born to a farming family but was educated at Saint Cloud State University, the University of Minnesota, and Stanford University. He worked as a farmer, an educator, and a fiction writer. Three of his best-known novels are Striking Out, Farm Team, and Hard Ball. They reflect Weaver's upbringing on a northern Minnesota farm. His writings have won several awards, including the Friends of American Writers Award (1989) and the Minnesota Book Award for Fiction (1989). Weaver now lives in Bemidji, MN.

Nathan Aaseng was the son of a minister and attended Luther College and Luther Seminary. He worked as a microbiologist-biochemist and wrote juvenile nonfiction and fiction. His works include more than 130 books on a variety of subjects. Some examples are Big Red, Wild Trek, and the "You Are the Coach" series.

John A. Ainley, Jr., Minnesota newspaper editor and legislator, lived in Park Rapids.

Thomas Miller, Iowa newspaper editor and legislator was born in Park Rapids.

Esther Miriam Fieldman, businesswoman and Minnesota state legislator, lived in Park Rapids.

Aaron Pike, a four-time U.S. Paralympian, was born in Park Rapids and spent his first year there before moving away for his father's military career. However, Pike continued to return to Park Rapids each summer and continues to list it as his hometown. He competes in wheelchair racing and Nordic skiing.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Park Rapids para niños

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