Fertile, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fertile
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| Nickname(s):
"The Flower City"
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Location of Fertile, Minnesota
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Polk |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.08 sq mi (5.38 km2) |
| • Land | 2.08 sq mi (5.38 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,138 ft (347 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 804 |
| • Density | 394.03/sq mi (152.13/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
56540
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| Area code(s) | 218 |
| FIPS code | 27-20978 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0643615 |
Fertile is a city in Polk County, Minnesota, United States. It is part of the Grand Forks ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 804 at the 2020 census.
The annual Polk County Fair is held in Fertile and dates to 1900. The Polk County Fair is Fertile's main attraction during the summer. It holds many competitions for crops, animals, and manmade items.
Contents
History
A post office called Fertile has been in operation since 1881. The city was named after Fertile, Iowa, the former home of a share of the first settlers.
Geography and climate
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.13 square miles (5.52 km2), all of it land. The area east, south, and southwest of Fertile are hilly while the areas to the north and west of Fertile are very flat and good for agriculture.
Minnesota Highway 32 and Minnesota Highway 102 are two of the main routes in the community. The Agassiz Recreational Trail, a 53-mile multi-use trail built on an abandoned railroad grade passes through the city.
The city has a climate typical of a humid continental climate, with long, cold winters and warm, humid summers. The town averages 24 inches (610 mm) of rain and roughly 45 inches (1,100 mm) of snow each year. The record low is −46 °F (−43 °C) and the record high is 105 °F (41 °C). Because Fertile is located near the geographic center of North America, the area can experience many types of weather.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 273 | — | |
| 1900 | 587 | 115.0% | |
| 1910 | 614 | 4.6% | |
| 1920 | 800 | 30.3% | |
| 1930 | 800 | 0.0% | |
| 1940 | 907 | 13.4% | |
| 1950 | 890 | −1.9% | |
| 1960 | 968 | 8.8% | |
| 1970 | 955 | −1.3% | |
| 1980 | 869 | −9.0% | |
| 1990 | 859 | −1.2% | |
| 2000 | 893 | 4.0% | |
| 2010 | 842 | −5.7% | |
| 2020 | 804 | −4.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
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2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 842 people, 372 households, and 211 families living in the city. The population density was 395.3 inhabitants per square mile (152.6/km2). There were 428 housing units at an average density of 200.9 per square mile (77.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.1% White, 0.4% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.
There were 372 households, of which 24.7% had children under age 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.3% were non-families. 39.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.90.
The median age in the city was 44.1. 23% of residents were under 18; 6.1% were between 18 and 24; 22.2% were from 25 to 44; 21.4% were from 45 to 64; and 27.2% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.4% male and 53.6% female.
Economy
Fertile has sandy soil, which makes the area immediately around it poor farming land, as the soil dries out very easily. The areas east and west of town, however, are prime for corn, soybeans, wheat, sunflowers, oats, barley, sugar beets (to the west of Fertile), berries, hay, potatoes, vegetables, and much more. Livestock used to be a big area of agriculture for Fertile. Remaining livestock production is mainly beef cattle, with a few dairy farms.
Although not directly related to farming, another vital part of Fertile's economy is hunting and fishing. The area is prime for deer, waterfowl, small game and pheasant hunting, as well as multiple types of fishing in the area's many lakes.
Polk County Fair
Fertile has been home to the yearly Polk County Fair for over 110 years. This event is known to be family-friendly with free admission, many food stands, rides, a free stage and grandstand. The fairgrounds are east of Highway 32, providing easy access for the many visitors every year.
Education
Fertile-Beltrami Public School is in Fertile at the intersection of Mill Street and Jefferson Avenue. The school is a K-12 grade building shared by Fertile and the smaller community of Beltrami, which is about 12 miles to the west. The school's team is the Fertile Falcons, which includes softball, baseball, basketball, volleyball, football, and golf.
Advance Com
Advance Com is a student-based web hosting service that creates and designs web pages for the community. It is managed by Year-3 computer students who "apply" and manage the school, and other websites that pay the business to update throughout the year. The business also takes on video editing jobs on occasion.
Knowledge Bowl
Knowledge Bowl is a question-based competition in Minnesota. The first round is a test taken by five team members to determine their ranking. The written round is usually followed by four oral rounds in which four team members participate. In 2011 the Fertile-Beltrami Knowledge Bowl went to the state competition for the first time.
See also
In Spanish: Fertile (Minnesota) para niños
