Moorhead, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Moorhead is a city in Clay County
, Minnesota
, United States
, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 38,065 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat
of Clay County.
Moorhead was platted in 1871 and a permanent name was assigned to the town on October 6, 1871. Moorhead is bordered on the west by the Red River of the North
and city of Fargo
, North Dakota
. On the east, Moorhead is bordered by Dilworth
, Minnesota
. Together along with West Fargo
, North Dakota
, the communities comprise the core of the Fargo-Moorhead
metropolitan area, which has an 2010 population of around 208,777 residents.
. The land around the Fargo-Moorhead area is some of the flattest and richest (for agricultural
uses) in the world. This is because it lies on the lake bed of glacial Lake Agassiz
, which drained between 9,900 and 11,000 years ago.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 13.4 square miles (34.7 km²), all of it land.
Interstate 94
and U.S. Routes 10
and 75
are three of the main routes in the city. Other nearby routes in the Fargo-Moorhead area include Interstate 29
and Minnesota State Highway 336
.
The city has five major institutions of higher learning: Concordia College
(private liberal arts college), Minnesota State University Moorhead
(public university), Minnesota State Community and Technical College
(two-year to four-year technical college), Globe University/Minnesota School of Business, (private college), and Rasmussen College
(a two- to four-year college). The combined student enrollment of these colleges is more than 40,000.
K-12 education is provided to over 2,500 students by the Moorhead School District: S.G. Reinertsen Elementary, Robert Asp Elementary,Ellen Hopkins Elementary,Horizon Middle School, and Moorhead Senior High School. All of these schools are new or remodeled thanks to a $64 million investment in 2004. The district is known for its high student achievement with students consistently performing above the national average on the ACT. The district includes the cities of Moorhead, Georgetown, and Sabin
.
The city includes The Red River Area Learning Center and The Probstfield Center for Education.
Park Christian School is a private Christian school in Moorhead providing a K-12 education as well as St. Joseph's, a Catholic elementary school.
are native Moorhead cultural institutions hosting the annual Midwestern Invitational Exhibition. Executive Director James O'Rourke displays an important art collection from local, regional and national artists. The Rourke Gallery operates from the historic 1875 Martinson House and the Rourke Museum is housed in the historic Moorhead Post Office building.
The city is also home to the Blue Stem Center for the Arts and Trollwood Performing Arts School, a renowned Summer arts and theater program.
The Hjemkomst Center
is located in the city. It is a museum containing a re-creation of a Viking
ship
of the same name. The Hjemkomst vessel was built in nearby Hawley
by Moorhead resident Robert Asp, and was sailed to Norway by his children after Asp's early death. The ship is now permanently housed in the center.
The Clay County Museum and Archives, operated by the Clay County Historical Society, interprets the history of Clay County in a free museum in the lower level of the Hjemkomst Center. The Society has more than 30,000 artifacts in their collection, one of the largest and most important historic collections in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
Located on the grounds of the Hjemkomst Center is a Stave Church
. The traditional Norwegian
-style church serves as a symbol of the Norwegian heritage in the Red River Valley. The church is a full-scale replica of the Hopperstad stave church
in Vik, Norway
.
From about Memorial Day through Labor Day (depending on river conditions), the Red River Ruby, a pontoon
boat gives tours on the Red River of the North
adjacent to the Hjemkomst Center
. Special charters can be arranged outside of the normal operating hours.
An additional historical landmark is the Comstock House, built in 1882 and open for tours.
as the hometown of one of the main characters, Bunny Lebowski. The high school photo of Bunny shown in the movie even has her wearing the correct orange, black, and white school colors of The Moorhead Spuds. Moorhead is also mentioned in the 1978 film The Buddy Holly Story
as the next stop in the ill-fated Winter Dance Party tour. Buddy Holly
, Ritchie Valens
and The Big Bopper
died in a plane crash en route to their scheduled performance at the Moorhead Armory Building.
Moorhead's pioneer Prairie Home Cemetery on 8th Street is often cited as the inspiration for the name of Garrison Keillor
's national radio program, A Prairie Home Companion
.
In 2011, Moorhead was recognized as a Playful City USA by the KaBOOM Foundation.
is an independent professional baseball
team that plays at Newman Outdoor Field
in Fargo. They are part of the American Association.
Being a cold weather city, hockey has emerged as favorite sport of Moorhead. The community has provided significant support to hockey programs such as Moorhead Youth Hockey. Over the years, Moorhead Senior High has produced a number of talented hockey players, including:
of 2000, there were 32,177 people, 11,660 households, and 7,030 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,394.3 people per square mile (924.4/km²). There were 12,180 housing units at an average density of 906.3 per square mile (349.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.08% White, 0.77% African American, 1.94% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.10% from other races
, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.47% of the population.
There were 11,660 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 23.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,781, and the median income for a family was $49,118. Males had a median income of $33,137 versus $23,717 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,150. About 8.2% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey
, the racial composition was as follows:
Source:
According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, the top ten European ancestries were the following:
Source:
Clay County, Minnesota
Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 58,999. Its name is in honor of American statesman Henry Clay, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century. Its county seat is Moorhead...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 38,065 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Clay County.
Moorhead was platted in 1871 and a permanent name was assigned to the town on October 6, 1871. Moorhead is bordered on the west by the Red River of the North
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
and city of Fargo
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. On the east, Moorhead is bordered by Dilworth
Dilworth, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,001 people, 1,160 households, and 787 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,510.6 people per square mile . There were 1,238 housing units at an average density of 623.2 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Together along with West Fargo
West Fargo, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,940 people, 5,771 households, and 4,091 families residing in the city, however the current population of West Fargo is estimated at over 26,000 residents. The population density was 2,049.2 per square mile . There were 5,968 housing units at an average...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, the communities comprise the core of the Fargo-Moorhead
Fargo-Moorhead
Fargo-Moorhead is a common name given to the metropolitan area comprising Fargo, North Dakota, Moorhead, Minnesota, and the surrounding communities. These two cities lie on the North Dakota-Minnesota border, on opposite banks of the Red River of the North...
metropolitan area, which has an 2010 population of around 208,777 residents.
Geography
Moorhead is located next to the Red River in the Red River ValleyRed River Valley
The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by the Red River of the North. It is significant in the geography of North Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba for its relatively fertile lands and the population centers of Fargo, Moorhead, Grand Forks, and Winnipeg...
. The land around the Fargo-Moorhead area is some of the flattest and richest (for agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
uses) in the world. This is because it lies on the lake bed of glacial Lake Agassiz
Lake Agassiz
Lake Agassiz was an immense glacial lake located in the center of North America. Fed by glacial runoff at the end of the last glacial period, its area was larger than all of the modern Great Lakes combined, and it held more water than contained by all lakes in the world today.-Conception:First...
, which drained between 9,900 and 11,000 years ago.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 13.4 square miles (34.7 km²), all of it land.
Interstate 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
and U.S. Routes 10
U.S. Route 10
U.S. Route 10 is an east–west United States highway formed in 1926. Though it never became the cross-country highway suggested by the "0" as the last digit of its route number, U.S...
and 75
U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Kittson County, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side of a closed border crossing. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 30 and Interstate 45 in Dallas,...
are three of the main routes in the city. Other nearby routes in the Fargo-Moorhead area include Interstate 29
Interstate 29
Interstate 29 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern United States. I-29 runs from Kansas City, Missouri, at a junction with Interstate 35 and Interstate 70 to the Canadian border near Pembina, North Dakota, where it connects with Manitoba Highway 75 via the short Manitoba Highway 29.-Route...
and Minnesota State Highway 336
Minnesota State Highway 336
Minnesota State Highway 336 is a short highway in northwest Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate 94 near Moorhead and continues north to its interchange with U.S. Highway 10 near Dilworth and Glyndon.The route is in length....
.
Education
Concordia College, Moorhead
Concordia College is a private liberal arts school located in Moorhead, Minnesota, United States. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and offers bachelors' degrees in the arts and music, as well as a master's degree in education. The college was founded by Norwegian...
(private liberal arts college), Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minnesota State University Moorhead is a four-year, public university located in Moorhead, Minnesota. The school has an enrollment of nearly 7,500 students and 337 full-time faculty members. MSUM is a part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system...
(public university), Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Minnesota State Community and Technical College is a multiple-campus college in the state of Minnesota. Minnesota State Community and Technical College serves more than 6,500 students in credit courses each semester through more than 120 career and liberal arts programs at its four campuses in...
(two-year to four-year technical college), Globe University/Minnesota School of Business, (private college), and Rasmussen College
Rasmussen College
Rasmussen College is a 110-year old for-profit private college offering Bachelor's and Associate's degrees at multiple campuses in Minnesota including Blaine, Brooklyn Park, Eagan, Bloomington, Lake Elmo, Mankato, Moorhead and St...
(a two- to four-year college). The combined student enrollment of these colleges is more than 40,000.
K-12 education is provided to over 2,500 students by the Moorhead School District: S.G. Reinertsen Elementary, Robert Asp Elementary,Ellen Hopkins Elementary,Horizon Middle School, and Moorhead Senior High School. All of these schools are new or remodeled thanks to a $64 million investment in 2004. The district is known for its high student achievement with students consistently performing above the national average on the ACT. The district includes the cities of Moorhead, Georgetown, and Sabin
Sabin, Minnesota
Sabin is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 522 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land. The altitude is approximately 915 feet....
.
The city includes The Red River Area Learning Center and The Probstfield Center for Education.
Park Christian School is a private Christian school in Moorhead providing a K-12 education as well as St. Joseph's, a Catholic elementary school.
Arts and culture
The Rourke Art Gallery and the Rourke Art MuseumRourke Art Museum
The Rourke Art Museum is a fine arts museum in Moorhead, Minnesota founded by James O'Rourke. The associated Rourke Art Gallery is nearby at 523 South Fourth Street in the historic Martinson House, built in 1875...
are native Moorhead cultural institutions hosting the annual Midwestern Invitational Exhibition. Executive Director James O'Rourke displays an important art collection from local, regional and national artists. The Rourke Gallery operates from the historic 1875 Martinson House and the Rourke Museum is housed in the historic Moorhead Post Office building.
The city is also home to the Blue Stem Center for the Arts and Trollwood Performing Arts School, a renowned Summer arts and theater program.
Hjemkomst Center
Hjemkomst Center
The Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center, commonly known as the Hjemkomst Center, is an interpretation center museum in Moorhead, Minnesota. The building opened in 1985 and serves as a home to Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church replica, quarterly museum exhibits, and county archives...
is located in the city. It is a museum containing a re-creation of a Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
ship
Viking ship
Viking ships were vessels used during the Viking Age in Northern Europe. Scandinavian tradition of shipbuilding during the Viking Age was characterized by slender and flexible boats, with symmetrical ends with true keel. They were clinker built, which is the overlapping of planks riveted together...
of the same name. The Hjemkomst vessel was built in nearby Hawley
Hawley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,882 people, 744 households, and 514 families residing in the city. The population density was 764.8 people per square mile . There were 787 housing units at an average density of 319.8 per square mile...
by Moorhead resident Robert Asp, and was sailed to Norway by his children after Asp's early death. The ship is now permanently housed in the center.
The Clay County Museum and Archives, operated by the Clay County Historical Society, interprets the history of Clay County in a free museum in the lower level of the Hjemkomst Center. The Society has more than 30,000 artifacts in their collection, one of the largest and most important historic collections in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
Located on the grounds of the Hjemkomst Center is a Stave Church
Stave church
A stave church is a medieval wooden church with a post and beam construction related to timber framing. The wall frames are filled with vertical planks. The load-bearing posts have lent their name to the building technique...
. The traditional Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
-style church serves as a symbol of the Norwegian heritage in the Red River Valley. The church is a full-scale replica of the Hopperstad stave church
Hopperstad stave church
Hopperstad Stave Church is a stave church near Vikøyri in the municipality of Vik in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The stave church is assumed to have been built around 1130 and still stands at its original location...
in Vik, Norway
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
.
From about Memorial Day through Labor Day (depending on river conditions), the Red River Ruby, a pontoon
Pontoon (boat)
A pontoon is a flotation device with buoyancy sufficient to float itself as well as a heavy load. A pontoon boat is a flattish boat that relies on pontoons to float. Pontoons may be used on boats, rafts, barges, docks, floatplanes or seaplanes. Pontoons may support a platform, creating a raft. A...
boat gives tours on the Red River of the North
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
adjacent to the Hjemkomst Center
Hjemkomst Center
The Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center, commonly known as the Hjemkomst Center, is an interpretation center museum in Moorhead, Minnesota. The building opened in 1985 and serves as a home to Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church replica, quarterly museum exhibits, and county archives...
. Special charters can be arranged outside of the normal operating hours.
An additional historical landmark is the Comstock House, built in 1882 and open for tours.
Popular culture
Moorhead is briefly referenced in the 1998 film The Big LebowskiThe Big Lebowski
The Big Lebowski is a 1998 comedy film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Jeff Bridges stars as Jeff Lebowski, an unemployed Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler, who is referred to as "The Dude". After a case of mistaken identity, The Dude is introduced to a millionaire also named...
as the hometown of one of the main characters, Bunny Lebowski. The high school photo of Bunny shown in the movie even has her wearing the correct orange, black, and white school colors of The Moorhead Spuds. Moorhead is also mentioned in the 1978 film The Buddy Holly Story
The Buddy Holly Story
The film was adapted by Robert Gittler from Buddy Holly: His Life and Music, the biography of Holly by John Goldrosen. It was directed by Steve Rash.-Plot:...
as the next stop in the ill-fated Winter Dance Party tour. Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
, Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and guitarist....
and The Big Bopper
The Big Bopper
Jiles Perry "J. P." Richardson, Jr. also commonly known as The Big Bopper, was an American disc jockey, singer, and songwriter whose big voice and exuberant personality made him an early rock and roll star...
died in a plane crash en route to their scheduled performance at the Moorhead Armory Building.
Moorhead's pioneer Prairie Home Cemetery on 8th Street is often cited as the inspiration for the name of Garrison Keillor
Garrison Keillor
Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality. He is known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (born August 7, 1942) is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio...
's national radio program, A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion is a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor. The show runs on Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Central Time, and usually originates from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it is frequently taken on the road...
.
Largest employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moorhead Area Public Schools | 1,000 |
| 2 | Minnesota State University Moorhead Minnesota State University Moorhead Minnesota State University Moorhead is a four-year, public university located in Moorhead, Minnesota. The school has an enrollment of nearly 7,500 students and 337 full-time faculty members. MSUM is a part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system... |
825 |
| 3 | Concordia College | 812 |
| 4 | Eventide | 500 |
| 5 | County of Clay Clay County, Minnesota Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 58,999. Its name is in honor of American statesman Henry Clay, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century. Its county seat is Moorhead... |
480 |
| 6 | American Crystal Sugar Company | 355 |
| 7 | Moorhead Electric | 260 |
| 8 | City of Moorhead | 251 |
| 9 | American Security & Protection | 200 |
| 10 | Hornbacher's Hornbacher's Hornbacher's is a supermarket chain that operates six stores in Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota. Hornbacher's is a wholly owned subsidiary of Eden Prairie, Minnesota based SuperValu Inc.-History:... |
180 |
In 2011, Moorhead was recognized as a Playful City USA by the KaBOOM Foundation.
Sports
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawksFargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
is an independent professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team that plays at Newman Outdoor Field
Newman Outdoor Field
Newman Outdoor Field is a baseball stadium in Fargo, North Dakota. It is located on the campus of North Dakota State University and is the home of the independent league Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks baseball team and the North Dakota State Bison baseball team. The 4,513 seat facility was known as "The...
in Fargo. They are part of the American Association.
Being a cold weather city, hockey has emerged as favorite sport of Moorhead. The community has provided significant support to hockey programs such as Moorhead Youth Hockey. Over the years, Moorhead Senior High has produced a number of talented hockey players, including:
- Jason Blake (MHS '92) Currently playing for the Anaheim DucksAnaheim DucksThe Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, formerly of the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders. Played at the 2006 Olympic games for the United States in Turin, Italy. - Matt CullenMatt CullenMatthew David Cullen is a professional ice hockey center, who currently is an alternate captain of the Minnesota Wild of the NHL.-Playing career:...
(MHS '95) Currently playing for the Minnesota WildMinnesota WildThe Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, a member of the 2005-2006 Carolina Hurricanes who won the NHL Stanley Cup (championship) in 2006. Played at the 2006 Olympic games for the United States in Turin, Italy. - Mark Cullen (MHS '97) Signed into the Philadelphia Flyers system in 2006, competed in 2006-2007 with the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms.
- Brian Lee (MHS '05) Professional hockey player, previously the University of North Dakota, and the U.S. National Junior Team. Also played for the Ottawa SenatorsOttawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. - Ryan KraftRyan KraftRyan Kraft is a professional ice hockey player who is currently with the Kassel Huskies in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-ECHL:...
(MHS '94) Played for the San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 32,177 people, 11,660 households, and 7,030 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,394.3 people per square mile (924.4/km²). There were 12,180 housing units at an average density of 906.3 per square mile (349.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.08% White, 0.77% African American, 1.94% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.10% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.47% of the population.
There were 11,660 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 23.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,781, and the median income for a family was $49,118. Males had a median income of $33,137 versus $23,717 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,150. About 8.2% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey is an ongoing statistical survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, sent to approximately 250,000 addresses monthly . It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census...
, the racial composition was as follows:
- WhiteWhite AmericanWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
: 92.0% (Non-Hispanic WhitesNon-Hispanic WhitesNon-Hispanic Whites or White, Not Hispanic or Latino are people in the United States, as defined by the Census Bureau, who are of the White race and are not of Hispanic or Latino origin/ethnicity. Hence the designation is exclusive in the sense that it defines who is not included as opposed to who is...
: 90.3%) - Black or African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
: 1.4% - American IndianNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
: 1.4% - AsianAsian AmericanAsian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
: 1.5% - Pacific IslanderPacific Islander AmericanPacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
: 0.0% - Some other race: 1.5%
- Two or more racesMultiracial AmericanMultiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
: 2.2%
- Hispanic or LatinoHispanic and Latino AmericansHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
(of any race): 4.1%
Source:
According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, the top ten European ancestries were the following:
- NorwegianNorwegian AmericanNorwegian Americans are Americans of Norwegian descent. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the later half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and...
: 36.1% - GermanGerman AmericanGerman Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
: 36.0% - SwedishSwedish AmericanSwedish Americans are Americans of Swedish descent, especially the descendants of about 1.2 million immigrants from Sweden during 1885-1915. Most were Lutherans who affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ; some were Methodists...
: 7.6% - IrishIrish AmericanIrish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
: 7.2% - EnglishEnglish AmericanEnglish Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
: 4.7% - FrenchFrench AmericanFrench Americans or Franco-Americans are Americans of French or French Canadian descent. About 11.8 million U.S. residents are of this descent, and about 1.6 million speak French at home.An additional 450,000 U.S...
: 3.7% - PolishPolish AmericanA Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
: 3.6% - AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
: 2.3% - ItalianItalian AmericanAn Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
: 1.5% - Dutch: 1.4%
Source:
Notable residents
- Mark LadwigMark LadwigMark Ladwig is an American pair skater. He competes with Amanda Evora. They are two-time U.S. silver medalists and two-time pewter medalists.-Career:...
- figure skater - Leslie Stefanson - actress
- Adolph MurieAdolph MurieAdolph Murie , the first scientist to study wolves in their natural habitat, was a naturalist, author, and wildlife biologist who pioneered field research on wolves, bears, and other mammals and birds in Arctic and sub-Arctic Alaska...
- (1899–1974) biologist, author, ecologist - Olaus MurieOlaus MurieOlaus Murie , called the "father of modern elk management", was a naturalist, author, and wildlife biologist who did groundbreaking field research on a variety of large northern mammals. He also served as president of The Wilderness Society, The Wildlife Society, and as director of the Izaak Walton...
- (1889–1963) biologist, author, ecologist (half-brother of Adolph, see MurieMurieMurie is the name of a famed American family of naturalists, brothers Olaus and Adolph , and their wives Margaret "Mardy" and Louise ....
family article for more information - Sister Annella ZervasAnnella ZervasThe Servant of God Sister Mary Annella Zervas was an American Benedictine nun who died after a three year battle with the skin disease Pityriasis rubra pilaris. She is known for the most part simply as "Sister Annella".-Early life:Anna Cordelia Zervas was born in Moorhead, Minnesota...
, O.S.B., (1900–1926) nunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
of Saint Benedict's MonasterySaint Benedict's MonasterySaint Benedict's Monastery is a monastery of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, in St. Joseph, Minnesota. The Sisters trace their roots to Saint Walburg Abbey in Eichstätt, in the Kingdom of Bavaria. Six of them emigrated to St. Cloud in 1857, moving to St. Joseph in 1863...
and the closest that MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
possesses to a Canonized SaintSaintA saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. Her current title is Servant of GodServant of GodServant of God is a title given to individuals by various religions, but in general the phrase is used to describe a person believed to be pious in his or her faith tradition. In the Catholic Church, it designates someone who is being investigated by the Church for possibly being recognized as a...
. - Becky GulsvigBecky GulsvigBecky Gulsvig from Moorhead, Minnesota, is an American stage actress, singer, and dancer.Of Norwegian heritage, Gulsvig's mother is a teacher and her father is a financial advisor. She attended Moorhead High School, Trollwood Performing Arts School, and the Red River Dance and Performing...
- actress - Rene ClausenRené ClausenRené Clausen is an American composer, conductor of The Concordia Choir, and associate professor of music at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota...
- (b. 1953) American composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and conductor of The Concordia ChoirThe Concordia ChoirThe Concordia Choir is a critically acclaimed 75-voice ensemble known for its distinctive sound and regarded as one the finest a cappella choirs in the world. The ensemble is a highly selective mixed-voice choral ensemble composed entirely of students at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota.The... - Thomas McGrathThomas McGrath (poet)Thomas Matthew McGrath, was a celebrated American poet....
- (1916–1990) poet, screenwriter, Rhodes scholar, English professor - Wally O'NeillWally O'NeillWally O'Neill was a player in the National Football League. He played for the Duluth Kelleys during the 1925 NFL season.-References:...
- NFL player - Ali Moorhead - pornographic actress
Media
- The Forum of Fargo-MoorheadThe Forum of Fargo-MoorheadThe Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, previously titled the Fargo Forum, is a daily newspaper printed in Fargo, North Dakota and owned by Forum Communications. The Forum, as it is commonly known, is the primary daily paper for southeast North Dakota, and also much of northwest Minnesota. Its average daily...
, regional newspaper printed in Fargo - OPEN MagazineOPEN MagazineOPEN Magazine was a quarterly city and lifestyle magazine focusing upon fashion, style, entertainment, dining and culture for the Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota metropolitan areas. Feature articles generally cover local people, businesses, restaurants, entertainment, sports, home and...
, The Premier City Magazine for the Fargo/Moorhead Area - High Plains ReaderHigh Plains ReaderThe High Plains Reader is an alternative newspaper serving the Fargo and Grand Forks metropolitan areas, with an estimated readership of 20,000 to 30,000 weekly between print and online readers...
, Red River Valley's independent news weekly - Minnesota Public RadioMinnesota Public RadioMinnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...
, Concordia College hosts an MPR bureau
External links
- City of Moorhead, MN -- Official site
- Moorhead Business Association website
- Moorhead Parks and Recreation
- Moorhead Current Weather
- Hjemkomst Center website
- Minnesota State University Moorhead website
- Concordia College website
- Minnesota State Community and Technical College website
- Clay County Historical Society website
- Chamber of Commerce
- Comstock Historic House
- Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitors Bureau