Ottertail in Otter Tail County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Otter Tail City & Ottertail Village
This Historic Town Lost the Railroad, the County Seat, & Went from Boom to Bust — Twice
A Snapshot of Ottertail City
Trading Post - Otter Tail City was originally settled by trappers that traded with the natives of the area. Donald McDonald located a trading post on the east side of Otter Tail Lake because of its proximity to the lake and the Otter Tail River. When Minnesota became a state in 1858, Otter Tail City had been the county seat with the first land office, and the county was named Otter Tail. In the early 1880s, millions of feet of logs were cut in Becker and Otter Tail counties along the banks of the Otter Tail, Toad and Pelican rivers.
Changes Were Coming
In 1872, the county seat was moved to Fergus Falls, its present location. When the RL Frazee Sawmill moved to New York Mills, the population of Otter Tail City saw a decline. A monument is located across the street from the original site of the Otter Tail County Courthouse and Jail. The St. Paul House, a former lodging establishment, was the only remaining building for some time. In 2012, the St. Paul House was moved to its present site, on Main Street, one mile east on Highway 108. At one time, Otter Tail City had 1,200 residents, 36 saloons, five hotels, three general stores, one brewery, three lawyers, and a weekly newspaper.
New "Old Ottertail"
When the Soo Line Railroad was unable to run its tracks in Otter Tail City, a new settlement was platted and called Ottertail. Businesses grew in the "old town." A cement block company, a bank, a restaurant, a mercantile, elevators, a garage, and a school rounded out the "new Ottertail."
A New Beginning
In 1904, Ottertail incorporated and started a fire department. Ottertail consists of nearly 3,200 acres and five sections which were platted for expansion. Today, visitors will find "old town" Ottertail one mile east on Highway 108; and a "new section" of Ottertail located on Highway 78. Homes and businesses are growing and there is plenty of room for expansion.
Lakes, Lakes, Lakes
Ottertail can provide lots of fun and entertainment due to the five lakes in its boundaries. A bird's eye view highlights Otter Tail Lake, Donald Lake, Portage Lake, Buchanan Lake and Pelican Bay, all providing hours of enjoyment year around. A fishing pier located on Pelican Bay gets the avid "boat-less" fisherman into deeper waters. Both the pier and Otter Tail Lake can be reached by an access located on Highway 78.
The Creamery
The origin of the St. Paul House is shrouded in mystery. The Creamery was built in 1921 on the corner of South Maple and Main Street as a slaughterhouse, and later manufactured 353,839 pounds of butter. The original building was renovated and is now home to a church and boutique. A new tower atop the building allows onlookers to view Ottertail's five fine lakes. The renovated St. Paul House is situated on the former Creamery site.
The Williams Company Store
Built in 1904, this building has served various business ventures; it housed a mercantile, an undertaker, a grocery store and most recently a gift shop. In 1982, the building became home to M&J's Market. The grocery store was owned by Jim and Marlys Wipperling, who owned the business for 13 years when they sold it to Jeff and Merry Van Horn in 1995. They operated the store until 1997. Pam Williams bought the building, made upgrades, and opened a gift store under the name of The Williams Company. Marnie and Dan Whitehead now operate a gift store and deli in the building.
An Otter for Ottertail
In late 1998, the Ottertail Lions Club, a community service club active in the city, commissioned Ken Nyberg, a Vining resident, best known as a grain elevator welder and sculpture artist, to sculpt a statue of an otter. After about three months, he completed the statue in early 1999, and the Lions Club put the steel creature on display in a wayside park at the intersection of Highways 78 and 108.
Otter Tail City Famous Firsts
• First large settlement in area
• First platted townsite in county
• First U.S. land Office in county
• First newspaper in county
• First brewery in county
• First sawmill in county
Erected by Otter Tail Scenic Byway.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1858.
Location. 46° 25.613′ N, 95° 34.773′ W. Marker is in Ottertail, Minnesota, in Otter Tail County. Marker is at the intersection of Otter Tail Scenic Byway (State Highway 78/108) and Bay View Road, on the right when traveling south on Otter Tail Scenic Byway. The marker is located in the wayside at the northwest corner of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Ottertail MN 56571, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 6 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Otter Tail City (here, next to this marker); First County Seat of Otter Tail County (within shouting distance of this marker); Craigie Flour Mill (approx. 5 miles away); Old Clitherall (approx. 11˝ miles away); Perham (approx. 11.6 miles away); Arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway at Perham (approx. 11.7 miles away).
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Otter Tail City
Also see . . . City of Ottertail. Excerpt:
The city of Ottertail dates only from 1903, and is not to be confused with Otter Tail City, a historical village and trading post which flourished more or less on the northeastern shore of Otter Tail Lake from about 1850 to 1860 until the Soo line (railroad) was put through the county in the early part of this century. If all reports be true, the late Otter Tail City might today be the county seat if one particular land-owner had been willing to give the Northern Pacific a right of way through his farm. “Ottertail” is the correct spelling when referring to the city, and is in fact the ONLY government entity in the county that utilizes a single word. All the others: Otter Tail Township, Otter Tail Lake, Otter Tail River, and of course Otter Tail County have otter and tail as separate words.(Submitted on September 27, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 105 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on September 27, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.