Ottertail in Otter Tail County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

First County Seat of Otter Tail County

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 5, 2023

1. First County Seat of Otter Tail County Marker

Inscription. This tablet commemorates Otter Tail City, the first County Seat of Otter Tail County, 1858 to 1872. This site was chosen for the erection of the court house and jail. Dedicated by the Otter Tail County Historical Society on June 25, 1933.

Erected 1933 by Otter Tail County Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Political Subdivisions. A significant historical year for this entry is 1858.

Location. 46° 25.593′ N, 95° 34.781′ W. Marker is in Ottertail, Minnesota, in Otter Tail County. It is on Bay View Road just west of Otter Tail Scenic Byway (State Highway 78/108), on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 89 Bay View Road, Ottertail MN 56571, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least

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8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Otter Tail City & Ottertail Village (within shouting distance of this marker); Otter Tail City (within shouting distance of this marker); Delbert Thalmann Park (approx. one mile away); Otter Tail Lake (approx. 1.9 miles away); Craigie Flour Mill (approx. 5 miles away); a different marker also named Craigie Flour Mill (approx. 5 miles away); Water Powered (approx. 5 miles away); Leaf City (approx. 5.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ottertail.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Otter Tail City

Also see . . .
1. Otter Tail County, Minnesota (Wikipedia). Excerpt:

Otter Tail City began as a waystation on a fur-trade route between Saint Paul and the Red River valley. The settlement was of sufficient size that when the Minnesota Territory established a US land office for this part of the territory, the office was sited at Otter Tail City. Thus, the city was named as the seat when the county was organized, but people had begun settling the future Fergus Falls area in 1857,
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 5, 2023

2. First County Seat of Otter Tail County Marker
(looking south from Bay View Road)
and it grew sufficiently that in fall 1872, the vote was taken to move the county seat there. The Northern Pacific Railroad had initially planned to run a line through Otter Tail City, but complications caused the line to be placed in Fergus Falls, which precipitated the county seat move.

(Submitted on September 28, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. History & Settlement of Otter Tail County, MN. Excerpt:

Otter Tail County was established in March 1858 by a legislative act. It was organized in 1868. The original county seat was Otter Tail City. The people of Fergus Falls organized a new county named Holcomb. In 1872, a legislative act abolished Holcomb County, added additional townships to the west, and established Fergus Falls as the county seat of Otter Tail County, and built a new county courthouse.

(Submitted on September 28, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 28, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 246 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 28, 2023, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.