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42-633: The hospital closed in 2007. Various proposals have been made to repurpose the site and buildings since its closure. By 1885, Minnesota's state institutions for people with mental illnesses were badly overcrowded. The State Board of Health declared in 1872 that the facilities at the St. Peter Hospital for the Insane were appalling and a disgrace to the state. Even after a second hospital was established in Rochester in 1877, conditions remained inadequate. In response,

84-524: A combined population of 96,189 at the 2020 census . The city is well known for being the partial setting of the 1996 film Fargo . The area that is now Brainerd was formerly Ojibwe territory. Brainerd was first seen by European settlers on Christmas Day in 1805, when Zebulon Pike stopped there while searching for the headwaters of the Mississippi River . Crow Wing Village, a fur and logging community near Fort Ripley , brought settlers to

126-559: A nurses' dormitory, creating a variety of art projects that often reflect on the history of the building and comment on the past and present of mental health treatment. Springboard hosted an annual Kirkbride Arts & History Weekend from 2013 to 2017, featuring tours, music, and speakers focusing on mental health and historic preservation. 46°17′58″N 96°04′53″W  /  46.299394°N 96.081313°W  / 46.299394; -96.081313 Brainerd, Minnesota Brainerd ( / ˈ b r eɪ n ər d / BRAY -nərd )

168-513: A program of United Arts, it became an independent non-profit organization in 1991 under the name of Resources and Counseling for the Arts. The organization changed its name to Springboard for the Arts in 2002. Springboard also manages Minnesota Lawyers for the Arts (MnLA), the Minnesota chapter of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts . Laura Zabel has been Executive Director since 2005. In May 2020,

210-491: A two-step plan for demolition, and Mayor Ben Schierer has indicated that the city may still be open to practical suggestions for renovation of the original Kirkbride building. In 2014, Minnesota non-profit arts organization Springboard for the Arts received a $ 100,000 grant to establish a community development and artists residency program, Hinge Arts at the Kirkbride. Selected artists reside in apartments which were formerly

252-605: Is a city and the county seat of Crow Wing County, Minnesota , United States. Its population was 14,395 at the 2020 census . Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from its confluence with the Crow Wing River , having been founded as a site for a railroad crossing above the confluence. Brainerd is the principal city of the Brainerd Micropolitan Area , a micropolitan area covering Cass and Crow Wing counties and with

294-625: Is a local community and technical college offering associates degrees and technical certificates. It is part of the Minnesota State Colleges system. Radio stations and television channels in the Brainerd Lakes area: The following routes are in the Brainerd area: Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport serves the area with commercial airline service on Delta Connection and three cargo airlines . The 1996 film Fargo

336-473: Is land and 0.73 square miles (1.89 km ) is water. Brainerd has been assigned ZIP code 56401 by the USPS . Brainerd has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfb ) with vast seasonal differences. Summers are warm, and occasionally hot, with high humidity, whereas winters are often severely cold. The Burlington Northern (Brainerd/Baxter) United States Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site

378-417: Is on the boundary between Brainerd and Baxter. The site served as a Burlington Northern Railroad tie treatment plant from 1907 to 1985. During that time, wastewater generated from the wood-treating process was sent to two shallow, unlined ponds. This created a toxic sludge that contaminated both the underlying soils and the groundwater with creosote and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). As of

420-416: Is supported by many local and national organizations, as well as people in the community. Brainerd Public Schools is the local school district. Brainerd High School is the local high school, and the district also hosts an alternative high school, and online classes. Alternative schools in Brainerd include Discovery Woods Charter School (K-6) and St Francis Catholic School (K-8). Central Lakes College

462-428: The census of 2020, the population was 14,395. The population density was 1,186.7 inhabitants per square mile (458.2/km ). There were 6,473 housing units at an average density of 533.6 units per square mile (206.0 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 88.6% White , 2.2% Native American , 1.6% Black or African American , 0.7% Asian , 0.8% from other races , and 6.1% from two or more races. Ethnically,

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504-402: The Brainerd station as a machine and car shop, prompting many to move north and abandon Crow Wing. Brainerd was organized as a city on March 6, 1873. On January 11, 1876, the state legislature revoked Brainerd's charter for six years, in reaction to the election of local handyman Thomas Lanihan as mayor instead of Judge C.B. Sleeper. Brainerd functioned as a township in the interim. In 1881,

546-780: The Fergus Falls State Hospital was one of the last Kirkbride structures built in the United States. The hospital had a sprawling campus and large stately buildings in accordance with the Kirkbride Plan. Only the West Detached Ward was finished in time for the hospital's opening in 1890. The other wings and the main building were finished by 1912. When the hospital opened its doors on July 29, 1890 it received two men from an Otter Tail judge. The next day it received 80 patients transferred from

588-489: The First National Bank of Brainerd became briefly famous when it was held up by Baby Face Nelson and his gang. Over the years, increased efficiency and the better positioning of the more centralized Livingston , Montana , shops led to a decline in the importance of a railroad station that once employed over 1,000 and serviced locomotives for the whole Northern Pacific line. The BNSF Railway (successor to

630-503: The Northern Pacific) continues to employ approximately 70 people in Brainerd at a maintenance-of-way equipment shop that repairs and maintains track and equipment. The former Northern Pacific railway station has been converted to breweries, coffee shops, and event centers available to rent for special occasions. The Northwest Paper Company built Brainerd's first paper mill in 1903 and with the steady increase in tourism since

672-557: The Ojibwe only wanted to sell blueberries and the settlers avoided a bloody misunderstanding. The guilt of the two Ojibwe was never proven. Brainerd was the idea of Northern Pacific railroad president John Gregory Smith , who in 1870 named the township after his wife, Anne Eliza Brainerd Smith , and father-in-law, Lawrence Brainerd . The company built a bridge over the Mississippi seven miles north of Crow Wing Village and used

714-725: The St. Peter hospital. The first patients were all men, and most of them were farmers or laborers. Women were not admitted to the institution until 1893, when 125 women were transferred from St. Peter. By the late 1920s the hospital's population was around 1,700 making it the largest mental health hospital in the state. As the institution grew, so did the town. The population in Fergus Falls more than doubled between 1890 and 1930. The Fergus Falls State Hospital quickly became overcrowded, even though it had been intended to solve overcrowding problems. Patients could be admitted voluntarily but many were sent by court order. Most stayed for life. Over

756-480: The area in the mid-19th century. In those early years, the relationship between the settlers and the Native Americans was fraught. The most famous example of this tenuous relationship was the "Blueberry War" of 1872. Two Ojibwe were hanged for allegedly murdering a missing girl. When a group of Ojibwe approached the town, troops from Fort Ripley were called to prevent a potential reprisal. As it turned out,

798-574: The area, better known as the Brainerd Lakes. Brainerd itself is now heavily developed into commercial and residential areas and has seen an uptick in development in recent years. Brainerd is just north of Minnesota's geographical center, in a relatively hilly terminal moraine area created by the Superior Lobe of the Labradorian ice sheet. The town occupies land on both sides of the Mississippi River , though its older parts are almost all to

840-406: The building for residential and commercial use by two different developers, including one with experience in preservation of historic properties. A plan was ultimately approved to develop the site and buildings into a hotel, a spa and restaurants. This plan proceeded but later encountered roadblocks over financing. In October 2014 the developer asked for an investment of $ 700,000 from the city toward

882-444: The city. The population density was 1,652.8 inhabitants per square mile (638.1/km ). There were 5,847 housing units at an average density of 733.3 units per square mile (283.1 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 95.83% White , 0.71% African American , 1.44% Native American , 0.46% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.26% from other races , and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.86% of

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924-406: The course of the twentieth century, hospital leaders were on forefront of treatments like occupational therapy and shock treatment. Still, the court system treated the hospital as simply a convenient way to isolate social outcasts. Most patients were poor and had few resources in times of trouble. After World War II, drug therapy led to better outpatient care, and the entire Minnesota hospital system

966-414: The early 20th century the paper and service industries have become Brainerd's primary employers. The town's coating mill was sold by Potlatch to Missota Paper in 2003 and then by Missota Paper to Wausau Paper in 2004. It is now used as a small industrial center called Brainerd Industrial Center (BIC). Due to the many lakes in the area, Brainerd is a popular summertime destination for those owning cabins in

1008-634: The east. Though the city itself has relatively few lakes, there are over 460 lakes within 25 miles (40 km) of Brainerd, mostly to the north. For this reason, Crow Wing County and parts of the adjoining counties are often collectively called the Brainerd Lakes Area despite most of the lakes existing closer to Nisswa. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 12.66 square miles (32.79 km ), of which 11.91 square miles (30.85 km )

1050-452: The facility. Fergus Falls officials requested $ 8.9 million of the state's bonding bill to preserve the vacant tower building, which would be the only structure of the site left standing. The state granted $ 3.5 million for the project in May 2018, and demolition began with the mid-century administration building, constructed in the 1950s. The removal of this building is outlined in the first phase of

1092-514: The festival's mission is to connect the nation's best performers and audiences through excellent classical music and inspiring education. There are educational programs for children in the area with musicians from across the world and high-caliber concerts that are free to the public. The Lakes Area Music Festival, through its Outreach initiative, brings classical music into areas that normally do not get concerts. Among these are public libraries, women's shelters, and correctional facilities. The program

1134-502: The hospital's name was changed to the Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center to reflect its new mission. The Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center closed in 2005 after gradually moving patients to smaller, community-based facilities for two decades. The state sold the land to the city of Fergus Falls in 2007. After its closure the building's future was uncertain. Preservationists have fought to save

1176-416: The institution was changed accordingly to the Fergus Falls State Hospital. The hospital was designed on a model established by physician Thomas Kirkbride . Kirkbride believed that building design was an important part of patient treatment programs. The typical Kirkbride structure consisted of a central administrative structure in the middle, with long, straight wings that radiated from it. Patients lived in

1218-556: The main building. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, and it is one of the only remaining examples of the Kirkbride plan. Yet the city of Fergus Falls argued that the building was too large for a small town to redevelop or maintain and has considered demolishing it. In October 2012, Colliers Real Estate listed the building for sale. In May 2013, the City Council considered plans to renovate

1260-531: The organization's building on University Avenue was among those damaged by arson during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul . In 2021 their universal basic income for artists initiative was among the first in the nation. The funds will go to working artists in St. Paul's Rondo and Frogtown neighborhoods. In 2007, Springboard for the Arts partnered with Minnesota Citizens for

1302-576: The population was 2.5% Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census of 2010, there were 13,590 people, 5,851 households, and 3,069 families living in the city. The population density was 1,141.1 inhabitants per square mile (440.6/km ). There were 6,390 housing units at an average density of 536.5 units per square mile (207.1 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 93.5% White , 1.2% African American , 1.6% Native American , 0.3% Asian , 0.4% from other races , and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8% of

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1344-442: The population. There were 5,851 households, of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.7% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.5% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

1386-475: The population. 31.4% were of German , 28.1% were Finnish , 17.7% Norwegian , 7.1% Swedish , 6.8% Irish , and 6.1% United States or American ancestry. There were 5,623 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who

1428-436: The project. In November 2014, after the city and the developer had appeared to reach an impasse, a citizens group launched a fundraising drive to raise the $ 700,000 needed to proceed with the development. The group had until December 31 to reach its goal. On January 18, 2018, however, city officials unanimously voted to seek state funding for demolition of the campus, citing doubt that sufficient funds could be secured for reuse of

1470-435: The railroad, and with it the town, expanded. Lumber and paper, as well as agriculture in general, were important early industries, but for many decades Brainerd remained a railroad town: in the 1920s roughly 90% of Brainerd residents were dependent on the railroad. Participation in the nationwide railroad strike on July 1, 1922, left most Brainerd residents unemployed and embittered many of those involved. On October 27, 1933,

1512-551: The state legislature commissioned the Third Minnesota State Hospital for the Insane in 1885. Since the existing hospitals were in southern Minnesota, the new hospital was to be north of the Twin Cities. Among the potential locations considered were Brainerd , Fergus Falls, Sauk Centre and Alexandria . On December 14, 1886, Fergus Falls was selected as the hospital site by a vote of 4-1. The name of

1554-450: The wings, which were uniform, precise, and austere. The bare façade was supposed to bring discipline into patients' lives. Kirkbride asylums were designed to provide "moral treatment." That included exercise, farming, entertainment, and classes like reading and sewing. Activities like farming and sewing provided occupational therapy and useful goods, but patients complained that they felt like chores. Designed by architect Warren B. Dunnell ,

1596-462: Was $ 26,901, and the median family income was $ 35,212. Males had a median income of $ 27,677 versus $ 21,217 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,744. About 11.8% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over. The Brainerd Lakes Area has a classical music festival during the summers called Lakes Area Music Festival. According to its website,

1638-436: Was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age in the city was 32.2 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.5% were from 25 to 44; 20.5% were from 45 to 64, and 15.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 13,178 people, 5,623 households and 3,036 families living in

1680-423: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.94. Age distribution was 25.1% under the age of 18, 13.7% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males. The median household income

1722-597: Was scaled back. In 1971, the hospital's mission changed. The Fergus Falls State Hospital became Minnesota's first multi-purpose regional center. That meant that it served patients based on where they lived, rather than what services they needed. Since its founding, the Fergus Falls institution had primarily served people with mental illnesses. After 1970, the institution began accepting patients with developmental disabilities and chemical dependencies as well because they lived in Northwestern or West Central Minnesota. In 1985,

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1764-579: Was set partly in Brainerd. Springboard for the Arts Springboard for the Arts is a not-for-profit arts service organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota . Springboard for the Arts provides arts-related resources to independent artists and arts organizations including professional development education and workshops, fiscal sponsorship , micro-lending , health care resources, and career consultations. Originating in 1978 as

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