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Albert Lea, Minnesota

10 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Albert Lea City. It lies in ZIP code area 56007. It lies near Katherine Island. The Survey maps it on the Albert Lea East quadrangle. 18,492 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,243 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Albert Lea within Freeborn County

On record in Albert Lea

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 6 records

Population over time

2 figures

Albert Lea grew from 18,016 to 18,492 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
201018,016
202018,492+476 (+3%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

6 surveys from 10 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

In the county-history sources

2,820 words on this township

History of Freeborn County, published 1882 names this settlement in its chapter on Albert Lea Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

The township bearing this name is the southern of the two center towns of the county, Bancroft being its comrade on the north, with Kiceland impinging on the northeast, Hayward on the east, Shell Rook to the southeast, Freeman on the south, Nunda to the southwest. Pickerel Lake on the west, and Manchester to the northwest. It coincides with the original government survey, having thirty-sis sections.

Passage source: History of Freeborn County, published 1882.

The principal river is the Shell Eock, which flows in an average direction toward the southeast, diagonally through the township. Lake Albert Lea is the largest body of water in town, and is a magnificent sheet, with its irregular but gently curving outline and undulating surrounding meadows and hillside. Most of it lays in the town, but its length is about eight miles. Pickerel Lake also laps over into its territory, as does White's Lake, which Col. Lea at first called Lake Ohapeau. Goose Lake, a compact little body of water, may be found in section three. Fountain Lake is an artificial pond created by the mill dam erected by Mr. Kuble on his first coming here. It hugs around the northern side of the city in a curviUnear way, and with its graceful foliage, at various points coming down to the water's edge, presents one of the most pleasing views to be found in all Southern Minnesota.

Passage source: History of Freeborn County, published 1882.

Mr. and Mrs. Blaekmer were early settlers, but both are dead. Two sons, Loren and Heman, live on the homestead, and other sons reside in Albert Lea and vicinity. Dr. F. Blaekmer, residing in the city, is a son.

Passage source: History of Freeborn County, published 1882.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Albert Lea Township - it names this place 12 more 12 times.

Fires near this place

2 since 2000

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 2 fires within 5 miles of Albert Lea between 2000 and 2017, burning about 179 acres in total. None started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Arson/incendiarism1
Debris and open burning1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
12 September 2017Arson/incendiarism2.4 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
25 April 2000Debris and open burning177 acresWindom Wetland Management DistrictTWO ISLAND (RX/WF)

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Freeborn County

Mines and quarries near this place

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Albert Lea: 1 occurrence. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Limestone, General. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Freeborn County Marl BedLimestone, GeneralOccurrence

Every working recorded in Freeborn County

Storms near this place

60 of 70 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Albert Lea in 70 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 30 thunderstorm wind, 27 hail, 4 flash flood, 3 flood. The reports record 1 death and 4 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 2008Flash FloodAlbert Lea1 killed, 2 hurt, $500,000Approximately three to five inches of heavy rain in three hours resulted in flash flooding. Water was reported over Highway 65 three miles southeast of Albert Lea, and over Interstate 90 five miles east and one mile north of Hayward. Heavy rain washed out a section of County Road 34 between County Roads 19 and 21, or about three miles south of Oakland. One man died when he drove into the washed out roadbed and the vehicle submerged. The first call to 911 came at 0005 CST June 12, alerting law enforcement that the road had washed out. Shortly thereafter, another call to 911 was placed when a vehicle with two occupants drove into the washed out roadbed. The two occupants were rescued but informed their rescuers that they had landed on a vehicle, which turned out to be the vehicle with the deceased 52 year old male. Two people died indirect deaths when, at night on June 29, at the same washed out location three miles south of Oakland, they either drove around a barricade or somebody had moved the barricade. The vehicle plunged into the cavernous hole. One woman died June 29 and a man died July 3.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea2 hurt, $5,000Severe thunderstorm winds blew over a semi trailer , while also knocking numerous large trees down in the city of Albert Lea. The observing site in Albert Lea clocked winds at 68 miles an hour. There were two people injured by falling trees.
June 2013Flash FloodAlbert Lea$100,000The City of Albert Lea had many streets barricaded due to water over the road. The streets in town was basically ponding due to saturated ground. Many stalled vehicles were reported. In the county there were several roads, including County Road 61 and County Road 27, near Freeborn, which had water over the road. The intersection of County Roads 14 and 74, north of Emmons, needed significant repairs.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea$50,000There was widespread tree damage, and some roof damage to commercial buildings around Albert Lea, and then eastward toward Hayward, and Glenville.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea$50,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea$25,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across the city of Albert Lea. Some of the worst areas were near the fairgrounds where barn doors were damaged and a vehicle was damaged due to a fallen tree.
May 2015Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea$10,000Several reports were received from state officials of windows blown out, trees and power lines knocked down around Albert Lea.
June 2001Flash FloodAlbert Lea$10,000Numerous streets and basements flooded.
August 2014Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea$5,000A large tree blew down on a vehicle.
May 1994HailAlbert Lea$50A severe thunderstorm dumped dime-size hail across much of southern Freeborn County.
May 1994HailAlbert Lea$50A severe thunderstorm dumped dime-size hail across much of southern Freeborn County.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Trees and power lines were knocked down in Albert Lea.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-A large tree was blown down in Albert Lea.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-A large tree limb fell on a parked car in Albert Lea.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Several large tree limbs were snapped off, some as large as 8 inches in diameter.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-A large tree limb was blown down in the city of Albert Lea.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-A tree was blown down in Albert Lea.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in Albert Lea.
June 2014Heavy RainAlbert Lea-A measured 12 hour rainfall total of 3.33 inches near Albert Lea.
March 2011FloodAlbert Lea-U.S. Highway 65 in Albert Lea was closed for a part of March due to Spring snow melt and the runoff associated with it.
March 2010FloodAlbert Lea-County Road 101 was closed between Highway 13 and West Edgewater Drive due to flooding. In addition, East Main Street was closed at Garfield due to water over the road.
August 2010Heavy RainAlbert Lea-A local observer reported ponding of water along city streets in north Albert Lea, Minnesota.
August 2010Heavy RainAlbert Lea-An observer measured 2.15 inches of rainfall in less than one hour.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Two foot diameter tree toppled.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Ten inch tree snapped.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Three to six inch tree limbs downed.
August 2007HailAlbert Lea-Reported on west side of town.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-As measured by KATE radio.
July 2007Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Large tree limbs down, store window blown in.
September 2006Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Tree branches down near Bridge Street.
May 2005Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-A MNDOT road weather sensor recorded a wind gust of 68 MPH.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-A few trees were downed. A large branch was downed onto a power line.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Trees and power lines were downed. Some downed trees damaged homes and vehicles. A wind gust of 62 MPH was measured by a local radio station.
August 2004Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Power lines were blown down.
September 2004Funnel CloudAlbert Lea-A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud just northeast of Albert Lea.
July 2002Flash FloodAlbert Lea-Heavy rain produced street flooding with water two to three feet deep. Several streets barricaded.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Trees toppled. Winds estimated.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Portion of Ventura Foods roof destroyed. Trees blown down. Estimated windspeed.
June 1998HailAlbert Lea-Considerable hail damage to county vehicles. Windows and skylights broken at county buildings and schools.
June 1998Tornado (F0)Albert Lea-Remained in rural areas.
August 1998FloodAlbert Lea-Automobiles inundated.
July 1997HailAlbert Lea-Large tree branches also blown down.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-Numerous trees and power lines down.
August 1995Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-There was roof damage to a pumphouse and also tree damage.
April 2026HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
August 2023HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
August 2023HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
May 2017HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
May 2017HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
June 2014HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
June 2014HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
June 2010HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
May 2008Thunderstorm WindAlbert Lea-no account filed
June 2008HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
May 2007HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
August 2006HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
April 2005HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
October 2005HailAlbert Lea-no account filed
April 2004Funnel CloudAlbert Lea-no account filed
May 2004HailAlbert Lea-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Freeborn County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Stoney Creek Estates2.3 miles10
Bancroft3.8 miles10
Murtaugh3.9 miles10
Armstrong5.4 miles10
Hayward6.6 miles9
Twin Lakes6.7 miles10
Manchester6.9 miles10
Glenville7.0 miles10

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Albert LeaAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q913476The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 639247. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.