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Faribault, Minnesota

10 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1953 and the latest in 1991. It stands in Faribault City. It lies in ZIP code area 55021. It stands on Straight River. The Survey maps it on the Faribault quadrangle. 24,453 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 994 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Faribault within Rice County

On record in Faribault

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 12 of 45 shown

Every listing in Rice County

Population over time

2 figures

Faribault grew from 23,352 to 24,453 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
201023,352
202024,453+1,101 (+5%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

7 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

24,569 words on this township

History of Rice County, published 1882 names this settlement in its chapter on Faribault City. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

The Faribault elevator was burned on the 10th of June, at a loss of !?65,000. It was built in the winter of 1865, was 52x162 feet, and had a storage capacity of 100,000 bushels. The losers were A. W. Pratt, Pratt and Eobinson. Hartford Brothers ife Tennaut, .T. D. Greene * Co., .lames Murphy, with numbers of farmers who lost from one to two hundred dollars worth each.

Passage source: History of Rice County, published 1882.

Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Winter were treated to a surprise silver weddmg on the 20th of January. They were married in Amherst, Massachusetts, on the 20th of January, 1856, Miss Harriet N. Kellogg being the name of the bride. Several who were present at the original wedding were here at the ipiarter century reunion, amimg them being Mrs. Levi Nutting, James A. Winter, and Mrs. E. N. Leavens.

Passage source: History of Rice County, published 1882.

Faribault was at first a town embracing perhaps a half of Cannon City, defined by an irregular line running diagonally across the original government township in a southeast and northwest direction. But, as elsewhere mentioned, it was finally, for the most part, restored to Cannon Cit-y, and three miles square was determined as the form and size of the city. In this way the government went on in an uneventful manner until the growing town began to realize that a city government was recjuired.

Passage source: History of Rice 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 Faribault City - it names this place 109 more 109 times.

Fires near this place

2 since 2004

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 2 fires within 5 miles of Faribault between 2004 and 2007, burning about 80 acres in total. None started naturally. 2 were 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/incendiarism2

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
28 April 2007Arson/incendiarism20 acresMinnesota Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
1 April 2004Arson/incendiarism60 acresMinnesota Valley National Wildlife RefugeWOLF

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Rice County

Mines and quarries near this place

7 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 7 workings within 5 miles of Faribault: 7 producers. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Dimension. 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
B H Heselton Ls QuarryStone, DimensionProducer
Bauer PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
De Groat Pit & MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Kielmeyer PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Maas Pit & MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Solberg PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Swedberg QuarrySand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every working recorded in Rice County

Storms near this place

60 of 71 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Faribault in 71 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 31 hail, 31 thunderstorm wind, 5 flash flood, 3 funnel cloud. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. 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
May 2012Flash FloodFaribault$100,000Heavy rainfall fell during the evening of May 2nd. Flooding was observed in the town of Faribault, especially in the southeast part of town where flood waters rose up to 5 feet in some residential areas. A local campground had flood waters close both their entrance and exit roads during the height of the storm.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindFaribault$25,000The local emergency manager surveyed an area from mile east of Faribault, on Minnesota Highway 60, southeast to approximately near 260th St E and Irwin Ave. The NWS also surveyed this area. Several areas in this 7 mile stretch had trees blown down or snapped off. Some of the trees were 80 feet tall, and snapped off 5 feet above the ground. There were also numerous power lines blown down in this location.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindFaribault$10,000Power lines were blown down in the city of Faribault, Minnesota.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Large tree branch snapped on the southern side of the Faribault Golf Course.
August 2025Funnel CloudFaribault-There was a report of a funnel cloud southwest of Faribault relayed via HAM radio.
June 2025Flash FloodFaribault-Street flooding in the 1500 block of 2nd Ave NW reported by county dispatch.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindFaribault-A large tree was down and blocking a road. An 18 inch diameter branch fell onto a vehicle.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Multiple large trees down with some landing on power lines and resulting in power outages across north Faribault.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindFaribault-An eight inch diameter tree was blown down in Faribault.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindFaribault-There were numerous blown down large tree limbs on the southwest corner of County Road 45, and 250th street south of Faribault.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindFaribault-A few trees and power lines were blown down near Faribault.
May 2018HailFaribault-There was also a report of several small tree limbs blown down in Faribault.
September 2018Tornado (EF1)Faribault-A NWS storm survey, plus areal footage of drone and satellite data, concluded that an EF1 tornado tracked 9.1 miles from northeast of Medford, near the Rice, Steele County line, then northeast to just north of Highway 60 before lifting in a corn field. ||This tornado tracked mainly through corn and soy bean fields, but several homes, silos and grain bins were damaged, or destroyed along the tornado's path. The damage was consistent with EF1 damage with maximum wind speeds of 105 mph and a width of 500 yards.
August 2018Thunderstorm WindFaribault-A large tree was blown down in Faribault.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindFaribault-A large tree blew down in Faribault near 6th Street and 2nd Avenue.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindFaribault-A large two foot diameter tree was blown down in Faribault.
June 2014HailFaribault-There were several reports of large hail throughout the city of Faribault as it lasted for around 15 minutes.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindFaribault-A one foot diameter tree branch blew down in the Faribault downtown courtyard.
August 2012Thunderstorm WindFaribault-A two foot diameter tree was blown down across 4th Street and 2nd Avenue.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindFaribault-A two foot diameter tree was blown down in Faribault, Minnesota.
August 2011Funnel CloudFaribault-A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud south of Faribault at the intersection of 230th and Albers Avenue.
June 2010Flash FloodFaribault-Significant street flooding was reported in Faribault, Minnesota. Water was up to two foot in some locations, and covering major intersections.
August 2010Flash FloodFaribault-Several inches of rain fell across a large portion of Rice County between 2 and 5 AM CST. Some areas in the town of Faribault, Minnesota had significant street flooding during the height of the storm. Some areas of Rice County measured between three and 4.50 inches of rainfall overnight.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Numerous large trees downed, some taking power line with them. Chimney blown over, then went through roof of building causing structural damage. Rubber roofing blown off roof. Few trees, (some about 2 feet in diameter), blown over onto homes, or vehicles.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Downed trees and powerlines. Xcel Energy reported sixteen hundred customers lost power from about 9:30 AM to 10:28 AM. Information about the power outage supplied by Faribault Daily newspaper.
August 2006Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Roof blown off mobile home in Faribault; ten inch tree down beside Highway 60 east of Faribault.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindFaribault-At least two trees and power lines were downed. One felled tree blocked Second Street Northeast and the top of the tree landed on a vehicle. A flag pole was also knocked down.
June 2005HailFaribault-Small branches were downed by nickel to quarter sized hail.
June 2005HailFaribault-Tree branches and leaves were downed by penny sized hail.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Tree branches were downed onto power lines north of town.
September 2005Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Hangars were damaged at the city airport. About 100 trees, some greater than 1 foot in diameter, were downed onto houses, power lines, yards, and cars across town. A gazebo on First Street NE was also destroyed. Many nature paths at River Bend Nature Center were blocked by downed trees.
September 2005Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Two boats on area lakes were flipped and lost.
September 2005Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Three inch diameter tree limbs were downed.
September 2005Flash FloodFaribault-Up to three feet of water flowed across roads in town.
April 2004HailFaribault-Penny to half dollar sized hail fell.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindFaribault-A 4-foot diameter tree was downed onto a cabin.
July 2004HailFaribault-Dime to quarter sized hail fell in Faribault and at the fairgrounds just north of town. Gusty winds also damaged small tents at the fairgrounds. The time was estimated.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Scattered trees toppled.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Scattered trees snapped.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Several trees toppled.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Several semi trucks rolled over on Interstate 35. Roofs torn off, Barn and shed flattened. Silos, trees and power lines down. Tree fell through one house. Downburst was 3 miles long and 1/2 mile wide.
June 1998HailFaribault-Windshields broken.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Trees down across county per sheriffs department.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Trees and small bldg blown down near Roberds Lake. Estimated windspeed.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindFaribault-Trees blown down. Estimated windspeed.
August 1994HailFaribault-Golfball size hail was reported just 2 miles west of Faribault.
April 2026HailFaribault-no account filed
April 2026HailFaribault-no account filed
April 2026HailFaribault-no account filed
April 2026HailFaribault-no account filed
August 2025HailFaribault-no account filed
August 2023HailFaribault-no account filed
August 2023HailFaribault-no account filed
August 2023HailFaribault-no account filed
April 2022HailFaribault-no account filed
March 2017HailFaribault-no account filed
May 2012HailFaribault-no account filed
June 2012Funnel CloudFaribault-no account filed
August 2011HailFaribault-no account filed
May 2007HailFaribault-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Rice 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
Cannon City3.9 miles11
Prairieville4.1 miles11
Ruskin6.0 miles11
Walcott6.2 miles9
Comus6.2 miles10
Warsaw7.3 miles10
Shieldsville8.9 miles12
Millersburg9.8 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 FaribaultAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q177861The 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 643560. 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.