22Communities County
AUDUBON
The City of Audubon is located on Highway 10 approximately 40 miles east of Fargo, ND, and 210 miles northwest of Minneapolis, MN. Situated in the southwest corner of Becker County, it developed as a result of the 1871 expansion of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Established in 1872, Audubon was settled mainly by farmers of Scandinavian descent. The town was named after the great American naturalist and artist, James J. Audubon. During an early tour of the “Audubon’’ branch of the NP line, a passenger, Audubon’s niece, commented on the beauty of the lily- covered prairie and asked that if a railroad station were ever built there, that it be named after her uncle. While searching for a township name, the Audubon name suggestion seemed to stick, and on Jan. 2, 1881, it became the official town name. Today, Audubon is home to Lake Park-Audubon Elementary School, Team Industries, Orton’s convenience store, Aurochs Veterinary Service, JCS Cabinetry & Design, Country Wood Products, FM Recreational, TBS Express, P51, TK Auto, Keller Diesel, RZ Customs, Auctionblock LLC, and Audubon Upholstery. Audubon also maintains a post office, a co-op elevator, the Audubon Liquor Store, and a meat market, Audubon Meats, Inc., as well as three churches: First Lutheran, Immanuel Lutheran and Church of the Living God. Population: 560 (2020 Census) City Government Meetings: 2nd Monday of month, 6:30 pm, City Office Mayor: Tony Gordon Clerk-Treasurer: Stephanie Poegel, 218-439-6582 Utility Billing Clerk: Daulton Carlson Council Members: Shane Bakken, Brian Beto, Tiffaney Holm, Jessica Wiedenmeyer EDA President: Kristopher Carlson Assessor: Lowell Skoog, 218-846-7300 City Attorney: Charles Ramstad Public Works/Maintenance: Rij Koehnen, 218-439-4114 Police Chief: Eric Hegna, 218-439-6100 22 | 2022 Guide to Becker County
Fire Chief: Chris Wiedenmeyer, 218-439-6582. Audubon’s volunteer fire department provides service for Audubon City and the townships of Lake Eunice, Audubon and a portion of Hamden Township. Audubon Rescue: Jacob Lorsung, President, 218-439-6582. Audubon Rescue serves the same area as the fire department.
CALLAWAY
Callaway is located about 12 miles north of Detroit Lakes on Highway 59, approximately 45 air miles east of Fargo. It’s situated in Becker’s northwest corner, along the Soo Line Railroad’s “Glenwood route’’ — a section of track between Winnipeg and Minneapolis. The small farming communities of Richwood and Westbury lie within a 5 mile radius of Callaway. As the Soo Line pushed northward in 1903, the Callaway community developed. Callaway’s rich farmland attracted many early Scandinavian settlers who were interested in farming its fertile tracts of land. Today, agriculture remains Callaway’s main economic resource, but the city is also home to an Event Center, as well as both Beautiful Savior Lutheran and Assumption Catholic churches, a volunteer fire department, Lions Club, post office, municipal liquor store, Midwest Bank branch office, Native Harvest, Noah’s Insurance, On the Go Convenience Store, Cenex Harvest States elevator and Anderson Ag Services. Population: 178 (2020 Census) City Government Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of each month, 6 pm, City Hall Mayor: Gretchen Stalboerger Clerk-Treasurer: Shelly Dillon, 375-4692, callaway@arvig.net Public Works: Matt Dillon Council Members: Cliff Bryngelson, Emily Annette, Julie Molacek, Kenneth Blattenbauer Fire Chief: Keith Heinlein The Callaway Fire Department serves Richwood, Holmesville Townships and portions of Riceville, Callaway and Hamden townships.
DETROIT LAKES
Detroit Lakes was originally home of the Sioux, until the Chippewa pushed them westward. During the mid 1800s, Detroit Lakes was a favorite resting place for travelers of the Red River Oxcart Trail, a 400 mile path from Winnipeg to St. Paul. For many years, the resting place was called “Ga-ia-wa-wan-gag’’ : a Chippewa name meaning, “Lake in which there is a crossing in a sandy place.’’ Settlers, having trouble pronouncing that name, preferred a traveling French priest’s description of the sandy place; he called it “Detroit,’’ using the French word for sand bar. The name stuck. Today, Detroit Lakes — which turned 150 in 2021 — is an important agricultural area; it is also the center of a thriving “412 Lakes’’ tourism district. Besides providing a strong educational system for its residents, Detroit Lakes is home to many different churches, two industrial parks and a variety of retail businesses. Detroit Lakes service organizations include: American Legion (and Auxiliary), Eagles, Jaycees, Kiwanis, Lions, Masons, two Rotary clubs (meeting at breakfast and noon), Shriners, and the VFW and its Auxiliary. Population: 9,869 (2020 Census) Mayor: Matt Brenk Aldermen, first ward: Dan Wenner & Ron Zeman Aldermen, second ward: Jamie Marks Erickson & Wendy Spry Aldermen, third ward: Matt Boeke & Dan Josephson Aldermen, at-large: Madalyn Sukke, Natalie Bly & Aaron Dallmann City Government Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of each month, 5 pm at city office Police Chief: Steven Todd Fire Chief: Ryan Swanson City Administrator: Kelcey Klemm, 847-5658 City Clerk: Glori French Finance Officer: Heidi Tumberg City Attorney: Charles Ramstad Community Development Director: Larry Remmen Building Official: Nathan Weber
