The city of Albert Lea is the county seat of Freeborn County in southeastern Minnesota. It is situated at the junction of Interstate Highway 35 and Interstate Highway 90, about ninety miles south of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The city rests on the shores of several lakes, including Fountain Lake, Pickerel Lake, Albert Lea Lake, Goose Lake, School Lake, and Lake Chapeau. Myre-Big Island State Park is nearby. Surrounding towns and communities include Armstrong, Bancroft, and Hayward. Other nearby communities are Baroda, Clarks Grove, Conger, Freeborn, Glenville, Gordonsville, Hollandale, Kiester, Lerdal, Manchester, Mansfield, Moscow, Myrtle, Oakland, Twin Lakes, and Walters. Mankato, Minnesota is just under sixty miles northwest, and Faribault is less than fifty miles to the north. Albert Lea is named for Albert Miller Lea, a topographer who surveyed the townsite in 1856. Its first settler is believed to have been Lorenzo Merry, who build a cabin on what is now the corner of Washington and Water streets in 1855. The town was chartered in 1878. The area’s early economy was based on agriculture, farm support services, and manufacturing, as well as on its railroad services, although its manufacturing sector has diminished considerably today. Notable natives of Albert Lea include the musician Eddie Cochran, who was born there, as well as Al Franken and Marion Ross, who lived for a portion of their lives in Albert Lea.
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Recommended Resources
Albert Lea Convention and Visitor's Bureau
The Albert Lea, Minnesota area’s value as a tourist and convention destination is promoted here, with a guide to local lodging accommodations, restaurants and other dining establishments, shopping venues, attractions and events. A calendar of events is featured and reviews are posted to the site.
http://www.albertleatourism.org/
Albert Lea School District 241
Offering a PK-12th grade public school curriculum, the Albert Lea, Minnesota school system operates Halverson Elementary School, Hawthorne Elementary School, Lakeview Elementary School, Sibley Elementary School, Southwest Middle School, and Albert Lea Senior High School, each of which are highlighted here, with schedules, calendars, and contacts.
http://www.albertlea.k12.mn.us/
Published in Albert Lea, Minnesota, the daily newspaper features news and sports reporting, election information, opinion columns, and other features, with its web edition being a 24/7 news outlet, which much of its content updated by 10 am on weekdays and by 7 pm on Saturdays. Advertising and subscription information is available.
http://www.albertleatribune.com/
Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce
Made up of businesses, professional people, and others in Freeborn County and Albert Lea, Minnesota, the Chamber is a non-profit organization that advocates for its member businesses and works to improve the area’s business climate. Member benefits, meeting schedules, a calendar of events, and a business directory are posted.
http://www.albertlea.org/
The official municipal web site for the city government of Albert Lea, Minnesota offers a history, profile and demographics, a city newsletter, meeting agendas and minutes, and a guide to city services and departments, employment postings, and administrative contacts. Public notices are published to the site.
http://www.cityofalbertlea.org/
A photo gallery depicts this Albert Lea lodging facility and includes pictures of the rooms, lobby, and more. Also provides maps and directions to the hotel as well as an online rate checker and a list of things to do in the area.
http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-albert_lea-minnesota-MN063
The wooded forty-acre wooded campground is situated on a gravel road about twelve miles from the intersection of Interstate Highway 90 and Interstate Highway 35, just south of Albert Lea, Minnesota. With ninety-nine sites, the grounds includes fourteen short-stay weekend sites, three rental trailers, and eight-two seasonal sites.
http://www.hickoryhillscampground.com/
Lea College was a private liberal arts college that operated in Albert Lea, Minnesota from 1966 to 1973. Set up as a social network for former students and faculty, the site includes a discussion forum, blogs, photographs, video, and a membership list. Additional students and faculty from the college may sign up through the site, and access their accounts.
http://leacollege.ning.com/
RCC is a two-year college with campuses in Albert Lea, Austin and Owatonna, Minnesota. An introduction to the college, its academic programs and degrees are set forth, along with its admissions policies, tuition and costs, transfer policies, and a directory of faculty and staff.
http://www.riverland.edu/