The City of Fosston is in Polk County, in northwestern Minnesota. The first European-American settlers came to what was known as the Thirteen Towns area in 1876, arriving in covered wagons. Charles Adair was the first to arrive with his family, with nine other following soon after, filing claims on the land. Others included John Flesch, Edouard LaBree, Herman Eikens, William Jacob Hilligoss, George Hershberger, Richard Hershberger, Jerome Thayer, Andrew Eaton, and Matt Portz, each bringing their families, which made up the Rosebud settlement, just south of Fosston. They filed on their land, while many others moved into the area as squatters. In 1878, Eastern Polk County was closed to white settlers, while the Indian police ran squatters from the area until only the nine families remained. These settlers had built their homes near one another, their only neighbors being a few Chippewa families who lived in tents or birch bark houses, and were reluctant to move to the reservations. The only roads into the area were mud paths, as not even poplar poles had been laid across the swampy land to build a roadway. In the 1880s, other settlers came into the area, filing on their homesteads. The need for a town was realized, and William Hilligoss chose the townsite in January of 1884, platting the town of Fosston, so named because its first post office was located in the Foss Store. Even before the railroad reached Fosston in 1888, the town had three stores, a trading post, drug store, flour mill, blacksmith shop, hotel, three saloons, a church and a school. A stagecoach line stopped at the Foss Store for mail. The city’s population has remained fairly stable since 1910, dropping from a peak population of 1,704 in 1960 to 1,527 in 2010. Fosston is located along US Highway 2, southeast of McIntosh and northwest of Lengby. Bemidji is about forty-five miles east, and Red Lake is about fifty miles northeast of Fosston.
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Recommended Resources
The official municipal web site for the City of Fosston, Minnesota publishes city council meeting schedules, agendas and minutes, administrative and departmental contacts, city ordinances, access to various forms and documents, as well as a profile of the city and a business directory.
http://www.fosston.com/
Held at Magellsen Elementary School each October, the two-day event celebrates the fiber heritage of northern Minnesota, and highlights local fiber produces and artisans. A schedule of workshops conducted by fiber artists is featured, and participating vendors are put forth. Online registration for workshops, vendor forms, and workshop proposal forms are featured.
http://www.fosstonfiberfestival.com/
Fosston High School Class of 1983
The alumni site for the FHS graduating class of 1983 offers classmate profiles, surveys, and reunion announcements and photographs, a class bulletin board, photographs, video, and a history of the class’s freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years. Classmates who have passed away are recognized, and a private area for members is available.
http://www.fosston83.com/
The FSD is a public school system that offers a PK-12th grade curriculum through two campuses, Magelssen Elementary School and Fosston High School, each of which are highlighted here, along with its community education programs, schedules, calendars, and employment opportunities.
http://www.fosston.k12.mn.us/
Formed in 2006 and 2009 with the consolidation of the Fosston Coop Elevator, the McIntosh Elevator, and Rosebud Coop Oil, the company handles wheat, corn, soybeans, barley, sunflowers, oats, rye, and edible beans, as well as fertilizers, oil, and a full line of agronomy services. Its locations, hours, and employment opportunities are posted.
http://www.fosstonelevator.com/
Headquartered in Fosston, the real estate agency has agents in Fosston, Bemidji, and Erskine, Minnesota, offering homes, historic estates, waterfront property, vacation property, home sites, retirement property, commercial property, and businesses for sale, as well as rural real estate, such as farms, ranches, cabins, wooded acreage, and recreational properties.
http://www.juveproperties.com/
Specializing in automotive services, such as brakes, batteries, belt and hose inspection and replacement, alignments, cooling system maintenance, suspension, drive line, exhaust, emission diagnostic and repairs, tire rotations, transmission maintenance, wheel balancing, towing, oil changes, and engine maintenance. Both situated in Fosston, Minnesota, LePier’s East includes a Deli Max, while LePier’s West includes a Subway sandwich shop.
http://www.lepier.com/
Palubicki’s Family Market and Spirits
Located in downtown Fosston, Minnesota, the fourth-generation family run grocery store, deli, and gas station is featured, with information about its bakery, deli section, catering services, meat and seafood department, and produce department. Directions, hours of operation, weekly advertisements and special offers are posted to the site.
http://www.palubickis.com/
Chartered as Farmers State Bank of Winger, then Farmers State Bank of Fosster-Winger, the bank was founded in 1904 in Winger, Minnesota, and is still chartered in Winger, although a second facility was established in Fosston in 1994. Its history, personal and business banking products, and online banking services are presented, its locations and hours are posted, and a promotional video is available.
https://www.ultimabank.com/