See What Nature Reclaimed At The Beautiful Broken Down Dam Park In Fergus Falls, Minnesota
By Betsy Rathburn|Published February 20, 2020
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Betsy Rathburn
Author
Betsy is a Minneapolis-based writer who's lived in Minnesota for 20 years. If you know of any amazing Minnesota restaurants, nature areas, or other attractions, feel free to let her know about them at brathburn@onlyinyourstate.com or on Twitter @betsyrathburn.
Here in Minnesota, we have plenty of unique parks that will entertain people of all ages. For example, there’s a teddy bear-themed park in Stillwater, and a woodland-themed playground in Rockford. These are fun for kids, but what about adult visitors? They may be interested in the unique Broken Down Dam Park in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. In this little-known park, century-old ruins are on display. Take a hike there to see how nature has reclaimed the ruins. Here’s what you need to know:
Broken Down Dam Park is a little-known park along the Otter Tail River in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. It’s about 140 miles northwest of Minneapolis, about halfway between Alexandria and Fargo.
The park has a long history that begins in 1907, when the dam was first created. The river’s power made it a good place to construct the dam, which was meant to bring electricity to Fergus Falls.
But soon after its construction, the dam abruptly failed. Early in the morning on September 24, 1909, the dam burst. The flood of water damaged several other dams downstream.
The failure was attributed to a then-unknown stream upon which the dam was constructed. The flow of water led to structural issues and the dam’s eventual collapse.
Today, an 11-acre park preserves the spot where the dam broke. Over the years, the water has worn away bits and pieces of the concrete. But it will be many more years until it is totally gone.
For now, you still visit this peaceful park. Hike its trails along the river that will one day reclaim the Broken Down Dam once and for all. The sight of the old dam is a reminder of what can happen if nature isn’t carefully considered before building.
