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Its county seat is Fergus Falls. The county was formed in 1858 and organized in 1868.

Native Americans used the survey area for hunting and fishing and had permanent dwelling sites. Two Native American tribes were in constant conflict. The Dakota (Sioux) were being pushed from their home area by the Ojibwa (Chippewa) during the late 18th century and early 19th century. Burial mounds and artifacts can still be found. Some of the oldest remains of Native Americans were found near Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. The remains, nicknamed Minnesota Girl, were dated at about 11,000 B.C. (Otter Tail County Historical Museum).

The first white men to enter the county were French and British fur traders. Efforts were made to set up trading posts on the Leaf Lakes and Otter Tail Lake. In the late 19th century, most of the towns were built along the railroad lines. Lumber and agriculture were the major industries in the county at that time. The pine and hardwood forests, transportation system, and markets were instrumental in the development of Fergus Falls into a lumber center.

In 1870, the population of the county was about 2,000. At that time the principal languages spoken in the county were Norwegian, Swedish, German, and English. Otter Tail County was established in March 1858 by a legislative act. It was organized in 1868. The original county seat was Ottertail City.

The people of Fergus Falls organized a new county named Holcomb. In 1872, a legislative act abolished Holcomb County, added additional townships to the west, and established Fergus Falls as the county seat of Otter Tail County. There are 62 townships in the county. The county is named for Otter Tail Lake and the Otter Tail River.

On Line Data

Cities Battle Lake Bluffton Clitherall Dalton Deer Creek Dent Elizabeth Erhard Fergus Falls (county seat) Henning New York Mills Ottertail Parkers Prairie Pelican Rapids Perham Richville Rothsay Underwood Urbank Vergas Vining Wadena Unincorporated communities Dunvilla Parkton

Townships Aastad Township Amor Township Aurdal Township Blowers Township Bluffton Township Buse Township Butler Township Candor Township Carlisle Township Clitherall Township Compton Township Corliss Township Dane Prairie Township Dead Lake Township Deer Creek Township Dora Township Dunn Township Eagle Lake Township Eastern Township Edna Township Effington Township Elizabeth Township Elmo Township Erhards Grove Township Everts Township Fergus Falls Township Folden Township Friberg Township Girard Township Gorman Township Henning Township Hobart Township Homestead Township Inman Township Leaf Lake Township Leaf Mountain Township Lida Township Maine Township Maplewood Township Newton Township Nidaros Township Norwegian Grove Township Oak Valley Township Orwell Township Oscar Township Otter Tail Township Otto Township Paddock Township Parkers Prairie Township Pelican Township Perham Township Pine Lake Township Rush Lake Township Scambler Township St. Olaf Township Star Lake Township Sverdrup Township Tordenskjold Township Trondhjem Township Tumuli Township Western Township Woodside Township

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