About Faribault

Welcome to Faribault
Welcome to Faribault, a dynamic, growing community of 23,352 residents situated at the confluence of the Cannon and Straight Rivers in Southern Minnesota. Located along Interstate 35, just 25 minutes south of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, our community enjoys the advantages and conveniences of being near a major metropolitan center while providing the livability of small town Minnesota. Faribault offers an atmosphere of planned, well-managed growth against a rich historical backdrop.
An aerial view of the City of Faribault
Faribault boasts a vibrant business community, excellent educational opportunities, and a wide variety of recreational and cultural offerings, combining to make the community a great place to visit, work, and live.

General Information

  • Faribault: Named after its founder, Alexander Faribault
  • Founded: 1852
  • Location: On Interstate 35, 25 minutes south of the Twin Cities metropolitan area
  • Population: 23,352 (2010 Census)
  • County: Rice
  • Form of government: Council-Administrator
  • Home to:
    • Faribault Foods / Butter Kernel products
    • Faribault Woolen Mills
    • Jennie-O Turkey Store plant
    • Minnesota Correctional Facility - Faribault
    • Minnesota State Academy for the Blind
    • Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf
    • Sellner Manufacturing (maker of the "Tilt-a-Whirl")
    • Shattuck-St. Mary’s School
    • Tree Frog Music Festival
    • Turkey Store products
    • Faribault Energy Park and more!
  • Land Area: 12.86 square miles
  • Elevation: 1,015.55 feet above mean sea level (at City Hall)
  • Local Attractions:
    • Downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul
    • Iowa and Wisconsin borders
    • Mall of America
    • Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport
    • Rochester and the Mayo Clinic
    • 8 State Parks and more than 100 recreational lakes

History


Alexander Faribault


Alexander Faribault, an early fur-trader and entrepreneur, founded the town site in 1852 to take advantage of its scenic qualities, abundant resources, and strategic location. In the 1860's, Faribault gained national recognition as an educational and religious center due in large measure to the efforts of Bishop Henry Whipple in developing a system of interrelated churches and schools. This, along with the establishment of the highly acclaimed State Academies for the Blind and Deaf, led Faribault to be known as "Athens of the West."
The Alexander Faribault House
As the community flourished, a number of homes, churches, and public buildings were constructed with outstanding architectural design features. As a result, Faribault is blessed to contain more than 40 individual properties that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Heritage Preservation Commission

For more information, please visit the Heritage Preservation Commission website.

Relationship With the City of Wuerzburg, Germany


Mrs. Dorothy Beebe was the motivating force behind relief action for the City of Wuerzburg, Germany following World War II. She called upon her hometown of Faribault, Minnesota and the town responded. Faribault would eventually adopt the city of Wurzburg in 1949.

The 50th Anniversary of that adoption was celebrated in Wuerzburg on April 28, 1999. The 19 Faribault residents who attended the celebration returned with deep admiration of Wuerzburg, its citizens, and the renewed friendship between the 2 cities. The Faribault delegation also found a new source of pride in their hometown.