It never ceases to amaze me, growing up in Minnesota and knowing it my whole life, that I still learn about new places in this great State. This Dam Minnesota place is high up on my list of "How did I not know about this until now?" -- considering I grew up only 45 minutes from it.

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Have you ever heard of the Broken Down Dam Park in Fergus Falls? While perusing Facebook, I came along some great pictures from Kelsey Holm of the location and I was amazed to find out it had been right under my nose all this time. It's a place you might not realize is there as you're hiking along and all of sudden there's a giant, broken concrete structure in front of you and you wonder why or how?

Photo by Kelsey Holm Via Facebook
Photo by Kelsey Holm Via Facebook
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Being the curious person I am, I wanted to learn a little more history on how the structures and the park itself came to be.

Photo by Kelsey Holm Via Facebook
Photo by Kelsey Holm Via Facebook
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Turns out the concrete Dam was built back in 1908 on the Otter Tail River to power the city of Fergus Falls. Engineers not doing enough research, it appears, built it on top of a spring and it was only the next year in 1909 that the dam broke and caused the only flood, on record, to the town.

Photo by Kelsey Holm Via Facebook
Photo by Kelsey Holm Via Facebook
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The broken dam structure remains can still be found today and is vastly, thanks to the sharing of it on the internet, becoming a Minnesota must see. It is a little hidden for those not knowing the area well, but ask a local and I have no doubt you'll find that Minnesota Nice in Fergus Falls to point you in the correct direction.

Photo by Kelsey Holm Via Facebook
Photo by Kelsey Holm Via Facebook
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If you're like me and want to know more on the story of the Broken Down Dam. You'll learn that it's maybe as interesting as visiting the structure itself, so read a little more on the history of the DAM HERE. Now, I think I need to plan a visit to the structure this summer before cool weather hits.

 

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