CityofDetroitLakes history

In 1873, Detroit Township boasted the first grain warehouse built west of Duluth on the Northern Pacific Railroad.

The village of Detroit, which served as the county seat of Becker County, was incorporated in 1881.

The telephone industry was introduced to Detroit in May 1884 with six telephones in operation: Hotel Minnesota, Lakes Hotel, the Northern Pacific Depot, the bank, the county building, and The Record newspaper office.

In 1885, the county purchased fire fighting equipment, and the village hall was built with room to store the chemical wagon.

The first City owned power plant was purchased on December 17, 1902 at a price of $16,000.

The first Utility Commission was formed on March 26, 1903 with W.L. Taylor as the first commission's president.

The plant continued to supply Detroit's power needs until 1910, but by this time the village had grown into a city and the plant's capacity had fallen short of meeting the needs of the growing population.

This befitting title has remained ever since. As a result of continuous postal mix-ups between Detroit, Minnesota and the better-known Detroit, Michigan, a special election was held on September 7, 1926 to change the city’s name to Detroit Lakes.

In November of 1966, the City approved the purchase of a gas jet turbine as a source of emergency power.

The new gas turbine emergency power plant, located east of the City's main power and light plant, was unveiled to officials attending the 36th Annual Meeting of Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association in Detroit Lakes on June 24m,1968.

On May 6, 1985, Detroit Lakes Public Utilities got their first look at a preliminary draft for a district heating study conducted by Scantec, Inc.

On March 11, 1987, the PUC authorized the shutdown of the city's power plant and demolition had begun by July 27 of the 200-foot smokestack.

In March 2001, an engineering study commissioned by the PUC showed that while the city's electric power system was in "good to excellent" shape, its capacity was insufficient to meet the growing needs to the population.