Moorhead is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 42,005 according to the 2015 United States Census estimates. It is the county seat of Clay County. Moorhead was platted in 1871. The city was named for William Garroway Moorhead (1811–1895), an official of the Northern Pacific railroad.[7] Moorhead is bordered on the west by the Red River of the North and the city of Fargo, North Dakota. On the east, Moorhead is bordered by Dilworth, Minnesota. Moorhead, along with its twin city of Fargo, North Dakota, as well as adjacent West Fargo, form the core of the Fargo–Moorhead metropolitan area, which has a 2010 population of around 208,777 residents.
Arts and culture
The Rourke Art Gallery and the Rourke Art Museum are native Moorhead cultural institutions hosting the annual Midwestern Invitational Exhibition. The museum displays an important art collection from local, regional and national artists. The Rourke Museum is housed in the historic Moorhead Post Office building.
The city is also home to the Bluestem Center for the Arts a 3,000 seat outdoor amphitheater and Trollwood Performing Arts School, a renowned Summer arts and theater program. Bluestem opened in 2009 with a partnership between the Fargo School District, City of Moorhead, and an arts grant from the Minnesota.[13] Jade Presents also presents a summer concert series which has drawn many famous bands including: Wilco, Goo Goo Dolls, The Beach Boys, and Weezer.[14]
Hjemkomst Center
Replica of Norwegian stave church at the Hjemkomst Center
The Hjemkomst Center is located in the city. It is a museum containing a re-creation of a Viking ship of the same name. The Hjemkomst vessel was built in nearby Hawley by Moorhead resident Robert Asp, and was sailed to Norway by his children after Asp’s early death. The ship is now permanently housed in the center.
The Clay County Museum and Archives, operated by the Clay County Historical Society, interprets the history of Clay County in a free museum in the lower level of the Hjemkomst Center. The Society has more than 30,000 artifacts in their collection, one of the largest and most important historic collections in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
Located on the grounds of the Hjemkomst Center is a Stave Church. The traditional Norwegian-style church serves as a symbol of the Norwegian heritage in the Red River Valley. The church is a full-scale replica of the Hopperstad stave church in Vik, Norway.
An additional historical landmark is the Victorian Comstock House, a blend of Queen Anne and Eastlake styles built in 1883. Solomon Comstock was a lawyer and U.S. House Representative.[15]
Sports
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks is an independent professional baseball team that plays at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo. They are part of the American Association.
Being a cold weather city, hockey has emerged as a favorite sport of Moorhead. The community has provided significant support to hockey programs such as Moorhead Youth Hockey. Over the years, Moorhead Senior High has produced a number of talented hockey players, including:
- Jason Blake (MHS ’92) Most recently played for the Anaheim Ducks, formerly of the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders. He played at the 2006 Olympic games for the United States in Turin, Italy. He was named an NHL all-star during the 2006–07 season and was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2007–2008 for being the “player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.”
- Ryan Kraft (MHS ’94) Played for the San Jose Sharks. He also played for the EC Kassel Huskies in Germany, including contributing to their 2007–2008 Bundesligachampionship. Prior to that, he played in the AHL, IHL, and ECHL. He also represented Team USA at the 2001 IIHF World Championship.
- Matt Cullen (MHS ’95) Currently playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was a member of the 2005–2006 Carolina Hurricanes who won the NHL Stanley Cup(championship) in 2006. He also played at the 2006 Olympic games for the United States in Turin, Italy.
- Mark Cullen (MHS ’97) Currently a professional hockey player in Europe. Most recently played in the NHL for the Florida Panthers. Originally signed to the Minnesota Wild in 2002 after a collegiate career at Colorado College, he has played for several AHL teams throughout his career, as well as for the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers. He also represented Team USA at the 2006 IIHF World Championship.
- Brian Lee (MHS ’05) Most recently played for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Previously played for the University of North Dakota and the U.S. National Junior Team. Also played for the Ottawa Senators.
- Chris VandeVelde (MHS ’05) Currently playing for the Philadelphia Flyers. Previously played for the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL), the University of North Dakota (winners of the 2010 WCHA Final Five tournament), and the Lincoln Stars (USHL).
Olympic pairs figure skater Mark Ladwig also hails from Moorhead. With partner Amanda Evora, he was a two-time U.S. national silver medalist and competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics. With Lindsay Davis, he was part of the 2012–2013 U.S. Figure Skating Reserve Team.[16]
To Learn More, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moorhead,_Minnesota
