Grand Forks, ND

Grand Forks is a city in and the county seat of Grand Forks County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 59,166 at the 2020 census,^[7] and was estimated to be 59,845 in 2024,^[6] making it the state’s third-most populous city, after Fargo and Bismarck. Grand Forks, along with its twin city of East Grand Forks, Minnesota, forms the center of the Grand Forks metropolitan statistical area, which is often called Greater Grand Forks or the Grand Cities.

Located on the western banks of the north-flowing Red River of the North, in a flat region known as the Red River Valley,^[11] the city is prone to flooding. The 1997 Red River flood devastated the city.^[12] Originally called Les Grandes Fourches by fur traders from Canada, who had long worked and lived in the region, the community was platted by steamboat captain Alexander Griggs after he was forced to winter there. The post office was established in 1870, and the town was incorporated on February 22, 1881.^[13] The city was named for its location at the fork of the Red River and the Red Lake River.^[13]

Initially dependent on local agriculture, the city’s economy has since broadened to include a wide variety of industries, including higher education, defense, health care, manufacturing, food processing, and scientific research.^[14][15] Grand Forks is served by Grand Forks International Airport and Grand Forks Air Force Base. The city’s University of North Dakota is the oldest institution of higher education in the state.^[16] The Alerus Center^[17] and Ralph Engelstad Arena^[18] host athletic and other events, while the Empire Arts Center and Chester Fritz Auditorium are the city’s largest cultural venues.^[19]