Farwell

History

Farwell was platted in 1887. A post office was established at Farwell in 1887, and remained in operation until 1998. Since 1998 the City has had a community post office arrangement with the United States Post Office wherein the City pays the wages of the Post Mistress but she is an employee of the USPS. When the Minneapolis and Pacific Railway, forerunner of the Soo Line, was constructed through what became Farwell in 1886, the company took the lead in creating the new townsites that adjoined its stations by arranging for the surveying, platting and sale of lots.   Among the key people involved were William D. Washburn, president, Peter M. Dahl, surveyor, and Charles D. Hammond who managed real estate matters.  Messrs. Washburn, Hammond, and Frederick D. Underwood, general manager, were directly involved in naming these new townsites, along with assigning street/avenue names.   Farwell.   Local histories muse that the name might have been attributed to a Swedish accented attendee at a local meeting, called for the purpose of naming the new town, who exclaimed 'farval' or 'farewell' as he left in disgust when a name could not be agreed upon.  It's a humorous anecdote, but does not comport with how townsite names were selected.  In actuality, Farwell was likely named for Charles B. Farwell, of Illinois, a political colleague of Washburn's.  They served together in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., during 1881-1883, and later in the US Senate for a few years beginning in 1889.   That explanation was given by F. D. Underwood in correspondence with a Soo Line official several years later.  It is interesting to note that Chas. Hammond's wife's maiden name was Farwell.  It is possible that when the plat was developed Mr. Hammond seized on that…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. Minnesota State Highway 55 serves as a main route in the community.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  410
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  388
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  349
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  340
• Ring-billed Gull

  Larus delawarensis Ord, 1815 · Aves
  334
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  334
• Common Eastern Bumble Bee

  Bombus impatiens Cresson, 1863 · Insecta
  303
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  301

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2011-04-29
  Minnesota