History of Albert Lea
1835
Albert Lea Miller Lea, a topographer with the U.S. Dragoons, surveys the area and submits maps to the federal government with the name “Fox Lake” for a large body of water that the dragoons encountered. The lake is later renamed “Albert Lea” to honor the topographer. The City then took its name from Albert Lea Lake.
Mid 1800s
1855: Small settlement begins on the northwest edge of Lake Albert Lea. Lorenzo Merry builds first cabin on the corner of Washington Avenue and Water Street. George Ruble builds dam and mill on a body of water, creating Fountain Lake.
1856: Stage line begins running through Albert Lea. Julius Clark establishes the first store. The village of Albert Lea is platted and recorded in Dodge County on Oct. 29.
1857: First public school term begins in December.
1858: Village forms its government with Dr. A.C. Wedge as chairman.
1859: Albert Lea village plat is recorded again, this time in Freeborn County. Plat consists of 36 blocks along Washington Avenue, Broadway and Newton Avenue.
1878: Minnesota Legislature grants Albert Lea its City Charter on May 12.
Early 1900s
Albert Lea establishes its City Hall and Fire Station at the north end of Broadway Avenue
The first library opens at the corner of College Street and Washington Avenue.
1920s
The City of Albert Lea establishes Edgewater Park in 1922.
1930s
The City paves Broadway Avenue in 1934. This photo shows downtown looking north between Main Street and William Street.
1940s
Woolworth Company opens a new store building at 100 S. Broadway Ave. downtown in 1942 after a fire in December 1941 destroyed its building.
In 1943, local leaders start planning to create jobs for servicemen returning from World War II as part of a pilot project for the National Chamber of Commerce. They officially form Jobs, Inc. with plans to build the first-ever industrial park.
1950s
The Jobs Industrial Park opens in the south part of Albert Lea, the first in the nation. Local leaders would open a second industrial park in 1978.
1960s
Albert Lea builds new a City Center in 1967 to house the Public Library, Fire Department, Police Department and City offices.
1970s
Construction of the Interstate 35 bridge over Albert Lea Lake progresses, as reported by the Albert Lea Tribune on May 30, 1971. Construction of I-35 had started in Minnesota in 1956.
The City of Albert Lea purchases the field house from Lea College after its closing and converts the field house to an ice arena in 1976.
1980s
The City starts building a new wastewater treatment plant south of Albert Lea to improve treatment and move the discharge of treated wastewater from Albert Lea Lake to the Shell Rock River.
1990s
The City rebuilds its public pool, built in the 1975, into an Aquatic Center in 1998.
Early 2000s
The City celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2006 with winter fireworks over Fountain Lake.
2010s
Albert Lea becomes the first Blue Zones-certified community in the nation in 2016.
2020s
The City starts cleaning up and selling parcels at the Blazing Star Landing in 2022 after the site sat vacant for many years following a fire that destroyed a long-time meatpacking facility.