Crookston's sports culture and college campus
Crookston, Minnesota, is a sports town. The University of Minnesota Crookston serves about 1,700 students on the north side of the city, and locals often gather for school competitions in hockey, baseball and soccer. Throughout the year, Crookston’s public schools and local leagues offer even more ways for people to cheer on local athletes or compete themselves. Beyond sports, Crookston prides itself on being a self-sufficient city — an important distinction for a city surrounded by farmland on all sides. “We have a lot of the necessities,” says real estate agent Tracy Kuchan with LeBlanc Realty. “We have a college here, and we have public schools and private options, as well as our local hospital and local clinic. The shopping and things you can get right here, without having to travel to another community.”
Public schools, private elementaries and a university in Crookston
Local students start at Highland Elementary School, which receives a B from Niche. Crookston Secondary School serves sixth through 12th grade and receives a B-minus rating. It also offers dual enrollment through the nearby university. For private options, the Cathedral School and Our Savior’s Lutheran School both serve prekindergarten through sixth grade. The University of Minnesota Crookston sits on a 100-acre campus, offering plenty of in-person and online programs. Its campus includes plenty of athletic amenities as part of the DII circuit. “The college does a great job of getting the community involved and bringing people to the different sporting events,” Kuchan says.
Turn-of-the-century Nationals to '40s and '50s ranch-style homes
Close to the city center, older houses like turn-of-the-century Nationals sit just off sidewalks, where trees offer occasional spots of shade and color. More recent neighborhoods dating to the ’40s and ’50s feature split-levels and ranch-style homes on streets with no sidewalks and lawns with crisscrossed lawnmower lines. Homes typically range from $20,000 to $300,000.
Riverside green spaces and sports complexes that host local leagues
The Red Lake River snakes through town, heading along Central Park, a 15-acre green space that offers disc golf, a skate park and camping along the river. There are also docks for fishing and boat launches for kayaking, and the Crookston Community Swimming Pool is just around the corner. Schuster Park has a playground and is the only park in the city with pickleball courts. Across Ray Ecklund Complex’s 40 acres, people can stop at the playground, skate park, tennis and volleyball courts and baseball diamonds. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the splash pad is open. “We have an ice sports complex that has three sheets of ice for skating and hockey,” Kuchan says about Crookston Sports Center. “We have a lot of sporting events for the youth, too.” The center is one of the only recreational spaces that offers a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces. “We have a baseball stadium that has the big lights and stadium seating,” Kuchen says. “We also have a brand-new turf field for football.”
Crookston's neighborhood sports bars and supermarkets
Irishman’s Shanty has separate bar and restaurant areas, allowing it to operate as a neighborhood pub and a sit-down restaurant for burgers, prime rib and ribeye. Draft Sports Bar and Grill reflects the town’s sports culture, hanging hockey jerseys on the walls along with other sports memorabilia. It offers mostly American fare, like burgers and sandwiches. A Walmart Supercenter and Hugo’s Family Marketplace are both located within the city limits, both found off U.S. Highway 2.
Ox Cart Days every August and downtown Crookston happenings
Every August, Ox Cart Days set up around the city, from downtown to the university campus. “It was a five-day festival, and now it’s even longer,” Kuchan says. “It has everything from street dances to dodgeball tournaments to parades to a lip sync contest.” Local businesses and organizations host events during the week, and most of them are free. “Downtown also has a group that does different events with bands and food trucks throughout the summer,” Kuchan says. “Maybe one to two events per month. They invite the community out and have different vendors and bands, and it’s a great way to get people out and meet each other.”
Downtown amenities and getting to Grand Forks
Downtown shops and amenities are mainly between Main Street and Broadway. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception’s American Gothic spires overlook the public library and the movie theater. RiverView Health is another amenity offered within the city boundaries. City residents will need a car to get around, though there is a Greyhound stop on the university campus, connecting students and others to transportation hubs in cities like Grand Forks, about 25 miles away. Motorists can also get to the city through U.S. Highway 2. Grand Forks International Airport is about 30 miles away.
Written By
Caroline Ernst
