Frazee, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
The United States Census Bureau estimated the population to be 1,385 in 2007. As of the census
of 2000, there were 1,377 people, 504 households, and 318 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,593.2 people per square mile (618.2/km²). There were 553 housing units at an average density of 639.8 per square mile (248.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.39% White, 0.65% African American, 2.98% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.36% from other races
, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.
There were 504 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples
living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living aloe who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,150, and the median income for a family was $31,576. Males had a median income of $27,153 versus $18,875 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,257. About 14.7% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 33.9% of those age 65 or over.
industry. In 1984, a group of turkey growers and committee members got together and decided to put up a giant turkey statue to honor the town. At the cost of $20,000 to build, the group commissioned artist
Shell Scott
to construct the statue which was built on a metal frame and covered in cement
, fiberglass
, cardboard
, and insulation
. The statue, named "Big Tom", was finished in 1986 and stood 22 feet (6.7 m) tall earning Frazee the title of "Home of the world's largest turkey."
Due to Big Tom's physical makeup, the statue needed frequent repairs. There were also complaints that Big Tom was not proportioned like a real turkey. The area committee decided that they needed a new Big Tom and commissioned artist Dave Oswald. On July 1, 1998, during the removing process for Big Tom, the statue instantly caught fire with a cutting torch, which was being used to remove the wings, simply touched the statue.
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,377 people, 504 households, and 318 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,593.2 people per square mile (618.2/km²). There were 553 housing units at an average density of 639.8 per square mile (248.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.39% White, 0.65% African American, 2.98% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.36% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.
There were 504 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.3% had someone living aloe who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,150, and the median income for a family was $31,576. Males had a median income of $27,153 versus $18,875 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $12,257. About 14.7% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 33.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The City of Frazee is governed by the Statutory City Plan A form of government. In Minnesota, 601 cities presently operate under the Plan A form of government. One of the distinctive features of this plan is that it removes the clerk from the council and replaces that position with a fourth (or sixth) elected council member. Another feature is that the council appoints the clerk and treasurer for indefinite terms of office. A mayor and four council members are elected to three-year terms. Current mayor Hank Ludke was elected to office in January 2007. The city council meets every Monday at 7:00 PM CDT in the Fire Hall.Business & Industry
The three largest employers in Frazee are Frazee-Vergas Public Schools (160 employees), Frazee Care Center (160), and Daggett Truck Line (102). Daggett Truck Line has been operating for 80 years out of Frazee, carrying refrigerated and dry freight throughout the United States and southern Canada. The company transports frozen foods, snack foods, pet food, produce and manufactured goods from Minnesota to most major cities in the midwest and throughout the United States. These trucks return with processed foods or raw materials for local manufacturers.Original statue
Frazee has long been a part of the turkeyTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
industry. In 1984, a group of turkey growers and committee members got together and decided to put up a giant turkey statue to honor the town. At the cost of $20,000 to build, the group commissioned artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
Shell Scott
Shell Scott
Shell Scott was the best-known creation of fiction writer Richard S. Prather. A Southern California private eye, 6-foot-2 ex-marine, he was featured in three dozen novels published over a span of nearly 40 years...
to construct the statue which was built on a metal frame and covered in cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
, fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
, cardboard
Paperboard
Paperboard is a thick paper based material. While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, paperboard is generally thicker than paper. According to ISO standards, paperboard is a paper with a basis weight above 224 g/m2, but there are exceptions. Paperboard can be single...
, and insulation
Thermal insulation
Thermal insulation is the reduction of the effects of the various processes of heat transfer between objects in thermal contact or in range of radiative influence. Heat transfer is the transfer of thermal energy between objects of differing temperature...
. The statue, named "Big Tom", was finished in 1986 and stood 22 feet (6.7 m) tall earning Frazee the title of "Home of the world's largest turkey."
Due to Big Tom's physical makeup, the statue needed frequent repairs. There were also complaints that Big Tom was not proportioned like a real turkey. The area committee decided that they needed a new Big Tom and commissioned artist Dave Oswald. On July 1, 1998, during the removing process for Big Tom, the statue instantly caught fire with a cutting torch, which was being used to remove the wings, simply touched the statue.