The New International Encyclopædia/Faribault

FARIBAULT, fâr′ĭ-bō. A city and the county-seat of Rice County, Minn., 52 miles south of Saint Paul; at the junction of the sStraight and Cannon rivers, and on the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul, the Chicago and Great Western, and other railroads (Map: Minnesota, E 6). It has a fine location, in a region which abounds in beautiful lakes. Faribault is noted as an educational centre, having State institutions for the deaf, blind, and feeble-minded, the Seabury Divinity School, opened in 1859, the Shattuck School for Boys, Saint Mary's School for Girls (Protestant Episcopal), and Bethlehem Academy for Girls (Roman Catholic). There is a public library, founded in 1874. Among the industrial plants are piano, wagon, and furniture factories, and flouring and woolen mills. Faribault was settled about 1850, and incorporated some twenty-seven years later. Its present government is administered by a mayor, elected annually, and a unicameral council. The city owns and operates its water-works. It was the home of Bishop Whipple, well known for his labors among the Indians. Population, in 1890, 6520; in 1900, 7868.