Devils Lake

Devils Lake, city, seat (1883) of Ramsey county, northeast-central North Dakota, U.S. It lies about 90 miles (145 km) west of Grand Forks.

The site was surveyed in 1882 and named Creelsburg (later Creel City) for its surveyor, Heber M. Creel; in 1884 it was renamed Devils Lake, a misinterpretation of the Sioux name Miniwaukan, meaning “Spirit Water,” “Lake Great One,” or “Lake Holy One.” The city was at the head of steamboat navigation on Devils Lake, a closed-basin lake (one having no river outlet) with constantly fluctuating water levels. By 1909 water levels had dropped so much that navigation ceased; the lake reached a low point of only 2 feet (0.6 metre) deep in 1940. In 1993 water levels began to rise dramatically because of increased rainfall and decreased evaporation. By the turn of the 21st century, the water had risen some 25 feet (7.5 metres), causing extensive flooding.

The city of Devils Lake is a trade centre for an agricultural area producing grain (primarily wheat, corn [maize], barley, and sunflowers), livestock, and dairy products. It is the site of Lake Region State (community) College (1941). The Devils Lake area is a popular hunting and fishing spot. Sullys Hill National Game Preserve, about 10 miles (16 km) southwest, holds an annual birding and nature festival. The Spirit Lake Sioux reservation is to the south across the lake. Nearby are Grahams Island State Park and Shelvers Grove and Black Tiger Bay state recreation areas. Fort Totten State Historic Site is a well-preserved military outpost dating from 1867. Local artifacts are displayed at the Lake Region Heritage Center. The International Peace Garden, on the U.S.-Canadian border, is about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Devils Lake. Inc. city, 1894. Pop. (2000) 7,222; (2010) 7,141.