Editing East Grand Forks, Minnesota (section)

==History==
A post office called East Grand Forks has been in operation since 1883.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MN&county=Polk |title=Polk County |publisher=Jim Forte Postal History |access-date=July 31, 2015}}</ref> The city was named for its location east of [[Grand Forks, North Dakota]].<ref name="Upham 423">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog |title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society |last=Upham |first=Warren |year=1920 |page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n442 423]}}</ref> East Grand Forks was incorporated on April 13, 1887.<ref name="Upham 423" />

===Flood of 1997===
{{main|1997 Red River Flood in the United States}}
[[Image:EGF1997aftermath.jpg|thumb|left|300px|A residential neighborhood in East Grand Forks flooded in late April 1997]]
East Grand Forks, along with Grand Forks, was heavily damaged by a [[1997 Red River Flood in the United States|major flood in 1997]]. The entire city was under a mandatory evacuation and almost no homes were spared damage.  After the flood, several neighborhoods had to be demolished because of damage. The city cleared development from the floodplain bordering the Red and Red Lake rivers. It developed a large park known as the [[Greater Grand Forks Greenway]] to provide a new recreation area for residents along the river. A similar park was developed in Grand Forks. The parklands, with trees and a variety of greenery, can absorb floodwaters and help protect the cities naturally. Moving residential and business development out of these areas also helps prevent future flood damage. In addition, a new system of [[Dike (construction)|dike]]s was constructed to protect the city from future flooding. The city has since rebuilt.