Fair Hills has been making memories for 100 years!
FFargo INC! Partner Studio · Paid content · 6 min read
The Kind of Place You Don’t Outgrow
There are places you visit, and then there are places that become part of your life.
Fair Hills is the second kind.
For nearly a century, families have been making the same trip—year after year—back to the shores of Pelican Lake in Detroit Lakes, MN. Because Fair Hills isn’t just somewhere you stay. It’s somewhere you return.
In 2026, the resort celebrates 100 years under the ownership of the Kaldahl family. And anyone who has been to the resort will tell you, they have not lasted that long on accident.
Where It All Began
Long before it became one of the most recognized all-inclusive family resorts in the country, Fair Hills was something much simpler.
In the early 1900s, three brothers—Hud, Frank, and George Ashelman—began welcoming guests to a quiet stretch of lakeshore. What started as a farmhouse with a few summer boarders gradually grew into something more structured. Cabins were added. A lodge followed. Guests arrived by canal boats, and later, by early automobiles that made the journey feel like an adventure in itself.
But the real turning point came in 1926
That’s when Ed and Bessie Kaldahl purchased the resort for $18,500, stepping into what would become a multi-generational legacy that still defines Fair Hills today.
Their first day didn’t exactly go as planned.
When Ed and his sons arrived to open the resort, they discovered that nearly everything—linens, dishes, bedding— had been sold off by the previous owner. Frustrated, Ed drafted a letter to cancel the purchase.
The weather turned. The lake settled. And something told him to stay. That decision changed everything.
Nearly 100 years later, the Kaldahl family is still here.
More Than a Resort
Over the years, Fair Hills has expanded beyond its original footprint, but always with the same philosophy.
Wildflower Golf Course, developed in the early 1990s, adds a championshipcaliber experience just minutes from the lake.
Five Lakes Resort extends the reach of the property, offering additional lodging and private, scenic escapes.
And The Barn at Five Lakes has reemerged as a destination for weddings, corporate retreats, and large gatherings, bringing a modern event experience into the same ecosystem.
A Family Business
Fair Hills has never been “family-owned” as a tagline.
From Ed and Bessie to their son Chester, to Dave and Barb, and now to Beth Kaldahl Schupp and her family, each generation has taken on the responsibility of preserving what makes the resort special— while carefully evolving it just enough to stay relevant.
Today, that leadership extends into a fifth generation
Beth’s daughter, Emily Meyers, grew up at Fair Hills and now plays a central role in shaping its future—from operations to creative direction.
Relationships have formed here. Marriages started here. Entire family histories trace back to weeks spent on this lake.
Why People Keep Coming Back
Most resorts focus on what they offer. Fair Hills focuses on how it feels.
Yes, there are over 100 cabins. Yes, there are activities—golf, sailing, pickleball, waterskiing, fitness classes, kids programming. Yes, meals are served daily, family-style, with everything included.
But none of that explains why 87% of guests return. What brings people back is something less tangible. It’s the rhythm of the place.
Mornings that start slowly. Days that unfold without pressure. Kids disappearing into activities and returning sunburned and smiling. Evenings that bring everyone back together—whether it’s around a dinner table or at a lakeside show.
Guests often describe the resort the same way, “like stepping into a different time.”
Did you know that 87% of Fair Hills guests return?
Well Deserved Recognition
In recent years, Fair Hills has gained national recognition.
It’s been named the #1 all-inclusive family resort in the United States by USA TODAY.
It’s been featured by Forbes, Travel + Leisure, and National Geographic.
And in 2025, it earned multiple honors in the Minnesota’s Best awards, including Gold for Summer Resort.
But the recognition hasn’t changed the approach. If anything, it’s reinforced it.
The Real Story is the People
At its core, Fair Hills isn’t defined by its amenities or its history
It’s defined by the people who keep showing up.
Families who return every summer.
Kids who grow up and bring their own children.
Staff members who come back season after season because the place means something to them, too.
That’s what 100 years actually represents.
A Centennial That Feels Like Fair Hills
Turning 100 is a big deal.
But Fair Hills isn’t celebrating it the way you might expect.
There’s no single headline event trying to carry the weight of a century. No overproduced moment meant to summarize everything in one day.
Instead, the celebration stretches across the entire summer.
Because that’s how Fair Hills works.
The season officially kicks off Memorial Day weekend with a Community Open House—a day designed to feel less like an event and more like a gathering.
On Sunday, May 24, the resort opens its doors to guests, neighbors, and first-timers alike. There’s no barrier to entry. No expectation. Just a full day of activity built around what Fair Hills already does best.
Live music will drift across the lake.
Families will move between the pool, the courts, and the shoreline.
Kids will bounce between activities—petting zoos, waterslides, games—while adults settle into coffee at The Perch and brunch in the Dining Room.
There’s a dedication ceremony to mark the beginning of the season.
Boat rides on the Big Pelican.
Drop-in yoga.
Fishing excursions.
Pickleball matches
Ice cream socials.
That same weekend, Fair Hills hosts its 4th Annual Pickleball Tournament, a small but telling example of how the resort blends new energy into longstanding tradition. It’s open to all skill levels. Competitive enough to draw serious players, relaxed enough to welcome beginners.
But like everything else at Fair Hills, it’s not just about the activity. It’s about the environment around it.
Players can turn it into a full weekend—staying in cabins, sharing meals, joining clinics, even adding yoga sessions between matches. Families come along. Kids find their own rhythm. And the tournament becomes just one part of a much larger experience.
After opening weekend, the celebration doesn’t slow down. It settles in.
Every Saturday from Memorial Day through Labor Day becomes part of the centennial through a series of Centennial Saturdays.
There are themed touches and special drinks. Alongside that, the resort leans into some of its most beloved traditions— like the Hootenanny, a weekly staff-led variety show that blends music, comedy, and just enough chaos to keep everyone laughing. Or the Big Pelican cruises, where groups gather on the water as the shoreline drifts by. Or the classic combination of dinner, music, and late-night conversations that stretch just a little longer than planned
Help us preserve the story of Fair Hills. Each memory adds to the story that continues to bring people back year after year.
The Memory Project
If the centennial has a centerpiece, it isn’t a stage or a ceremony
It’s a collection of memories.
Through its Memory Project, Fair Hills is inviting guests—past and present—to contribute their own pieces of the story. Photos. Videos. Personal moments that might seem small on their own, but together create something much larger.
A grandfather on the dock in 1975.
A family tradition that never skipped a summer.
A moment that only mattered to a handful of people, but mattered deeply.
That’s the archive they’re building.
“Help us preserve the story of Fair Hills,” the invitation reads. “Each memory adds to the story that continues to bring people back year after year.”
Why 100 Years Matters
There are a lot of businesses that can say they’ve been around for a long time.
Very few can say they’ve meant something to people for that long.
Fair Hills can.
Because what it offers isn’t tied to trends or technology or timing. It’s tied to something simpler. Being together. Slowing down. Coming back.
The Next 100 Starts the Same Way
There’s no dramatic reinvention planned for Fair Hills. No pivot. No overhaul. Just another summer. Another group of families arriving at the lake.
That’s how the first 100 years happened.
And it’s how the next 100 will too.
Contributor Partner
This article was produced in partnership with Fair Hills Resort. The Fargo INC! newsroom — “11 Years. No Opinions. No Politics. All Business.” — was not involved in creating this content.
