Long Prairie's history dates back to the time when the land was inhabited first by the Sioux/Dakota and then Anishinaabe/ Ojibwe Native American tribes.

In an 1846 treaty, the U.S. government gave a vast area in what is now central Minnesota to the Winnebago Indians (Ho-Chunk), known as the Long Prairie Reservation.

[14] There is a United States Geological Survey stream flow monitoring gauge in the river in Long Prairie.

[15] In July 1922 Long Prairie Village Marshal George Williams was shot and killed by men fleeing a botched bank robbery in Hewitt.

The killing took place at a late night road block near the current municipal liquor store.

An attempt had been made to rob the Hewitt bank and a roadblock was needed at the bridge over the Long Prairie River.

In addition to being village marshal he served as fire chief and was active in a number of community service organizations.

During spring and fall seasons the weather is moderate, with temperatures varying considerably day-to-day.

The DNR's fish survey states that the fish species in the lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, sunfish, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, white sucker, banded killifish, blackchin shiner, blacknose shiner, bluntnose minnow, central mudminnow, common shiner, fantail darter, golden shiner, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, and least darter.

[22] A swimming beach and large park, maintained by the city, are located on the north end of the Lake.

[23] The lake has a Department of Natural Resources public boat landing and fishing dock in its southwest corner.

City council members serve a four-year term and are David Wright, Lilah Gripne, Jim Kreemer, and Clint Kreuger.

The town is in Todd County Commissioner District 3 which also includes Long Prairie and Reynolds townships.

The building, located on the site of the former Winnebago Indian Agency, also serves as a research and learning center about the county's past.

It houses a collection of artifacts, photographs, and documents that illustrate the life, industry, and natural environment of the area.

The house was built in 1901 to serve as the family home and office of Dr. George R. Christie (1858–1947), the first licensed physician in Todd County.

After housing two generations of the Christie family, the building along with its original furnishings, was donated to the city of Long Prairie in 1976.

The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 for having local significance in the theme of health and medicine.

Occasional tours are given and, in recent years, the museum's board of directors has collaborated with the Minnesota Paranormal Research Society.