Fingal had its beginnings with the purchase of the townsite by the "Soo" Railroad from John Rathje, a settler in early 1891. Thorkel Thorkelson opened a store in a tent in a wheatfield in October of 1891 , the "Soo'' Railroad having reached the site on September fifteenth. The station agent had his headquarters in a box car on a sidetrack until the following December, when a depot was built. That same month a post office was established on the eleventh, with Thorkel Thorkelson the postmaster.

Fingal likely received its name from the Gaelic hero, Fingal, of Scottish Highland ballads, since many of the towns on the "Soo" Line were named by the wife of one of the railroad officials.

Businesses immediately came into being in Fingal and by March of 1892 the village boasted of two elevators, a harness shop, Thorkelson's General Store, a restaurant, a farm implement business, a hardware store, a livery and feed stable, a lumber and coal yard, a blacksmith shop and a meat market.

A drug store was built in 1893 by N. M. Olson and he was postmaster from 1897 to 1901, and was succeeded by his wife, Ada Olson, who served until 1933.

C. E. Batchellor organized the bank in 1899 (now the Fingal State Bank). I. J. Moe opened a real estate office in 1894. A general store was operated by Peterson and Ramsett.

Despite the ravages of fire and the Great Depression, Fingal remains a viable community, serving a need. A fine school, serving a wide area, a stable bank, a good department store, restaurant and other businesses all combine to make Fingal a trade center of note.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 284