Despite the opening text that appears on screen, Fargo was not based on a true story. The Coens had various explanations for why they did this. One was that they thought that viewers might be more accepting of the gruesome violence if they thought it was a true story. But maybe that was messing with our minds, too. The film's crime was a mélange of several incidents: a real kidnapping in Minnesota, and a woodchipper murder in Connecticut (see below).
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In 2001, the media widely reported that a Japanese woman had died while searching for the buried suitcase from Fargo, after having traveled all the way to Minnesota to look for it. However, this wasn't really true. Initially, the police thought this was the case, because of a confusing conversation they'd had with the woman prior to her death. It turned out to be a suicide.
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Those Hautmans, who beat out Norm for the 29-cent stamp, are real wildlife artists and good friends of the Coens. Their art has found its way to many stamps. Yes, Virginia, there is a Federal Duck Stamp Contest.
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A collector's edition VHS tape of Fargo released in the '90's came with a snow globe depicting the wood chipper scene. Sweet.
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The idea of the wood chipper body-disposal technique was based on an actual murder that took place in 1988 in Connecticut (even if the rest of the movie was not based on a specific case). Richard Crafts, an airline pilot, murdered his wife and disposed of her body by putting it through a wood chipper. He's in prison at the moment, fortunately.
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