Glenfield, nd depot, august 2003 photos by lindsay korst. Troy larsontroy larson is an author, photographer, gentleman adventurer debatable from fargo, north dakota, and cofounder of ghosts of north dakota. Preserving the history of north dakota railroads will help future generations understand how the state was established, he says. Railroads played a major role in the development of fargo. Robinson s 1966 book covering this topic, see history of north dakota book. The rails brought people and business to the towns. North dakota was first settled by native americans several thousand years ago. But the book does offer what deserves to be regarded as a classic history of an urban areas formative years. With the goal of exploring fargos history, students have visited libraries and archives to search for clues to the citys history and created web content, documentaries, and a walking tour. Carroll engelhardts gateway to the northern plains, providing a history of fargo nd, and its sister city, moorhead mn, will not breach the national consciousness. The first europeans explored the area in the 18th century establishing some limited trade with the natives.
Engelhardt has much to offer professional scholars, genealogists, and general readers. Teachers for an excellent lesson plan suitable for grades 612 see the transcontinental railroad at the pbs website. The fargo history project this project began as part of a fall 2012 digital history class at ndsu and content has been added every year since. With over 30 years of experience in the railroad industry and over 20 years of welding expertise inhouse, jb railroad contracting, inc. Hill and the great northern railroad were responsible for much of the development of farms and towns in the northern part of north dakota. Island park was a part of section seven and was deeded to the city for a park. This man drove 1,877 miles to every town in north dakota. Gateway to the northern plains is exhaustively researched, crisply written, and packed with arresting maps and photographs that help cement his dual urban saga in a distinct time and place. Railroad route creates townsite the city of fargo was founded by the northern pacific railway in 1871 in expectation of the railroad track to be built across the red river of the north. Red river valley and western railroad rrvw yellowstone valley railroad ysvr. The museum opened in 1985 and houses many railroad artifacts both inside and on its grounds.
Responsible for acquiring, preserving, and referencing the documentary holdings of the state historical society of north dakota. Churches of the high plains, a look at churches, both active and abandoned, across north dakota, south dakota, minnesota, nebraska, and manitoba, followed in 2014, and he published a local history book with an emphasis on vintage photographs, fargo moorhead lost and found, in 2015. Its home was a large, barrackslike, wooden building located at. Read stories of cities, cultures, and places that create the north dakota of our present days. North dakota rail abandonments psc case railroad line length date 1045 milw. John caron, creator of this site, donated it to the archives in 2004.
Fargo, a director of the northern pacific railroad, and cofounder of wells fargo express company. This document is a rewrite of the north dakota state rail plan that was published in 1998. The city was originally named centralia, but was later renamed fargo after northern pacific railway director and wells fargo express company founder william fargo 18181881. The most populous city in the state, it accounts for nearly 17% of the state population. From frontier village to allamerica city, 18752000, heritage publications 2001 crossings. Publications state historical society of north dakota. In fact, the northern pacific railway had a profound impact on both the economy and population of the area. The original townsite of fargo was platted out of section seven and filed for record in the cass county deeds office in january 1874. Historically part of sioux territory, the area that is presentday fargo was an early stopping point for steamboats traversing the red river during the 1870s and 1880s. Warrens 188586 manuscripts of the missouri river 2012. Books at a fifth high quality, interesting used books at.
Red river between moorhearl, minnesota, and fargo, dakota territory. Construction started in 1883 and saw completion a year later. Hawley described his grand version for fargo as a kind of history book. Amtrak has a waiting room in the old american railway express agency building adjacent to the former great northern railway gn depot.
The northern pacific was the first railroad building towards the pacific northwest and given the lack of transportation infrastructure and. North dakota was inhabited because the railroad came first. He logged 1,877 miles on his dodge van, often sleeping in his rig and at. Aug 28, 2017 a south dakota native, danielle teigen earned a journalism degree as well as a masters degree in mass communication at north dakota state university. Visit these resources to view the digitized images. Also in fargos history is the great fire of 1893, started when mrs.
The official repository of the historic records of state and local government in north dakota. Red river flooding in 1997 devastated grand forks, adding to economic problems. The midland continental was a short line railroad that operated between 1912 and 1970. Photographs archives state historical society of north dakota. Caron donated not only the website but also many of the images and artifacts that are featured on the website pages. He has researched north dakota railroads for almost 50 years and is currently working on a collaborative book on the history of the states railroads. A small percentage of the images preserved at the north dakota state archives have been digitized. This project began as part of a fall 2012 digital history class at ndsu and content has been added every year since. Local history books on north dakota arcadia publishing. North dakota has undergone a number of booms and busts in its petroleum industry, most recently in the early 21st cent. Rail information this section provides access to the north dakota state rail plan, application instructions for the two state rail loan programs and a link to helpful rail contacts. Manuscript collections state archives state historical.
Aug 09, 2017 it was november 7th, 2014 and it was two minutes until winter in josephine, north dakota when we briefly braved forty mile per hour winds to get the photos you see here. Thomaiers building which has an advertisement painted on the side. Giant steam locomotives, colorful streamliners, great passenger trains, passenger terminals, timeworn railroad cabooses, recollections of railroaders and trainwatchers. North dakota railroads date back to 1872 when the northern pacific railway reached the fargo territory well before any of the land in the region reached statehood building towards the west coast. These records document the organization, function, policies, and transactions of. Fargo station was originally built by the great northern railway in 1906. It is a pleasure for the ndsu archives to bring you this website on the history of fargo, north dakota. Stroms work has focused on the history of the great northern railway. He also designed other stations for the great northern, including stations in minot and rugby, north dakota. Presentday north dakota the states heavy dependence on wheat and petroleum has made it unusually vulnerable to fluctuations in those markets. Much of the area was first organized by the united states as part. The lessons in this plan meet the academic standards for social studies and american history education, in minnesota, north dakota, and south dakota. Fargo staff with north dakotas two flagship universities and a college in wahpeton, n.
The fargo history project is proud to bring red river valley historic tours to the fargo moorhead area. Search census records 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1890 veterans. The northern pacific was the first railroad building towards the pacific northwest and given the lack of transportation infrastructure and technologies of the time it did not reach portland, oregon until 1883. Fargo, the largest city in north dakota, was founded in 1871 and has been historically known as the gateway to the west. Railroads of today would likely be very different if it wasnt for the staggers rail act of 1980, proposed by harley staggers of west virginia. Fargo, bismarck, dickinson, and other towns grew along the tracks. The fargo railroad co uploaded and posted 4 years ago audio recorded live at the cross scythes pub 5th dec 2014, stills photographs shot during that evening. This shop, where tailors made clothing for men, was located on 1st avenue south.
It should appeal to anyone who cares about railroads. Railroad station, fargo, north dakota library of congress. Just as the northern pacific established fargo, so did the fargo and southern establish abercrombie and wheaton in 1884. In north dakota, history is only as old as yesterdays birding adventure or badlands trail ride. Originally settled by scandinavian and european immigrants, fargo and moorhead became boomtowns with the arrival of the np in 1871. Engelhardts work is a labor of love but a pleasant read. It marked the commencement of train service in hrhat. This station was served by northern pacific trains, while the great northern operated its own station further north along broadway end of service. North dakota state rail plan north dakota department of. The state railroad museum of north dakota, mandan we are working to tell the story of north dakota railroads, says bill engelter, president of the state railroad museum board. The 1897 red river flood entered the young and growing city of fargo and spread over 160 acres of businesses, homes, and farmland. Hidden history of fargo by danielle teigen the history. With the goal of exploring fargo s history, students have visited libraries and archives to search for clues to the citys history and created web content, documentaries, and a walking tour. David danbom and claire strom teach at north dakota state university.
Three railroad companies built tracks across north dakota in the late 1800s. By the end of the day, downtown fargo was devastated. Fargo, nd amtrak depot, july 2003 photo by lindsay korst. Nowhere in my railroad history books or railroad modeling books was there a mention of a goose outside of the rio grande southern engines. Another memory of the old galloping goose trains inforum. The appearance of the history of true crime in the midwest is the realization of something fargo creator noah hawley has. This is an ndsu public history initiative that uses mobile technology so residents and visitors can learn about regional history through free roam, driving, and walking tours.
Classic trains magazine celebrates the golden years of railroading including the north american railroad scene from the late 1920s to the late 1970s. Epping, nd depot, july 2003 photos by lindsay korst. Recent publications of the society include a travelers companion to north dakota state historic sites, third edition 2015, and lt. The germans from russia heritage collection is pleased to provide this impressive book of danzig, located near to ashley and wishek, mcintosh county, south central. Manuscript collections document the cultural, political, social, and economic growth of north dakota and its residents. Railroads and the birth of fargo and moorhead carroll l. Choose our north dakota history books, a complete collection of best sellers. The railroad was a major factor in the growth of towns along the line. Danbom is a renowned historian of rural america who has done considerable work on the history of fargo, including a book on the history of the north dakota agricultural experiment station. Though he did not have the political power of the northern pacific railroad in north dakota, hill had a great deal of economic power in many small and large towns along his line. Railroad station, fargo, north dakota contributor names rothstein, arthur, 19151985, photographer. The fargo society, founded in 1891 and incorporated in 1897, was part of the north dakota childrens home society.
The classics book club will discuss the time machine by h. The rail plan provides information regarding rail planning, the nd rail system, nd rail loan programs and the states highway rail crossing program. Books the state historical society of north dakota only publishes our own agencys books. In addition to writing for the forum of fargo moorhead, danielle has written for local magazines the good life, lake and home magazine, bison illustrated, from house to home and wedding vow. Canadian pacific railway cp through subsidiary soo line railroad soo dakota, missouri valley and western railroad dmvw dakota northern railroad dn northern plains railroad npr operates the mohall railroad and mohall central railroad.
Fargo jim puppe spent more than a decade driving to every corner of north dakota. Two of them were eastwest transcontinental across the continent lines. Books at a fifth village west shopping center 4101 th ave s. In the 1860s, land speculators in minnesota and the dakota territory expected that a great city would rise where the railroad crossed the red river of the north. In fact, wheaton was named in honor of daniel thomas wheaton, the civil engineer and county surveyor who did the original plat work for the fargo and southern railroad. Self published by geneva roth olstad, fargo, north dakota, 2004, 3 pages, softcover. If you love the classics or just never got around to reading them, join the virtual classics book club for an informal discussion the third wednesday of each month. It provides information and guidance for state and local officials, rail users and others affected by railroad transportation, and serves as a guide for state investments in eligible rail lines and related projects. Ghosts of north dakota kindle edition by larson, troy. The northern pacific railroad, the sioux, and the panic of 1873 by m. State archives state historical society of north dakota. The main floor of the building served as the depot, and this floor showcases the railroads history. Preserving north dakotas railroad history railroads made. The northern pacific railroad tracks crossed southern north dakota, running from fargo through beach.
The photograph collections at the north dakota state archives include more than a million images dating from 1865 to the present which document the heritage of north dakota and its people. Northern pacific railroad tracks west of fargo, north dakota 1 negative. The north dakota state archives manuscript collections include the papers of private individuals and public officials, as well as records of churches, labor unions, businesses, social and welfare agencies, and organizations. This building is right next to the former gn passenger depot seen above. The fargo and southern railroad was created by businessmen in fargo, nd, in order to reach the milwaukee roads railroad line in ortonville, minnesota, 117 miles to the south. Moorhead, an executive of the northern pacific railway. This depot has been moved to a museum in mchenry, nd. The lifetime story of the founder of the colorado railroad museum. Find 3 listings related to bnsf railway in fargo on.
The following books on fargo s history are available at the fargo public library. List of books and articles about north dakota history. They were ignited, and fire spread from what is now main avenue to the north. In february of 1872, the northern pacific railroad filed a railroad plat of its road through dakota territory. According to the 2018 united states census estimates, its population was 124,844, making it the 222ndmost populous city in the united states. Fargo, nd 58103 7015404180 we are open monday saturday. The great northern also built a nearby freight warehouse in fargo, listed on the national register of historic places. In the beginning, fargo was a rough and rowdy frontier town, with its fair share of bordellos and saloons. Fargo came into the national consciousness a few years back when the coen brothers fargo film became a popular classic. It was designed by architect cass gilbert at the time of the stations construction, fargo moorhead was served by both the northern pacific and the great northern railroad. The fargo public library will be offering crafternoons craft packets to go at the main library on tuesdays from 12 5. Gateway to the northern plains university of minnesota press.