Lets Begin. Origins of 150 North Dakota City Names (Part 1 of 11)

 I'll include 23 cities in each of these galleries grouped primarily by county but still jumping across the state.

In this extended series, I want to share with you the reported origins of city names across North Dakota as best reported by esteemed Washburn historical fanatic Mary Ann Barnes Williams.  If you want to check-out the book out yourself it seems to be in circulation or at least available for visitation at the North Dakota State Library.

We're going forward with the city idea because currently according to Wikipedia...

North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern United States. All incorporated communities in North Dakota are considered cities, regardless of population; there are no towns, villages, or hamlets in the state.

So If ya call 'em a city, and they've never been more than a hopeful thought, well it's all in good fun and optimism for those that tried to rule a region yet suddenly disappeared.

Absolutely, all credit goes to Mary Anne Barnes Williams and her collaborators that gathered this extensive information that may be spot-on correct, or at least generally correct, or always it seems- trying to comprehensively be correct.  Now, all of this information was published in 1966 and may reflect some racial insensitivities that no doubt were the rule of the day.

Mostly, y'all might learn that Postmasters were the namesakes of most of your hometowns.

I've included over 150 "cities" in this gallery of the Origins of North Dakota Place Names.  Included is the exact synopsis of Mary Anne Barnes Williams and her extensive work. My thanks to Digital Horizons Online.Org  for introducing me to her expansive work.  I'll include 23 cities in each of these galleries grouped primarily by county but still jumping across the state.

PLEASE CONTINUE ON TO LEARN THE ORIGIN OF YOUR FAVORITE NORTH DAKOTA "CITIES"

These tales will keep coming until we hit 150...keep checking back for future volumes. You'll be surprised to learn something in your backyard that you never really knew before.