Valley City, established in 1874, was originally known as Worthington, named for George Worthington, a strong promoter of the settlement. The name was changed to Valley City in 1878. The city is known as the "City of Bridges" due to the many bridges across the Sheyenne River, including the Hi-Line Railroad Bridge. The first census in Valley City in 1880 recorded three hundred twenty residents. By 1890, the population had grown to over a thousand, and Valley City continued to expand from there.
In the early days of settlement, wagon trails evolved into dirt roads. These were sufficient when people traveled by horse-drawn wagons and buggies. However, this changed in 1908 when Henry Ford debuted the low-priced Model T Ford. As more Americans began driving, the demand for better roads grew. Rural voters advocated for improvements with the slogan, “Get the farmers out of the mud!” Businessmen also urged the development of better roads to facilitate customer access to their stores.
The unpaved streets became a quagmire when it rained and raised clouds of dust during dry weather. The local newspaper claimed that the city had the worst roads in the county, describing a journey down Main Street as “like a trip across a plowed field.” The situation was worsened by the excavation of streets to install sewers, telephone wires, and water and gas lines.
On this date in 1913, residents learned that an impressive improvement was on the horizon. The local newspaper announced plans to begin paving the streets. The city council noted that there would be no further need to dig up the streets to install infrastructure, making the timing ideal for paving. Once the streets were paved, the city would have roads “equal to that in any part of the country.”
The businessmen of Valley City were eager for this improvement, believing it would make it easier for customers to patronize their companies. They expressed support for the paving, even if it meant a special assessment to fund it. They hoped the work could begin in the spring, marking it as the last winter with roads that were almost impossible to navigate.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Weekly Times-Record. “Tentative Plans Now Being Laid for Paving the Streets.” Valley City ND. 10/23/1913. Page 1.
- United States Census Bureau. “Valley City, North Dakota.” https://data.census.gov/profile/Valley_City_city,_North_Dakota?g=160XX00US3881180 Accessed 9/17/2024.
- ThoughtCo. “History of Roads in America.” https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-american-roads-4077442 Accessed 9/17/2024.
