Sykeston was considered the county seat when Wells County was organized. In November 1884, Fessenden received more than three-fifths of the votes in an election to formally decide the county seat, but the matter was not settled, even with the vote. Newspapers reported that “Wells County is all torn up over a county seat fight.” Sykeston businessmen were not willing to admit defeat. They claimed there were irregularities in the voting. They were countered by Fessenden businessmen who were eager to make the move. They wasted no time and rounded up several men with teams and wagons, heading to Sykeston to claim the safes, records, and courthouse furniture. The sheriff favored Fessenden and conveniently took a long vacation as the supporters arrived to claim the courthouse property.
After fortifying themselves with liquid refreshment, the men went to the courthouse. They faced the challenge of moving the large safe. They needed timbers, so they went to the lumber yard. The lumber dealer did not support relocating the county seat and refused to sell the timbers. The Fessenden crew took them anyway and left their money on the counter. They loaded the safe on timbers across two wagons and filled other wagons with smaller safes, boxes of records, and furniture. The wagons were heavy, and it took all night to get back to Fessenden.
The county auditor was eager to move out of the makeshift storefront in Sykeston and into a real courthouse, but that did not happen overnight. The county commissioners finally called a special election on this date in 1895 to decide the question of a $12,000 bond issue for construction of a new courthouse and jail in Fessenden.
The bond issue passed, and the commissioners hired an architect and a Fessenden construction company. In December, they purchased six coal heating stoves and insured the building for $10,000. Wells County residents celebrated the opening of the new building on New Year's Eve in 1895. F.B. Gray’s Little Brown Orchestra provided the music for the dancers. The crowd enjoyed a dinner at the hotel, then returned to the city hall to finish the night with more dancing. Still in use today, the courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Griggs Courier. “State Attorney H.B. Chess….” Cooperstown ND. 11/16/1894. Page 1.
- Griggs Courier. “Wells County new courthouse…” Cooperstown ND. 1/10/1896. Page 1.
- Wells County. “County Seat Moves from Sykeston to Fessenden.” https://wellscountynd.com/about-us/county-seat-moves-from-sykeston-to-fessenden/ Accessed 4/15/2025.
