Enderlin, North Dakota, is located primarily in Ransom County, although a small portion extends into neighboring Cass County. The site was purchased from three landowners by Edward Pierce, who represented the Minnesota Land and Trust Company. He was confident it was a good location for a town, as he knew the Soo Line of the St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad planned to lay tracks there. The official plat of the town was filed on this date in 1891.
There are different versions of how the town came to be named. According to one story, the name comes from the German phrase “end der line,” meaning “the end of the line,” because for a time it was the end of the Soo Line. The official story is that F.D. Underwood, General Manager of the railroad, took the name from a character in a book he had read.
The Soo Line did, indeed, reach Enderlin in the fall of 1891 and constructed a four-stall roundhouse. Eventually, the railroad site grew to include a locomotive overhaul shop where entire engines could be torn down and rebuilt. By 1917, the railroad employed over two hundred men in the Enderlin shops.
The railroad had one challenge with the Enderlin water, it was so hard that a water tank had to be built at Anselm, and engines were filled there instead.
The Enderlin post office was established in 1891. The town grew as homes and businesses were added. Enderlin served as a railroad shipping point for agricultural products.
Although the town was prosperous, it remained small. The 1920 census recorded the highest population of 1,919, when it was touted as the largest city in Ransom County. Today, the population is slightly over eight hundred.
The railroad continues to be a significant part of the local economy. The Soo Line, now a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway, still operates a yard in Enderlin.
There are other ties to the area’s history as well. The Robert Lindemann House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. It was built in 1913 by Robert and Alvina Lindemann, who farmed in Cass County. It’s considered a fine example of Queen Anne architecture.
The Enderlin Historical Museum is housed in the city’s 1927 Masonic Lodge. The museum maintains the historic building and showcases city history.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Enderlin, North Dakota. “History.” https://enderlinnd.com/historyAccessed 8/7/2025.
- Everything Explained. “Robert Lindemann House.” https://everything.explained.today/Robert_Lindemann_House/ Accessed 8/7/2025.
- Wandermore in North Dakota. “Enderlin.” https://www.facebook.com/WandermoreNorthDakotaAccessed 8/7/2025.
- Enderlin Historical Society and Museum. “Home Page.” https://enderlinmuseum.org/Accessed 9/7/2025.
- National Register of Historic Places. “North Dakota.” https://nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/ND/cass/state.htmlAccessed 9/7/2025.
