October is Archives Month, a time when archives across the country celebrate the records in their holdings and recognize the archivists who assess, collect, organize, preserve, and provide access to information of lasting value. The North Dakota State Archives is part of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
The North Dakota State Archives houses a collection of papers compiled by local WPA workers during the 1930s. These include a variety of interviews and gathered information about the specific histories of people, places, food traditions, other customs, ghost towns, legends, and even details about various ethnic groups settling in the state. These interviews and histories offer a rich selection of information about North Dakotans and the region.
Many of these interviews and collected histories were intended for publication in North Dakota, but not all of them were completed before the end of this historical survey. However, the materials live on at the State Historical Society.
One example is the survey of old post offices and ghost towns. This project was meant to explain why places had specific names, to be used in “a pamphlet” detailing how various locations in North Dakota got their names. Some material was completed, and citations of where the information came from were included.
For example, Cook, North Dakota, in Adams County, “was situated to be located on the proposed branch of the Northern Pacific Railroad, which was expected to be put through the northern part of Adams County. With the establishment of new rural mail routes through the territory, at about the time it became evident that the railroad was not coming through, it was abandoned.” That information was provided by a man named Emil Olson.
However, some information was harder to find. Workers reached out to various locations such as Bjorn, North Dakota to gather data like when the town was first settled, its highest population during its existence, and whether it was named after someone. While they ultimately noted there was no information available, a later compiler, Doug Wick, would add in his Place Names book that "Bjorn" is Norwegian for "bear" and that one had been seen in the area. Bjorn was located three miles south of Manvel, in Grand Forks County.
Dakota Datebook by Sarah Walker
Sources:
- SHSND Series 30555 Post Offices / Ghost Towns, Box 105, Adams County
- Grand Forks County
- Douglas Wick, North Dakota Place Names
