Wahpeton, North Dakota
Wahpeton, North Dakota | |
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Website | wahpeton.com |
Wahpeton (/ˈwɑːpɪtən/ WAH-pit-ən) is a city in Richland County, in southeast North Dakota along the Bois de Sioux River at its confluence with the Otter Tail River, which forms the Red River of the North. Wahpeton is the county seat of Richland County.[5] The population was 8,007 at the 2020 census.[3]
Wahpeton was founded in 1869 and is the principal city of the Wahpeton Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Richland County, North Dakota and Wilkin County, Minnesota. Wahpeton's twin city is Breckenridge, Minnesota, on the other side of the river. The Bois de Sioux River and the Otter Tail River join at Wahpeton and Breckenridge to form the Red River of the North.
The
History
This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2010) |
The first European explorer in the area was
Carver's mission was to find the
More than 100 years after Carver's expedition, a U.S. government surveying party passed through the Wahpeton area. With the Civil War over, the government wanted to encourage development in the West. J. W. Blanding, a member of the expedition, was so impressed by the fertile river valley that he returned to his Wisconsin home determined to move his family and property to the Dakota Territory. Blanding so influenced other Wisconsin settlers that many had reached the Wahpeton area and homesteaded there before Blanding arranged his return.
The first settler was Morgan T. Rich. His plow turned the first furrow of rich black bottomland in 1869. When other settlers arrived, they formed a tiny community and named it Richville, commemorating both its founder and the fertile quality of the soil.
In 1871, a U.S. post office opened. At the same time, the town's name was changed to Chahinkapa, a Lakota Sioux word meaning "the end of the woods". Two years later, the county was organized and named Chahinkapa County.
Later that year the county was renamed Richland County and the town of Chahinkapa renamed Wahpeton. This was derived from the
Growth of the village of Wahpeton was quite slow during the first few years, but it increased rapidly in 1872 with the completion of a railroad line into Breckenridge, Minnesota, a tiny community across the Bois de Sioux River. The St. Paul and Pacific Railway (now the Great Northern) had entered the region. The railroad generated a booming business in flatboat building in both communities. Flatboats could carry freight directly from the railroad downriver via the Red River of the North (which flowed north) to northern parts of the state and to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
The railroad line attracted many more settlers to the area—both migrants from the Eastern United States, Native Americans, and new European immigrants.
Another flurry of growth occurred in 1880 when the St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Railroad crossed the river and pushed its tracks on toward the northwest. By 1883 the population of Wahpeton was estimated to be as high as 1,400 people.
In 1888, the Northern Light Electric Company (NLEC) was organized here. It made Wahpeton among North Dakota's first cities to be electrified. In 1909, NLEC became the first customer of the newly founded
In 1889, the Red River Valley University was established in Wahpeton. It later was renamed the North Dakota State College of Science.
On June 10, 1897, a lightning bolt struck the main pole in a Ringling Brothers Circus tent as it was being erected, breaking the pole and causing three deaths. The lives lost are commemorated with a monument in a graveyard south of Wahpeton.[7]
In 1904, the U.S. government established the
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, it has an area of 5.29 square miles (13.70 km2), all land.[8]
The Red River forms one of the most fertile river valleys in the world. As it flows north to Canada, it forms the state boundary between North Dakota and Minnesota. Wahpeton is near the river's headwaters at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail Rivers.
Climate
This
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1880 | 400 | — | |
1890 | 1,510 | 277.5% | |
1900 | 2,228 | 47.5% | |
1910 | 2,467 | 10.7% | |
1920 | 3,069 | 24.4% | |
1930 | 3,176 | 3.5% | |
1940 | 3,747 | 18.0% | |
1950 | 5,125 | 36.8% | |
1960 | 5,876 | 14.7% | |
1970 | 7,076 | 20.4% | |
1980 | 9,064 | 28.1% | |
1990 | 8,751 | −3.5% | |
2000 | 8,586 | −1.9% | |
2010 | 7,766 | −9.6% | |
2020 | 8,007 | 3.1% | |
2022 (est.) | 8,014 | [4] | 0.1% |
U.S. Decennial Census[10] 2020 Census[3] |
2010 census
As of the
There were 3,151 households, of which 26.8% had children under age 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.5% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.89.
The median age in the city was 31.1. 20.3% of residents were under 18; 22.2% were between 18 and 24; 20.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.5% were from 45 to 64; and 12.6% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.6% male and 48.4% female.
2000 census
As of the
The top 6 ancestry groups in the city are German (47.4%), Norwegian (28.4%), Irish (7.1%), Swedish (5.8%), French (4.0%), English (4.0%).
There were 3,254 households, of which 30.4% had children under 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.6% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.2% under 18, 24.1% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 29. For every 100 females, there were 109.8 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 112.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,471, and the median income for a family was $44,645. Males had a median income of $30,199 versus $20,089 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,293. About 7.3% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under 18 and 10.4% of those 65 or older.
Economy
Wahpeton is the home of several large manufacturing plants, including Woodcraft Industries, Inc., WCCO Belting, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, Cargill, ComDel Innovation, Heartland Precision, Doosan/Bobcat, Masonite and Wil-Rich.
On May 14, 1991, Wahpeton voters approved a 1% city sales and use tax, the proceeds of which were to be dedicated solely to economic development of the City of Wahpeton and Richland County, by means of business and industrial expansion including job creation, job retention, business and industrial diversification, and the creation, fostering and maintenance of business and trade activities and facilities. The tax would become effective July 1, 1991, and sunset in five years. On June 14, 1994, voters approved to extend the sales tax 10 years to June 30, 2006. On October 14, 2003, voters approved broadening the use and extending the 1½% sales tax to June 30, 2026.[12]
Recreation and culture
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2010) |
The area attracts outdoorsmen and hunters, as it is in the midst of the Central Flyway, thus providing excellent migratory waterfowl hunting.
The
The Richland County Historical Society Museum features Native American artifacts and displays of pioneer life. Near Wahpeton is Fort Abercrombie and the Circus Monument, erected in memory of circus workers killed by lightning there in 1897. Circus performers hold a memorial service at the monument whenever they perform in the area.
The
On Thursday afternoons from June through October, the Twin Towns Gardeners' Market is held near the Sears/Family Dollar building in Wahpeton.[13]
Other Wahpeton area attractions include
Education
Colleges
K–12
Wahpeton is served by two elementary schools, Wahpeton Middle School and Wahpeton Senior High School. There is also a private school, St. John's Elementary.
The
- High school championships
- State Class 'A' football: 1930, 1971
- State Class 'A' boys basketball: 1941, 1944, 1954, 1979
- State Class 'A' girls basketball: 1986
- State Class 'A' volleyball: 1985, 1986
- State Class 'A' girls golf: 1991
- State Class 'A' wrestling: 2007
- State Class 'A' girls indoor track and field: 1999
Transportation
Wahpeton has two railroads, a bus line, five truck lines, and an airport with runways approximately 3,000 and 5,000 feet (1,500 m) in length.
Main Highways and Roads
Notable people
- Art Anderson, former NFL football player
- Sam Anderson, actor
- Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, Armenian-American writer
- Louise Erdrich (Chippewa), author, lived here as a child when her parents taught at the Indian boarding school
- Sidney Hinds, Brigadier General and Olympian
- Rose Thompson Hovick, inspired "Rose" character of musical Gypsy
- Woodrow W. Keeble, World War II and Korean War era Medal of Honor recipient
- Colin Masica, linguist
- Porter J. McCumber, former senator
- Jerome G. Miller, correctional institution reformer
- Steve Myhra, former placekicker for the Baltimore Colts
- William E. Purcell, former senator
- David Richman, North Dakota State men's basketball head coach
- Mary Shaw Shorb, research scientist
- Ryan Smith, wide receiver, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Russell T. Thane, long-time state senator
- John Wall, North Dakota educator and politician
- Clark Williams, state legislator
References
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Wahpeton, North Dakota
- ^ a b c "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ a b "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ISBN 0-87351-396-7.
- ISBN 978-0-9677349-9-6.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
- ^ Climate Summary for Wahpeton, North Dakota
- ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ^ Nulph, Scott (May 8, 2007). "Imation closing its doors". wahpetondailynews.com. Wahpeton. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "Economic Development in Wahpeton". City of Wahpeton.
- ^ Summers, Brandon L. (August 30, 2010). "Gardeners' Market celebrates success". Wahpeton Daily News. Wahpeton, ND. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "Circle of Nations Wahpeton Indian School in Wahpeton, ND - (701) 642-3796 Education - Private Schools". local.wahpetondailynews.com. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
External links
Media related to Wahpeton, North Dakota at Wikimedia Commons