The first white man to set foot on
the land that is now known as McLean County, were Louis and Clark.
They spent the winter weather in 1804-1805 and built a fort named
"Fort Mandan". On their return trip in 1806, they found it
burned down by the Sioux Indians. The Fort was rebuilt and is now a
Historical Site. There is also a stone monument sitting on a
hill on the Swanson land. It has a map of Lewis and Clark's
expedition with a story of their travels. From there you can
almost see the Missouri River.
|
Name of Township |
Township | Earliest date of Establishment |
Sites |
Amundsville | 150-88 | About 1913 | Amundsville has A National Wildlife Refuge |
Andrews- Benedict |
150-81 | About 1906 | Benedict was named because of the newly wed men ...newly wed men are know as "benedicts". |
Aurena | 149-79 | About 19-- | |
Basto- Weller |
145-83 | About 1883 | The town Wellerville was named after Charles Weller who was a Civil War soldier that homesteaded. It is now a ghost town. |
Blackwater | 148-87 | About 1906 | The Indians had named the lake in the townhsip, Blackwater because of the darkness of the water. |
Blue Hill | 150-86 | About 18-- | Black Diamond Mine owned by John Satterlund; Coal Creek Energy Plant; Falkirk Mine |
Buffalo Lake | 145-82 | About 18-- | |
Buffalo Rock | 145-89 | About 18-- | It is known for its buttes but, now much of the area is under water. |
Butte Township | 150-79 | ||
Byersville | 149-78 | About 1904 | Named after J. A. Byers, an early settler. |
Coal Harbor | 147-84 | About 1904 | |
Conkling | 144-83 | About 1883 | |
Cremerville | 150-89 | ||
Deepwater | 149-88 | ||
Dogden- Butte |
150-78 | About 1902 | Dogden is a translation for the Indian words of wolf den. The Dogden buttes were a landmark used by early days travelers and expeditions |
Douglas | 150-85 | ||
E.
Wiprud- Crooked Trail |
148-80 | About 1902 | The township has 3 lakes: Crooked Lake, Cottenwood Lake and Nelson Lake |
Economy-Max | 150-83 | ||
Eblowoods | 147-90 | About 1891 | Elbowoods was the Indian Agency headquarters but was abandoned by 1954 due to rising waters behind the Garrison Dam. |
Fort Berthold Reservation |
147-89 | Lake Sakakawea now covers most of this area. | |
Fort Stevenson |
147-85 | About 1867 | Fort Stevenson--Military Post dated back to 1863-1864 |
Gate | 150-87 | ||
Great Stone | 149-81 | About 1904 | Homesteaders had to move large stones before they could farm, and the township was named Gratstone. |
Hackett- Emmett |
148-86 | About 1903 | Garrison Reservoir cuts into a large portion of this township. |
Heaton-Iowa | 144-80 | About 1904 | Panted Woods Creek cuts through the township |
Horseshoe Valley- Strawberry Lake |
149-80 | About 1891 | |
Jeanette-
Romsaas |
149-86 | About 1905 | |
Koenig | 145-80 | Turtle Creek--a landmark for early homesteaders | |
Lake Nettie- Palmberg |
148-81 | Lake Nettie is a large lake | |
Lake Williams- Turtle Lake |
147-80 | ||
Lewis and Clark |
144-84 | About 1882 | Lewis and Clark made camp here in 1804; Area called Elm Point was a river boat landing |
Liberty | 147-86 | About 18-- | Part of the Fort Stevenson Reservation; Fort Berthold trail passes through and at one time the buttes along the river served as a landmark for the Missouri River men |
Like- A-Fish-
|
147-87 | About 18-- | Hidatsa, Mandan and Arikaras Indians started a new village here due to being harassed by the Sioux. Lake Sakakawea now covers most of this area. |
Linda-Reuter | 147-82 | About 19-- | Some towns were established due to the Garrison Dam. |
Longfellow | 146-83 | About 18-- | Communities established here due to the building of Garrison Dam. |
Loquemont | 149-89 | About 1913 | |
Lucky Mound | 149-90 | About 19-- | |
Malcom | 148-82 | About 1902 | Swedish settlers named the township |
McGinnis | 149-84 | About 18-- | The Smith Horse Ranch was on the trail to the north toward Fort Pembina. Many travelers and mail carriers stopped at the ranch overnight. The log portion of the ranch house is still in use. |
Medicine Hill | 148-79 | About 1896 | Well known spot when the Indians would travel, and visit the Medicine Hill |
Mercer | 146-79 | 1877 | William Mercer, Civil War veteran, settled here in 1877--Mercer County is also named after him |
Monntefiore-
Wilton |
143-80 | About 1899 | Washburn Lignite Coal Mine opened in 1901 |
Nettle Creek | 143-81 | About 1882 | Painted Woods Lake--Painted woods is mentioned in many early military journals |
New Home | 146-80 | ||
Nishu | 147-88 | About 1894 | the community center of the Arkiara tribe on the Fort Berthold Reservation..now is covered by Lake Sakakawea |
N. Elbowoods | 148-90 | The area had Indian settlements and later to white people after the Reservation was opened to homesteaders. | |
N.
Hancock-
Riverdale |
146-84 | About 1886 | E. T. Winton, past postman of Ft. Stevenson platted the town in 1883; Hancock was named in 1886 by the Virginia homesteaders |
N.
Satterlund- Sverdrup |
145-81 | About 18-- | |
Otis-Ruso | 150-80 | About 1903 | A Soo Line Railroad station was established in Ruso. |
Park | 145-79 | About 1892 | |
Platt | 149-85 | About 1903 | Douglas Creek is mentioned in many old journals...It was an early landmark for the river travelers. |
Poplar -Freitag |
150-82 | About 1904 | Max is the dividing point and the trains switched cars here. Many of the early settlers worked on the railroad to earn money. |
Roosevelt-
Garrison |
148-84 | About 1903 | Garrison the town founded by the Taylor brothers; The Stephen Coal Mines were located here and the waters of Lake Sakakawea have taken much of the township. |
Roseglen | 149-87 | About 1904 | |
Rosemont-
Crystal |
150-84 | ||
St. Mary-
Schneider |
148-85 | About 18-- | Part of the Fort Stevenson Military Reservations. |
Shell Creek | About 1921 | Shell Creek began as a Hidatsa community settled largely by a group of Gros Ventres who had broken away from their fellow tribesmen of Ft. Berthold Indian Reservation. | |
Snake Creek | 149-82 | About 19-- | Lake Audabon cuts through and Snake Creek runs through some of the town. |
S. Hancock | 145-84 | About 18-- | The Knife River Villages now a National Historic site was mentioned in journals by earlier travelers |
S. Satterlund | 144-81 | About 1877 | One of the earlier settlers--George Rhude opened a post office and was a stopping place for travelers from Ft. Stevenson and Bismarck. |
Snow | 148-83 | About 18-- | The township has been covered by Lake Sakakawea and the Lake Audubon waters; it also had many mines. |
Turtle Lake Township |
147-81 | About 1886 | Turtle Lake which is shaped like a turtle |
Ulrich-Endres | 149-83 | About 1904 | |
Underwood Township |
146-82 | About 1884 | Town site owner, Gen. W. D. Washburn, was a builder of the railroad (This Bismarck, Washburn, and Great Falls R. R.) now the Soo Line |
Veeder | 146-81 | About 1883 | |
Victoria- Coleharbor |
147-83 | About 1904 | Garrison Dam boom town; Audubon National Wildlife Refuge. |
Washburn | 144-82 | 1882 | Washburn is the oldest existing community and was founded by John S. Veeder and John Satterlund |
White Shield | 148-88 | About 18-- | Was built to take the place Elbowoods which was covered by Lake Sakakawea |
Wise | 147-79 | About 1900 | The township has several lakes and is a resort area |