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"History Comes to Life on the Talking Trail..."

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Nelson County North Dakota

Nelson County North Dakota

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281 - Michigan Train Wreck

When the railroad came to Michigan, North Dakota, excitement, promise, and growth... (read more)

Michigan Train Wreck - Nelson County
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282 - A.M. Tofthagen Museum

In the heart of Lakota, stands the Tofthagen Library and Museum. A.M Tofthagen was ... (read more)

A.M. Tofthagen Museum and Library - Nelson County
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285 - Stump Lake

Originally formed by glaciation, Stump Lake, as we know it today, began nearly... (read more)

Stump Lake - Nelson County
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284 - Michigan Mini Mall and Bank

Generally speaking, life in Nelson County in the 1920s was relatively quiet. An early... (read more)

Michigan Mini Mall - Nelson County
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288 - Log Cabin

The homestead opportunities of the late 1880s brought an influx of Norwegian... (read more)

Log Cabin - Talking Trail
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297 - Snowmobile History

It is no secret that winters in North Dakota can be brutal, but did you know how... (read more)

Snowmobile History - Nelson County
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279 - Wamduska Square Schoolhouses

One-room schoolhouses were once a common feature... (read more)

Wamduska Square Schoolhouse - Talking Trail
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280 - Stump Lake Pavilion

The wooded shores of Stump Lake have been used for community and family outings... (read more)

Stump Lake Pavilion - Talking Trail
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283 - Johnson Store

Manville Arthur Johnson began his career as a handyman at the Michigan... (read more)

Johhnson Store - Talking Trail
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286 - Historical Trail

The Fort Totten Trail is an overland route that was used first by Indians and also by settlers... (read more)

Historical Trail - Talking Trail
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287 - Cook Car, Township Hall, and Barr House

Harvey and Maritt Aamot Barr called this farmhouse home... (read more)

Cook Car - Talking Trail
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289 - Depot

In the late 1800s, the existence of small towns on the prairie largely depended on... (read more)

Depot - Talking Trail
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290 - Main Street Museum

Walking into the Main Street Museum transports you back in time to a dusty street... (read more)

SLHV Main Street Museum - Talking Trail
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291- Machinery and Engine Building

Progress and innovation brings change, often seen in... (read more)

Machinery and Engine Building - Talking Trail
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292 - Saw Mill, Flour Mill, and Blacksmith Shop

Frontier communities depended on certain trades to... (read more)

Sawmill/Flourmill/Blacksmith Shop - Talking Trail
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293 - Prairie Posse Gazebo

It had been nearly fifty years since a bank robbery was reported in Nelson County... (read more)

Prairie Posse Gazeebo - Talking Trail
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294 - Petersburg Namesake

As new towns arose across North Dakota, the responsibility for naming them generally fell... (read more)

Petersburg Namesake - Talking Trail
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295 - Whitetail Robbery

Banks aren’t the only businesses that have been robbed in Nelson County, though, for the... (read more)

Whitetail Robbery - Talking Trail
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296 - Opera House

The pride of Petersburg, North Dakota was the Opera House, this one with a... (read more)

Opera House - Talking Trail
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298 - Wamduska Hotel

In the late 1880s, the railroad was often the lifeline for young towns on the Northern Plains... (read more)

Wamduska Hotel - Talking Trail
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Nelson County is a land of gently rolling wheat fields and boundless recreation opportunities!

 

Nelson County was founded in the spring of 1883 at the Territorial Legislature in Grand Forks, ND.  It is comprised of approximately 982 square miles and is situated in the Northeast part of North Dakota. Cities in Nelson County include: Aneta, Lakota, McVille, Michigan, Pekin, Petersburg and Tolna.  There are also several Town Sites and Villages in the County including:  Dahlen, Kloten, Mapes, and Whitman.  These communities were formed when the Burlington Northern and Sioux Railroads became established in the County.  Lakota is the Official County Seat of Nelson County.

For recreation, Nelson County has ample opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast!  Stump Lake is a local attraction for fishing and hunting along with other areas such as Lake Laretta, McVille Dam, Tolna Dam and Whitman Dam.  

Come explore all of the rich history along the Nelson County Talking Trail!

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