Along with Grafton, Park River is another town in Walsh County that greatly benefited from the railroad. In 1884, the Manitoba Railroad extended from Larimore to Park River, which was, for a time, the end of the line. Of course, the new community grew like a mushroom, a community that stood upon land that just over two years earlier had been covered with wheat. In fact, the golden grain was cut to make way for the carpenters and builders who set forth to construct the town.

Park River quickly became a thriving center of an immense trading territory. Like many pioneer towns, it survived fire during the early years and was a prosperous city by 1901. Surrounded by some of the best agricultural land in the world, Park River’s trade territory had unlimited horizons to the west and was soon home to five elevators and a flour mill. The dusty streets were lined with a variety of businesses including general stores, clothing stores, and grocery stores, as well as meat markets, confectionaries, and a bakery. Park River also offered several hotels and restaurants, hardware stores and lumber yards, liveries and feed stables, and drug stores, just to name a few. Needless to say, locals and visitors alike were able to purchase a variety of goods and services in the town of Park River.

As was true of any boomtown, you can’t guarantee that only the best characters will come to visit. In the case of Park River, this included some old-fashioned bank robbers who came to town on November 16, 1931. Surprisingly, the heist at the First National Bank of Park River wasn’t pulled under the cover of darkness. Instead, it was a daring daylight robbery where the bandits escaped with all the cash from the tellers’ windows. Likely feeling brave, they attempted the same sting in Ipswich, South Dakota soon after and were apprehended and sentenced to prison.

Even though this is a bit of a blemish on Park River’s history, the town’s legacy is undeniably positive, a small community who thrived on the heels of the railroad. The visions of the early pioneers who founded Park River have certainly been fulfilled beyond their wildest dreams. Today, the pride of this friendly city is evident in annual events such as the Canada Day and 4th of July Parade. The community celebrates Independence Day in style, with a fireworks display that typically entertains nearly 8,000 people who’ve come to witness the show.