DEVILS LAKE NORTH DAKOTA NORiH DAKOTA STATE LIBRARY Bismarck, N. D. 58501 "K DEVILS LAKi ^0U3TI0*^ ^ ^6-191^ BICENTENNIAL HISTORY r- .)'"(= F A Bicentennial 644 history of Devils Lake, ,D49 North Dakota. D4£x NORTH DAKOTA STATE LIBRARY BISMARCK 58505 August 15,"77 NORTH DAKOTA NORTH DAKOTA STATE LIBRARY BOOK OR AUTHOR I III I III " I • mini ,,„ 3 3105 00040 3574 BICENTENNIAL HISTORY OF DEVILS LAKE, NORTH DAKOTA PUBLISHED JUNE 1976 UNDER AUSPICES OF THE DEVILS LAKE BICENTENNIAL COMMITTEE PRINTED BY NESS PRINTING COMPANY DEVILS LAKE, NORTH DAKOTA North Dakota State Library Bismarck, N. D. 58505 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Material for this book was written by the following people: Mrs. Morris Barks Mrs. Everett Brash Mrs. F. H. Gilliland Mrs. W. A. Green leaf Mrs. Rex Hermanson Mrs. Harold Home Leo Konzak Oliver Leet John Logan J . C . McCormick Merle Millar Mrs. Elmer Mosbaek Allen J. Petersen James Storm Mildred Wertenberger Ed Wilcox Mrs. Fred Wilson Editing Committee Mrs. G. H. Sumnicht Mrs. C. A. Cranna James Kling Beatrice Larson Mrs. A. G. Schmid Mrs. E. J. Weed Mrs. Morris Barks - II - F .M? 0-1 FOREWORD In this Bicentennial year of our nation, 1976, it is fitting to recognize those who have contributed to the early development and continued growth of Devils Lake and the surrounding area. We have tried to record some of the colorful and historic events that have taken place. It has been our aim to make the information contained in this book accurate and as complete as space would permit. If we have fallen short of our goal, we ask your tolerance and understanding. Our sincere thanks to the people who have spent many hours doing research, interviewing, writing, and in many ways assisting in the completion of this book. The Devils Lake Bicentennial Heritage Committee - in - mt» — \^i(o This was the winning entry in the Devils Lake American Revolution Bicentennial logo contest, designed by Millie Weed, Devils Lake. - iv - TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 — History of Devils Lake 1 Chapter 2 - The Story of "Enchanted Waters" 37 Chapter 3 — A History of North Dakota Chautauqua 45 Chapter 4 — The Steamboat "Minnie H " 65 Chapter 5 — Fort Totten 71 Chapter 6 — The 7th Cavalry 77 Chapter 7 — Graham's Island 81 Chapter 8 - Sully's Hill National Game Preserve 83 Chapter 9 — Agriculture 85 - v - City of Devils Lake - 1898 FLOUR MILL I < MERCY CATHOLIC HOSPITAL CHURCH 'ST r. BUDOE City of Devils Lake - About 1902 < £ a: PROSSER i t, SERUMGARO < &*9****$fc2!L TOWNSHIP W? 7.54 JTm-lTi, ItAHQt «• G .IF . £ J D && I This map of" Township No. 154 North, Range No. 64 West, 5th Principal Meridian, in Dakota Territory is a copy of the true copy authenticated by Carter Fessender, surveyor general in the U. S. Surveyor General's office in Huron, Dakota Territory, filed on September 13, 1883. Note the location of Creelsburg in lower center next to the lake. - VIII - CHAPTER I The Townsite - Land Office Romantic as the original name of the summerof 1884. From the Coulee 20 miles lake after which our city is named is the northwest of Devils Lake to the nearest history, legendary and real, of Devils settlement in the Turtle Mountains, there Lake.Named "Mini-Wakan" by the Indians was a stretch of 52 miles without any kind who first inhabited this area, the lake was of settlement. The first notices of proof of called "Enchanted Waters" by early ex­ claims made in the Devils Lake Land Of­ plorers or by another interpretation, "Spirit fice as published in the North Dakota Inter- Water". It was not until after the advent Ocean, October 27, 1883, were to Vic- of the white settlers that the misnomer toriaCharboneau for the NE3 of Section 9 "Devils Lake" displaced its more romantic of what is now Bush Township in Eddy name. County, and Sydney B. Spencer for lots 2-4 In fact, the townsite itself first bore insection4of what is now Tiffany Township the name net of the lake, but of its founder, in Eddy County. Land not claimed by Lieutenant Herber M. Creel, who in 1882 Homestead files was available for sale at surveyed a townsite on the north shore of $125.00 a quarter. the lake, and named it Creelsburgh. The As the amount of land available for post office established November 1, 1882, homesteading decreased, seven of the dis­ under that name was renamed Creel City trict land offices, including the Devils on February 28, 1883. Lake office, were consolidated, and their Two factors which had an incalculable records transferred to the Bismarck office. impact on the settlement of the area were On August 4, 1948, this office, too, was the locationof the U. S. Territorial Land closed and all records from the Bismarck Officeandthe arrival of the railroad. The office were transferred to the Bureau of Devils Lake Land District, consisting of Land Management Department of Interior, nearly six million acres, had been opened Washington, D .C . The era of land home- for settlement in 1882. Few people visited steading in North Dakota had come to an that year, but as the railroad advanced, end. reports were spread about the area, and Ramsey County was first organized as a by 1883, many eager settlers had arrived. county even during territorial days. Under That summer on August 1, 1883, with H. Territorial Governor Ordway, three com­ W. Lord as registrar, the United States missioners were appointed: Dwight W. En­ Government Land Office was opened in sign, E. V. Barton and Thomas C . Saun­ Devils Lake. That summer 39 townships, ders, who convened for the first time at most of them adjacent to Devils Lake were 10:00 a.m. January 25, 1883. Governor surveyed and made subject to claim. Flats Ordway was one of the principal stock­ of 13 of the 159 townships in the district holders in the Devils Lake City Syndicate, were received by the land office by Feb­ which virtuallyassured Devils Lake's being ruary, 1884. Ninety percent of the land named the county seat. In the election of in these townships had been filed by Jan­ a county seat, on November 4, 1884, uary 21, 1884, leaving only 22,080 acres Devils Lake received all but 75 votes out still subject to claim. In the 6 million of a total of 628 votes cast. acres in the district, there were 37,500 Atone time, due to the same influence claims of 160 acres each, less than ten of Governor Ordway, it seemed possible percent of which were filed before the that Devils Lake wouldbe named territorial NORTH DAKOTA TELEPHONE COMPANY I A Member of Continental Telephone System GROWTH THROUGH BETTER SERVICE capital. The contest was between Yankton spring or summer of the next year at a cost and Devi Is Lake. The latter had two strong of $22,387.30. The commissioners con­ factors — it was more centrally located, vened for the first time in their new quar­ andwasmoreaccessible by rail. However, ters on February 17, 1888. Attendance at six of the nine territorial commissioners a gala courthouse ball held February 14 being from south of the 46th parallel, was noticeably less than was hoped for due Yankton was voted the capital. to a typical winter storm. This structure housed the county offices until 1960 when Started in 1887, the first Ramsey Court­ it was torn down and the present modern house was completed sometime during the courthouse was erected. Railroad' Even more significant in the history of as a village in 1883, the city was incor­ Devils Lake than the locating of the Land porated in 1884 with the Honorable H . C . Office was the arrival of the railroad Hansbrough as its first mayor, followed by whose role in the settlement of the A. O. Whipple, Clark W. Kelly and Ole entire territory is supreme . Not only did Serumgard. it bring in droves of settlers, it actually The decision to locate the depot of the determined where towns would be estab­ St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba rail­ lished. Many townsites did move from road in Creel City, "1,200 feet south of the earlier sites to a more desirable location Lakeview house in the very heart of the on the railroad, or simply died because business portion of the city, " was made they were "inland" towns. aftera party of St. Paul officials composed Creel City was one of several rivals for of James J . Hill, President, General Man­ the location of the station of the St. Paul, ager A. Manvel, andChief Engineer Colo­ Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad, then nel Smith traveled by train from St. Paul to being laid westward from St. Paul. Other Bartlett (the end of the line at that time) sites in the struggle included Devils Lake in the president's special car, then by City, a settlement located "perhaps two sleigh from Bartlett to the north shore of miles or so southeast of the present city"; Devils Lake, to Creel City. Here they Dana's Grove (Minnewaukan post office) were received by Lieutenant Creel and "another two miles or so southeast"/ and other gentlemen of the city, who led the still farther along the lake shore, the site inspection tour of the several potential of Odessa. Another rival site "seven miles sites, with the result that Creel City was almost due south of our present city" was the one chosen. Rock Island. Many months of bitter and A large force of men were employed in bloody conflict among these rivals finally building the "Manitoba " from Bartlett to ended when, according to the May 26, Devils Lake in the early summer of 1883, 1883 issue of the Inter-Ocean Newspaper.